Cameron's frustration with 'quick fix' critics

Russell

Totally agree with Cameron, if that's what he said.
This government of 18 months has only just started clearing up the dung heap which labour left after 13 years of fixing nothing.
Alexander, Miliband, Balls, Mrs Balls all demand to know what the government is doing about immigration ! Labour ruined this country with its immigration policies and wrecked the Borders Control at the same time.
Public finances...the same
Education....the same
Ministry of Defence....the same
Welfare......the same

I can't believe the press would bother speaking to or giving labour print opportunities, apart from the BBC/Guardian lefties.

Even bloody sky now gives Balls/Miliband/Murphy/Alexander/West etc. air time, without any responses from government representatives.

Ghengis

no more than we are frustrated by his continual evasions

Duyfken

Well, a PM is supposed to lead, but this one just seems to be comatose and excusing himself with silly phrases such as "[t]hey are fed up with the idea that if they would only do this or that everything would be solved." If he only did something, we would be astonished.

TomTom

Do they allow Bruce Anderson unaccompanied in the Chequers wine cellar ? As a taxpayer I prefer Anderson stone-cold sober

Tiberius

It is an indictment of many of Cameron's critics that such obvious statements need to be made. Critics of struggling football club managers often suffer from the same kind of delusions about the availability of quick fixes.

toco

Patience is most certainly a virtue and Cameron should not worry about a few backwoodsmen.He should be confident in himself to know that ultimately he will have been proved to have made the astute calls as with Libya.Not sure he would have endeared himself to the electorate if he had continued to spend,spend,spend and we were paying Italian style interest rates with no hope of covering the capital repayments necessary to give our next generation the chance of a decent standard of living.

Ghengis

My message to our PM is simple - Sovereignty is inarguable - Consider

normanc

I don't think anyone criticising his agenda is saying there is an easy fix - in fact quite the opposite, that things are in a dreadful state and that firm, decisive action is needed to try and turn the corner.

Following Labour's plans with a minor tweak here and there isn't really what conservatives are looking for.

SJH

I hope Brute took his own sheets to Chequers

commentator

Bruce Anderson has a long ignominious track record of lousy judgment. Why do I think that this article is unlikely to be break the cycle....even if he was invited to Chequers to take dictation from the Heir to Blair?

Publius

Not looking for a quick fix. Just looking for implementation of the policies we were told would be implemented.

Europe - too difficult
Red tape - too difficult
Supply side reform - too difficult
Scotland voting on English matters - too difficult

...and on it goes.

EC

C'mon chaps, surely he has to draw a line on quick fixes.

Martin Adamson

He might start to build bridges with the Right by acknowledging that everything that John Redwood, Nicholas Ridley, Bill Cash etc predicted 20 years ago has indeed come to pass. And he might also want to celebrate the fact that the Tories were the only major political party in Europe who have been vindicated in this way.

lescam

Cameron, in spite of his posturing, is not a Conservative at all, and never has been. He is a holier-than-thou, bleeding-heart, "green" Liberal of the worst kind, always posing as the great saviour of the environmental movement, constantly breaking his promises, and apparently not knowing the meaning of the word "integrity".

Whether Patrick Mercer did or did not say what he was alleged to have said about Cameron, his alleged words ring true. Cameron is a failure and should step down, the sooner the better. He will not be missed.

Radford NG

Untill a few months ago it was the line of the Spectator that "extreme right-wing" policies on Europe were "Bennite".Now they & Steve Hilton(they claim)are contemplating withdrawal.

Hugo Chav

Meryl Streep:

"You miss her clarity today. It was all very clear and up front, and I loved that eagerness to mix it up and to make it about ideas… You want people who are willing to find a solution. I admire the fact that she was a “love-me-or-hate-me” kind of leader who said: “This is what I stand for.” It’s a hard thing to do and no one’s doing that now..."

Contrast to Call Me Dave.

Reading the columns of Bruce Anderson and Iain Martin makes me think that Martin is on the money and Anderson is backing a loser.

