Welcome to the new austerity era, Mr Cameron
Fraser Nelson says that the Tory leader must not be tempted by a ‘safety first’ strategy at his conference in Birmingham. The global financial crisis has transformed the political context and left an opening for the Conservatives to promise true radicalism and to be proudly bold
The Labour party conference already had an apocalyptic aura without the preachers from the Plymouth Brethren gathering in Manchester to rub it in. But as they stood at the security entrance, quoting blood-curdling passages from Ezekiel at passing Cabinet members, the text certainly took on a new resonance. The Labour membership knows that the end is nigh, and is just about ready to pass into the afterlife of opposition. And what better leaving present to the Conservatives than a financial armageddon?
As little as a month ago, David Cameron thought his best strategic option was to say as little as possible during the Tory conference, which starts this weekend in Birmingham — but the scale of the global financial crisis has changed all that. Most paradigm shifts in politics are recognisable only in retrospect, but one can already say with some certainty that we have moved into a new era of austerity. The original Cameroon model was built on the assumption that growth would continue, and that the real fiscal question was how its ‘proceeds’ should be ‘shared’ between public spending and tax cuts over the economic cycle. Officially, this remains the aspiration. But it sounds pretty hollow now.
The yawning gap left by Gordon Brown at Labour’s conference — what, precisely, he will do to help those fearful of repossession, rising food prices or inflation — is a vacuum that the Tories should fill. Tactically, it may be tempting to keep quiet. Why, after all, get in the way of a fight between the British public and the most unpopular Labour party leader in history? Strategically, however, a series of new and urgent questions is facing Mr Cameron. His credibility as a prospective Prime Minister depends upon him answering them this week.
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maas101
September 25th, 2008 8:04amWell said Fraser.
Let's just hope DC and George read this and follow your advice.
alan
September 25th, 2008 9:50amSpot on Mr Nelson.
The conservatives could do no better than, in taking your advice, tuning in to the BBC 'Listen Again' feature and listening to the section on the financial crisis starting at six minutes and fifty seconds into the broadcast particularly a minute later at seven fifty one seconds when the interviewer gives a list of quotes from the IMF in 2003 to the EU Commissioner= in 2004 to Mervyn King the following year and Bill White of the Bank of International Settlements all putting the evasive Brown clearly at fault and therefore to blame for Britain's plight.
They have got to really give chapter and verse proving that BROWN is to blame for our problems, BUT, to have Conservative solutions to the problems.
To say nothing and just smile sweetly will end in a collapse of support for the Tories.
Man_on _Richmond_Bridge
September 25th, 2008 6:06pmDC & GO
time to show that you've got cohones lads
Christopher Chantrill
September 26th, 2008 12:36amYou can see the size of the problem that DC/GO face by looking at www.ukpublicspending.co.uk/charts.html.
Ok, so click to see spendng in 2003 pounds. It's still staggering.
Now click to see spending as percent of GDP. Now you can appreciate how Lady Thatcher brought spending down from the mad years of the 1970s. And how Labour ruined it.
colin
September 26th, 2008 9:15amBrown's definition of inflation also understated the reality and futher contributed to the bubble that is now bursting.
gordon-bennett
September 26th, 2008 11:46amAs ever, DC must be wary of the power of his real opposition - the bbc. Whereas they revelled in blair's cockiness leading up to 1997, for Cameron they are on a brooding watch, ready to take him down.
James Allen
September 26th, 2008 4:33pmgood article. In his speech, Cameron must offer a clear and compelling explanation for how Labour has put this country at risk (without any commensurate reward), and how the Tories will lead us back to greener pastures. The Brown myth must be exposed. Expect no help from the Beeb.