Is David Cameron tough enough to be a Tory revolutionary?

3 October 2009

The next government will be faced with some of the most difficult problems in peacetime history. Bruce Anderson asks whether the Tory leader has the qualities he will need to rise to the challenges ahead

Mr Cameron always intended to start with schools. For 30 years, since Keith Joseph’s time, Tories have dreamt about introducing education vouchers. During most of those years, it seemed more of a fantasy than a dream. But the Swedish model, which makes it easy to set up new schools, could be the way to end state control of publicly funded education. It could also be popular radicalism. In other areas, Mr Cameron expected to be more cautious. Sharing the proceeds of growth would facilitate a gradual introduction of market mechanisms. Like almost everyone else, he was unaware that his underlying assumption was wildly incautious, and that there would be no growth to share.

The deficit has to be dealt with, which must involve sizeable cuts in public expenditure. Around 10 per cent over three years would be the minimum requirement, but that would mean an almighty battle. Pay freezes, job cuts, conflict with the public sector unions: all are unavoidable. This makes it vital to achieve a Tory revolution in government; cuts are not enough. After those cuts, the state would still be spending more than £10,000 a year for every man, woman and child in the country. For all that money, the taxpayer is entitled to a bit more than blood, sweat, toil and tears. Even in straitened times, there has to be a vista of sunlit uplands. To cut intelligently, it would be necessary to implement radical reforms which can be sold as Tory improvements: to convince the public that a leaner, less wasteful government would also be a more efficient and more responsive government.

Mr Cameron will be faced with another problem that has defeated successive governments: Europe. Despite their Euro-scepticism, the Cameroons had hoped to avoid another fight with the EU. If the Lisbon Treaty is ratified, they had better start limbering up. The Brown government has lied and broken its word. Even if everyone else signed up to Lisbon, it would have no moral standing in this country. So what would the Tory leader do? Between now and the election, he will have to tell us.

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Cuffleyburgers

October 1st, 2009 5:04pm Report this comment

"There is a widespread desire for strong government" - not, actually there is a widespread desire for less intrusive, incompetent, cynical, lying and expensive government.

Not the same thing at all.

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