It is only a matter of time before our debt dynamics are shown to be approaching Event Horizon and Cameron's reactive leadership will be proven as inadequate.

oldtimer

Talk of critics calling for a quick fix is a straw man argument. Just who thinks there is a quick fix for the UK`s many problems? I cannot think of anyone.

The problem with Cameron is his direction of travel - it is in the wrong direction on several issues critical to the nation`s future. He also speaks with forked tongue - though it must be admitted that that is characteristic of many in the political class. Nevertheless it is very early in his premeiership to lose the trust of so many.

It is well over a year that I advised my Conservative MP that he will not get my vote at the next election based on present policies. Nothing since then has caused me to change my mind.

Heartless P.

If the H2B is 'frustrated', he merely joins many bone-fide Tories in 'his' party who feel the same way, - though not for the same reasons, - his bien pensant tendency being just one of them.

So it follows that we have a more or less 'frustrated' Tory Party as one limp part of the faux 'government' of this benighted land.

And sooner or later, frustration invariably turns to ... ?

Percy

Cameron and Osbourne may be right in that there are no quick fixes but people I know are getting increasingly frustrated by rich posh boys telling them what's good for them.

Might be the right message but these two privileged, uncharasmatic chumps are so obviously the wrong messengers.

Verity

"No columnist is closer to David Cameron than Bruce Anderson."

My sympathies.

Verity

Look at that weak, self-indulgent, soft little face.

Man in a Shed

The problem for Cameron is he didn't win the last election, whilst facing an open goal, and that he's wasted his political capital on green insanity, equality grandstanding, and Euro appeasement.

Many of us will no longer extend him any more credit. Only deeds will count from now on.

Hexhamgeezer

'They are fed up with the idea that if they would only do this or that everything would be solved.'

Straw Man Straw Man Straw Man Straw Man Straw Man Straw Man Straw Man Straw Man Straw Man Straw Man Straw Man Straw Man Straw Man Straw Man Straw Man Straw Man
Straw Man Straw Man Straw Man Straw Man Straw Man Straw Man Straw Man Straw Man Straw Man Straw Man Straw Man Straw Man Straw Man Straw Man Straw Man Straw Man!!!!

Evasive shites.

Ruairidh

But trust needs to be earned and so far Cameron et al have done a poor job of earning it.

Andy Carpark

"No columnist is closer to David Cameron than Bruce Anderson."

In that case Bruce Anderson must be a tapeworm because Matthew 'Bagpuss' d'Ancoan is so far up Cameron's flue, all you can see are the soles of his boots.

alan scott

Goodness, what a dreary crowd of feeble, short of stamina, shortsighted, shortchanging, short of common sense many of your contributors are! Still, all sorts to make a world and all that. Just glad I don't have to share the Clapham omnibus with them.

strapworld

No such thing as a free lunch, or dinner Eh Brucie?

I agree with commentator above. Those that disagree should research his previous articles. Especially on Brown.

Dennis Churchill

“The Spectator’s former political editor spotted Cameron’s potential back in 1992 during the general election campaign”

It had to be “potential” as he had never held a senior position until he became leader of the Conservative party.
Can you think of any other area where without any senior experience or track record you go straight to the top of an organisation? Lucky it is only a country and not something large and complex.

Banquosghost

Is that picture his Robert De Niro moment?

Are you looking at me? I say, are you looking at me? Oh you are? very sorry, would you like me to bend over?

FvH

Publius nails it

Cameron is a disappointment when measured against his own objectives

And the reason for his failure is he is all about the lovely, lovely speech and the headline (not the hard work behind the scenes to actually make things happen)

All mouth and no trousers

An enormous disappointment

Slowly but surely the party are realizing that an outright majority in 2015 may be more likely with a different leader

#onetermprimeminister

Verity

Andy Carpark - Laugh of the day!

On Cameron in general, he is what they call in Texas "All hat and no cattle". In other words, a poseur without the (intellectual or moral) wherewithal.

Chris lancashire

alan scott: with you all the way. Cameron and Osborne are doing pretty well in extremely difficult circumstances. Judge them after 4 years.

