Steve Richards’ column this morning is thought-provoking. Here’s the central plank of his argument:
“In some ways there are parallels for Cameron in the dilemmas Neil Kinnock faced during the miners’ strike under Margaret Thatcher in the mid 1980s. Kinnock was torn as to what to do. He instinctively sympathised with the miners, but disapproved of the leadership and strategy of Arthur Scargill. He was scathing about what he saw as Thatcher’s ruthless brutality and yet appreciated some of the arguments she was deploying. He wanted to say more, but knew that his party was largely in favour of the strike and felt constrained. Later he was to reflect that his evasive approach was his biggest mistake as leader. Here was an epoch making event and he should have come up with a clearer narrative. Over the last few weeks Cameron has struggled to come up with a clear line over this crisis. Normally he and Osborne are skilful at the art of political choreography. Almost instinctively they know what to say and how to say it. This time they have not got the rhythms quite right. The awkwardness is not surprising. Some of Cameron’s assumptions as a political leader are bound to have been challenged as Kinnock’s were as he reflected on an epoch changing industrial dispute. Cameron’s party too is an issue. I suspect many activists will agree with John Redwood who is critical of the Government’s rescue package, remains as wary of the state as ever and looks for substantial spending cuts as one way of leading us towards so called prudence. For Cameron, who has not challenged his party as often as generous mythology suggests, it must be tempting to keep his head down in the same way that the normally courageous Kinnock led ambiguously during the miners’ strike. But I suspect that the Tory leader senses this is a big moment that demands more than a safety first approach.”
Steve reports that ‘Cameron plans to do “something big” when the markets calm down.’ Cameron has to set out an economic vision, show the country that he knows how to lead it out of the recession it will be in come the next election. This is a big moment, the Tories must step up to it.
Comments