One of, if not, the key theme of David Cameron’s leadership has been generational change. Back in his 2005 conference speech Cameron told the hall “We can be that new generation”, in his first PMQs he told Tony Blair that he “was the future once” and responding to the Budget in 2006 he derided Gordon Brown as an “analogue politician in a digital age.”
It was, though, far harder to wield this weapon against Tony Blair than it is with Gordon Brown. (Sometimes the execution was also too self-satisfied, NB Cameron’s reference to being “bunched” at PMQs). Blair always seemed to have a sure touch for the zeitgeist, I can’t think of any other British politician of recent times who could have pulled off that Comic Relief sketch with Catherine Tate. But Brown’s demeanour and belief system make him extremely vulnerable to this line of attack.
This is why today’s photo-opportunity with Barack Obama was so important to Cameron. Obama is seen—rightly or wrongly—as the future, as the leader of a new generation; linking ‘Brand Cameron’ with Obama helps the Tories in their mission to establish themselves as the modern party. Cameron even went as far as to say that Obama would beat him in a British election.
It is hard not to see Cameron’s gift to Obama of a selection of his favourite music as an attempt to draw a cool contrast with Brown. While the web video of Cameron and Obama together that the Tories have rushed out shows just how much importance they attach to the association.
By the time of the next election, Brown could look like a holdover from a previous generation. He’ll be up against two far younger politicians at home and on the world stage Obama and Sarkozy could make him appear a tired figure.
If the Tories can foster a mood in the country that not only is Brown past it but that this is Cameron’s time, then a landslide beckons.
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