Fascinating tribute from Charles Moore, who is of course Margaret Thatcher’s Official Biographer, to David Cameron, stating that he is the greatest Tory Leader of the Opposition since Benjamin Disraeli.  Take a look at the article here:  http://tiny.cc/nnZig

Moore states that the Conservatives have two advantages going for it.  Gordon Brown and David Cameron.  Many would fail to disagree with this.  Most interestingly, I think most in Labour would agree but it is what they will do about it that affects the result of the next election.

Moore cites his admiration for the way Cameron dealt with the expenses scandal making sure firstly the shadow cabinet repaid back any thing that did not look right and then Cameron turned his attention on to Conservative MP’s.  Whilst some MP’s grumbled, this was the right thing to do as it deflected attention off the Conservatives onto the Government and this strategy bore its fruits in Norwich North as Conservatives thumped home a whacking 7,300+ majority, in the first by-election since the expenses scandal.

Moore states: ‘Being Leader of the Opposition is notoriously the most difficult job in British politics. David Cameron has done it for nearly four years with a parliamentary party 30 per cent smaller than that which Margaret Thatcher led from 1975 to 1979. Judging strictly in terms of political management, I would say that he has so far been more successful than she. In fact, he must be the most skillful Tory opposition leader since Disraeli’.  That is some tribute.  But Cameron is not without issues.

The biggest issue Moore contests for Cameron is that policy needs to be defined more.  ’Voters do not recognise the Tory “signature” on anything much. In 1978/9, they would have known that the Tories promised something different on taxes, inflation, trade unions, and the Cold War. What do they know now? Nothing terrible, but also, nothing much. The vagueness of these impressions might not matter politically if in fact the Tories did know what they wanted to do. But where are they on terror, “human rights”, our constitutional decay, health service reform, local government, energy, our relations with America, the undeclared war in Afghanistan’. 

This asks an interesting question.  And it is true of any Opposition Party.  If the saying is ‘Government’s lose elections, not Opposition’s win them’, then why should Cameron reveal more?   Traditionally few Opposition Parties have spelled out their policies root & branch pre an election.  The more detail provided, provides more grounds for scrutiny and the spotlight must firmly stay on the Government and its incompetence.  Surely the goal is to provide tantalising alternative policies but not mapping them in the public arena to fine detail.

Cameron is a man that has changed much about the Conservative Party.  He deserves a great deal of credit.  He has gained public confidence on issues previously unheard of by Conservatives.  This evolves around his embracing compassionate Conservatism and the public trusting Conservatives with the health service and public services.  This is a huge win for the Conservative Party in gaining mass acceptance.

But does that make him the best Tory Opposition Leader since Disraeli?  That can only be judged after the next election.  If the Conservatives win with a big majority the Cameron deserves a pedestal in history for his work in Opposition.  If the Tories lose / hung Parliament, (and this can only happen if Labour remove Gordon Brown and there is a honeymoon period), then questions will be asked about why Conservatives did not reveal more policy.  All will be revealed within 10 months.