Cameron gets ready for No. 10 — and Boris must wait his turn

10 May 2008

David Cameron talks to Fraser Nelson about his local election triumphs, admits that he is not going to ‘agree on everything’ with the new Mayor of London, and says Boris should join the queue to become PM after him

He also has Mayor Johnson who, rightly or wrongly, will be regarded as a test pilot, demonstrating to the electorate how qualified the Tories now are to govern nationally. ‘All Conservative councils and mayors are part of what people should expect from the Conservative party,’ says Mr Cameron. ‘But Boris is his own man, he is his own Mayor and we are not going to agree on everything.’ Thus, a few inches of distance are inserted, a smidgeon of deniability, just in case.

Of all the tasks Boris can perform to help Mr Cameron win, perhaps the most valuable will be keeping the Greater London Authority’s budget under control — demonstrating Tory financial discipline. Although Mr Cameron has rejected the idea of up-front tax cuts (this is what he means by ‘take no risks’ with the economy) he is fast learning the deep popular appeal of a politician who promises to take less of a citizen’s money. As we pull up outside Rugby railway station, where we are to rejoin the resurrected train service, he says the lesson he learnt from last week’s local elections is that low-tax Tories are the most popular ones.

‘If you take the local elections, there was no doubt in my mind that it was easiest to campaign in those places where Conservative councils really did have a record of keeping the council tax down, or at least promising to limit the increase,’ he says. ‘I haven’t done the sums. But I’m pretty sure that the areas where we did best were those where we were able to say: look, we’re in government here, we are helping with the cost of living, we understand your problems and difficulties.’

The moral he has drawn is that low tax is a good strategy for re-election — but not when a party is in opposition and seeking power. ‘There is a world of difference between promising and delivering. These councils have actually delivered. Margaret Thatcher won elections not by talking about tax reductions, but by demonstrating that a Conservative government shared the proceeds of growth.’ So to the chagrin of many Tory activists, the old policy — and, ergo, almost all of Mr Brown’s taxes — will stay, at least for now.

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Dontcountyourchickens

May 8th, 2008 2:25pm Report this comment

I am getting very concerned at the post-local-elections euphoria. We have seen how volatile the polls have been recently and we mustn't forget that it was only 6 months ago when Gordon Brown was 14 points ahead. Look back to 1992 and what happened to Neil Kinnock.

Dave - I would be over the moon to see you in Downing Street, but please don't become over-confident- You might live to regret it!! I think the electorate would prefer you to rise above the mud slinging that is taking place at PMQs and to demonstrate a mature balanced attitude fit for a Prime Minister in waiting.

Peter W Watson

May 9th, 2008 12:23pm Report this comment

Commie Ron talks like a Third Way Fabian. Is it beyond his learning at Eton to understand worklessness is indicative of a sad mind? Is it beyond hope that Responsible Spending is a whole lot more powerful than tax cuts which we know he can't quantify or deliver right now as he has not seen the books (and they are BAD). but he appears to be smart enough to not crow over a vote which will hopefully kill Labour off until the next generation of idiots who think socialism is the answer vote in another abortion of a government. I see he resists replying to many issues but not all are tax and spend related. The military issues are no longer funny on the day our Armed Forces are wasted and deracinated and the German Armed Forces Minister has just called for a European (EU) Army. Sorry but he doesn't impress me an iota and I am unprepared to vote for his party until he defines the EU issues.

Lindsay Jenkins

May 9th, 2008 12:45pm Report this comment

Boris' great win in London feels like the Berlin Wall coming down.

Would a Cameron win feel the same?

Phrases like 'achieving progressive ends through conservative means' and repeated use of the ugly worklessness (what would Dot Wordsworth say about that?) do not bode well.

We need nuts and bolts government: low taxes to encourage entrepreneurs. That's how you solve 'worklessness'.

If Cameron thinks in contortions about the basics of bread and butter, how is he going to master the European Union?

Michael Cornell

May 9th, 2008 5:31pm Report this comment

I think the Tory's have not done themselves any favours by getting Boris as London Mayor with Dave trying to capture the country, what i would call a hostage to fortune