RCE

But Dave clearly thinks that there is a 'quick fix' for Defence - namely, taking a hasty, uninformed and ill-considered hatchet to it.

So as ever he's talking complete hypocritical bunkum that an A-level politics student could expose, even with Anderson's emotive smokescreen.

Mercer for PM!

Dennis Churchill

We must face up to the dangers of having a political class with no experience outside politics and a few related areas such as law, PR and the media.
Somehow we need to spread the net wider and possibly bring in maximum terms an MP can be a member for. Unfortunately it is the turkeys and Christmas problem.

Bickers

What happened to the 'Bonfire of the Quangos' & repealing lots of useless acts passed by NuLieBore?

Cameron could cut £billions from public spending by an axe to the civil service and public sector middle management without affecting front line services.

The writing for the UK is on the wall - just look at Greece, Italy and Spain (and France is not far behind)- the people, institutions and countries with money to invest in UK Plc are fed up with funding an schlerotic economy weighted down with public sector debt and ongoing public sector spending. The game is up and unless we take radical action (including telling the EU we're re-visiting the directives we wish to apply to the UK) then we're in very big trouble.

Scary Biscuits

It's strange that Dave thinks hus critics are asking for quick fixes because that is exactly what they are complaining about.

Giving billions to the EU bailout fund = quick fix.
Giving billions more to the IMF = quick fix.
Supporting Brown's IPSA = quick fix.
Backing down on forests = quick fix.
Backing down on NHS = quick fix.
Telling Merkel we only want token repatriation of powers = quick fix.
Spending more than Brown every month and putting off the deepest cuts until the end of this parliament = quick fix.

Scary Biscuits

It's strange that Dave thinks hus critics are asking for quick fixes because that is exactly what they are complaining about.

Giving billions to the EU bailout fund = quick fix.
Giving billions more to the IMF = quick fix.
Supporting Brown's IPSA = quick fix.
Backing down on forests = quick fix.
Backing down on NHS = quick fix.
Telling Merkel we only want token repatriation of powers = quick fix.
Spending more than Brown every month and putting off the deepest cuts until the end of this parliament = quick fix.

normanc

Cameron & Osborne telling us there is no quick fix two weeks after approving the printing of £75bn of new money (the ultimate quick & dirty fix) shows the shallowness of the current mindset.

Boudicca

I ran out of patience when Cameron reneged on a Referendum for the Lisbon CON Treaty.

I want my country back. All else is vanity.

Dimoto

Ha-ha, strawman is it ?

Stop immigration and send the buggers back.
Cancel all foreign aid !
Leave the EU, with an immediate saving of £Billions.
Chum up with the US/Commonwealth and our problems will be over.
30% cut across the board, take out a million bureaucrats from the public service !

Pretty fair summary of the manifesto of the UKIP/lumpen right on here ?

QED.

Oh! I almost forgot - double the infantry, lots more ships and keep the Harriers, that'll sort it !

Dennis Churchill

Bickers
November 14th, 2011 5:41pm
To some extent that is the easy problem it is the cultural changes that are difficult which is why they are being avoided.
The welfare dependency and expectation of entitlement has to be broken and our industries weaned from cheap foreign labour trained by others.
We have to expect to train our own young people to fill jobs and instil a work ethic into them from a young age.

Right On

Not sure I've heard many people suggesting "quick" fixes - I think people would like to see some headway being made on the long term fixes. Increasing spending, doing nothing on tax, having no growth strategy, their ridiculous green energy policy, and his embrace of social democratic policy are what's irritating most people, not that he hasn't fixed everything in a year!

Alan Douglas

Well OK, no quick fixes, but one thing must come before all, and quickly - clear the house so that we can start functioning at all. Raise the ceiling, or lower the floor by clearing out the jumble of stuff we trip over so often it stops us dead.

Namely EU junk of various kinds, rules, regulations, green targets, courts slapping us down in our own house. Regardless of what the EU itself "allows". Augean stables come to mind.

Alan Douglas

Dennis Churchill

I see Cameron is on about Norway again and how it has to accept EU regulations.
Norway runs a surplus in trade with the EU: we run a deficit. We are their customers. You don’t impose conditions on your customers if you want them to carry out buying your products.
This is the type of thing that has destroyed Cameron’s credibility.

