Cameron avoids a New Year slip-up

In 2010, David Cameron stumbled in his first New Year broadcast interview over the Tory plans for a married couple’s tax allowance. This slip-up knocked him and his party off course and was a harbinger of the disastrous Tory campaign to come. Today, there were no such mistakes from Cameron as he appeared on Andrew Marr. Instead, he stuck to his competence versus chaos message and tried, fairly successfully, to avoid making any other news.

In this campaign, we will see a more disciplined Cameron than the one who fought the 2010 election. The Tories are this time, in contrast to 2010, certain of what their message should be.

One challenge for Tory and Labour alike in the next few months is to avoid getting drawn into hung parliament speculation. Cameron again simply refused to discuss hypotheticals today. But the downside to this approach is that it makes it possible for The Guardian to say that he is refusing to rule out a coalition with Ukip.

This is probably Cameron’s last general election campaign, though he does tell the Mail on Sunday that he will serve a full second term. Those around him are acutely aware that his career and reputation will turn on the result of this election.