The war over Joanne Cash — and what it tells us about Cameron’s Conservatives

Ron Whitehand

This story has a sub-text of "Power to the people, only if they have connections with Eton".
DC has done a lot for the Conservative brand and although they may get elected soon, his team's behaviour in favouring only those part of his social team will cause havoc in the long term. He must make more of an effort to be even handed and trully confident in his stated objective of bringing "Power to People". It has downsides as well as upsides but the Upsides have a massive benefit to us all - if he has the confidence and capability to manage the downsides. So far that confidence when tested is lacking.

Vulture

This tells us what an utter disaster DC will be if - and its still not certain that its a when - he becomes PM.

Thanx for shedding such a pitiless light on the story, James. It is, as you say, most revealing in all its hideous, fumbling idiocy.

It can be summed up in three words now indelibly associated with the Dave brand:
Arrogance, arrogance and arrogance. Closely followed by insensitivity, snobbery, and incompetence.

Ordinary Tories will get the message loud and clear: if your not in the clique Dave hates you and holds you in complete contempt.

To be in with Dave you have to be rich, and have lovely louche attitudes about bullying your social inferiors.

You could call him dreck. You could call him dross. I do call him a disaster.

Cogito Ergosum

CCHQ can force their chosen candidate onto the constituency, but they cannot force the local party workers to work for that candidate.

ChrisD

The lady should not be considered as a candidate for ANY party; she is a lawyer.

Lawyers should be excluded from the legislature due to conflict of interest.

Minnie Ovens

This election is for New Labour's to "hang" or lose.
For instance, getting rid of Harman; shutting up Brown talking about his personal life (indeed any of them on their front bench) or removing the boy from the FCO would instantly improve their standing.
If there was enough time, which there isn't, I would feel much happier with Hague or Davis as leader.
The growing perception of an Eton based Notting Hill clique running the Tory party is going to turn off the rank and file who have little idea if Mr Cameron has any really sound principles, other than those given to him by his P.R. gurus.
Some of them might benefit by going around the roundabout at the bottom of the hill and stopping in Shepherds Bush for a while.

Ken Johns

There are very deep and angry rumblings at Tory outposts and while DC might not like to hear it, the worker bees are quitting and there is nobody to replace them. To be perfectly frank, his attitude toward the rank and file of loyal supporters out in the sticks has not only angered Tories, but alienated the larger majority. Worst of all, he doesn't seem to consider it a problem and cannot understand why people are upset. This is the crux of the matter which many Conservatives are now coming to realise will damn the party to the wilderness if a rapid correction is not made soonest. Someone should tell him that like Brown, he isn't 'normal'. Everything he does is awkward, staged and stiff. He doesn't come across well because, again like Brown, he's uncomfortable outside of his own skin - and it shows! Surrounded by his Notting Hill clique of advisors he has already lost the plot. I was apprehensive about his style and leadership two years ago, but now.......it's gone for me!