Politics

Wednesday, 29th October 2008

Fraser Nelson reviews the week in politics

A nanosecond is easily measured in Westminster as the time between a politician’s hearing of a colleague’s impending resignation and wondering ‘What’s in it for me?’ It takes perhaps a full second to construct a theory as to why the unfortunate soul had it coming and probably deserved it. It takes about a minute to draw up a shortlist of potential successors, and half an hour to start some gentle plotting. Sympathy comes last, if at all.

So for the few hours when George Osborne’s future was in doubt last week, the corridors and the urinals of Westminster were abuzz with versions of his political obituary. If he went, one shadow cabinet member told me, it would be not so much for his sins on board a Corfu yacht, but for his failure to take the fight to Gordon Brown on the economy or supply the party with a message. Names like William Hague and even Kenneth Clarke were mentioned as older, more experienced successors.

It is hard to exaggerate the dismay that gripped the party as it was outmanoeuvred by a Prime Minister who, only a few weeks ago, had been written off as political dead meat. As one Conservative privy councillor told me: ‘Things have come to a pretty pass when Alex Salmond is able to make a more coherent and pointed critique of the government than anyone on [our] front bench.’ And while Mr Osborne survived, he emerged a humbled man. So the challenge he faces now is not just to cut down on the time he spends on oligarchs’ super-yachts, but to rethink his whole strategy and operation.

As if being shadow chancellor were not enough of a job in the current climate, Mr Osborne has two other huge roles in the Cameron team. He is general election co-ordinator, a remit which has expanded as that of the party chairman has contracted. Caroline Spelman, who holds this increasingly honorific position, has now spent five months under investigation for allegedly abusing her parliamentary allowances in 1997. It is widely assumed that she will resign whatever the outcome, so her authority — never great — has shrivelled to zero.

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Louise Stanley

October 30th, 2008 2:49pm Report this comment

Fraser - how much of what you say will have an impact? The Tories under Cameron have had three years' worth of advice, and they haven't taken it because they assume the best because of "time for a change". Now the government is being pro-active for a change, most of the sites out there suggesting intelligent ideas for the Tory Party don't seem to be making any waves with the actual party.

I would be astounded to see anything come of this article - until the party moves into defcon III mode (or is that IV?). By which time it will be too late.

allymax

October 30th, 2008 11:32pm Report this comment

the glasgow herald has stopped putting up comments posts because it knows the Scots are gojng to trash new labour in the glenrothes by=election

On more thing; elish angiolini, allymax has got you on the ropes. Yer dead in the water when he airs your private life.
allymax.

gordon-bennett

October 31st, 2008 6:21pm Report this comment

As usual, it's all about the mainstream media. In the USA the media are in the tank for obama and whatever he proposes (whether he means it or not) is accepted uncritically (except by Fox).

In the UK most of the media and above all the beeb serve as the same uncritical messengers for the labour party.

The Conservatives have to operate in a milieu where whatever they say or do will be interpreted as the wrong proposals by the "nasty party".

Recently, George Osborne has had to pretend that he made a mistake in the deripaska affair just to get the media off his back. I have heard many commentators (including you, Fraser) say that GO made an error of judgement without actually specifying what the error was.

David Preiser

October 31st, 2008 9:25pm Report this comment

What a mess the Tory Party has become ever since they breathlessly elected the young Cameron as leader. A lack of confidence and soul caused them to choose him for all the wrong reasons, and they're still lacking today.

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