Verity

"This is the type of thing that has destroyed Cameron’s credibility."

Cameron had credibility? When?

Dimoto

Dennis:

Do you really see the Brits ever losing their love of German cars, French and Italian fashion goods, French wine and perfume, Spanish and Italian holidays, German sausage ... (OK, maybe we could live without the last) ...

Tiberius

Dennis C. 9.13: that is a definitive example of quick fix or perhaps zero sum thinking that shows a lack of understanding of practicalities.

Have you not been a customer of the Royal Mail or delivery firms in general, or suppliers of domestic energy? Try laying down the law with them over exactly what you want and see how far it gets you.

Sir Everard Digby

Fixing the issues which afflict the nation are beset by problems:

1. 13 years of politicising every aspect of public life by Labour.

2.13 years of buying votes with taxpayers money

3. 13 years of ducking the big issues like pensions reform in the public sector.

4. 13 years of increasing state dependency at every turn.

5. A supine pro-Labour media

These leave us with an ingrained culture which needs to be changed. Need to do that before anything else can succeed.

So what as Dave done to tackle those? In reality,not a lot. He has managed to raise taxes,stick more duty on fuel and make life harder for all of us. The money raised has been thrown at various things and handed out abroad whilst cutting the Armed Forces and jobs here which could have remained had he not been so generous with his donations elsewhere.

Dave is busy channelling taxpayers nmoney into the hands of large corporations and welding them more closely to the state.

His frustration is probably that we want him to do something else. He never will,nor will Clegg,or the elader of the 'Opposition'

About time we judged politicians by what they do rather than what they say.

Archie

Well for a start he might want to at least make a start

Radford NG

Tiberius....Royal Mail is bounded by the unfair restrictions put it by the EU Trade Commissioners:Neil Kinnock and Peter Mandelson.....although these where what Blair/Brown(and Cameron?)wanted.

Hugh Janus

If Call Me Dave is fed up with the increasing level of frustration felt by people like me - his supporters - then perhaps he should refrain from making so many empty promises where nothing happens, like that old chestnut about repatriating powers from the EU...

Dennis Churchill

Dimoto
November 14th, 2011 10:49pm
What we are talking about is terms of trade. If you make German cars significantly more expensive than Japanese then less will be sold. The same with French wine verses the New world.
One of the problems facing Italy at the moment is their mid-range goods can’t compete on price with China and others.
The EU countries don’t produce anything that can’t be sourced from other areas so any imposition of duty, even within what is allowed due to other treaties, will adversely affect them more than us.

Dennis Churchill

Tiberius
November 14th, 2011 11:04pm
You are giving examples of what are effectively monopolies.
The EU countries don’t have an area where they are monopoly suppliers.
Imagine if we were free of the CAP. Do you think we would consume as much French agricultural produce?
Even our labeling requirements could be tipped against EU produce.
There are areas that rely on the EU but they are very much a minority, albeit an influential one.
All exports, remember, only constitute a very small part of our economy while these regulations are imposed on businesses whether they export or not and whether those exports are to the EU.

Dennis Churchill

I have just checked something and it seems under the WTO rules on tariff-binding neither the remaining group in the EU or the UK could impose duty between each other higher than now exists between the EU (with the UK) and the rest of the world.
By the way Germany seems to benefit most from trade with the UK…

Tiberius

Dennis 11.48: yes they are monopolies, but you didn't qualify your original post on this matter.

Dennis Churchill

Tiberius
November 15th, 2011 1:15pm
We really need an official Cost Benefit analyses as the EU is a political not an economic project.
This is why the arguments are really no more than propaganda for a particular cause.
UKIP should be campaigning for such an analyses because we need to stop treating the British electorate as if they were not entitled to the truth, which only our political class had the depth of understanding and other superior qualities to understand.
Although we are not a nation of Peter Mandelsons, not having evolved to such a state of perfection, I feel sure we can understand whether it is in our advantage to be a region of the European Federation that is taking form.