Strategy Memo: Did the Chancellor notice Cameron's change of attack?

1. Before I get onto the meat of this memo, can I make a quick point first about demeanour? When you become Prime Minister you will be the butt of jokes. When you are the butt of jokes, people will look at you. And when they look at you it is important that you do not look thunderous. If you do you will:

a. Make a middling to average gag at your expense seem hilarious.
b. Seem as if you have no sense of humour at all.

Neither of these things is a good idea.

2. But that is not my main point in sending you this memo. I am writing because I wanted to be certain you had noticed a switch in the Tory strategy towards you. David Cameron devoted quite a lot of his speech to an attack on you. But did you spot the missing words? That's right. He did not use the phrase "the roadblock to reform".

3. There is more to this than switching irritating soundbites. The "roadblock to reform" attack was all about separating you from the Prime Minister. It implied that you would change the government, but in a bad direction. I think they have dropped the roadblock phrase because they have decided to abandon this whole argument. And that is significant.

4. What Cameron is saying now, what he said several times today, is that you would be more of the same. His focus groups must be telling him that this is the best attack.

5. We obviously need to do some more work of our own on this, but it certainly sharpens our dilemma. Do we position you as change (which might scare some people) or as continuity (which the Tories have clearly concluded is a loser for you)?

Comments

[Clive.]

Big Deal!

[UK Daily Pundit]

Message to Mr Finkelstein's boss: I'll have a pint of whatever Danny's been drinking.

[billy]

Either prospect is scary but I'm not convinced by David Cameron. Smacks to much of the Tory party pre Ted Heath for me, and I'll be buggered if I'll vote Liberal.
I may go for somebody offering an English Parliament and an end to the Union.

[Ephi Levyn]

Tony Blair gave a barnstorming performance in the Commons, I thought. Such Sturm und Drang! Bravo, Tony! Encore! On his day he is very nearly the equal of Ian Richardson in House of Cards, although some way short of Robert Hardy's portrayal of Churchill and a veritable distance from Laurence Olivier in Henry V. One can almost picture him in combat fatigues atop a sand dune, urging on his brave soldiers in Iraq: 'Once more into the breach, dear friends...'

What a pity he never understood the office of Prime Minister is not a role, but a job.

[John Hirst]

Memo to David Cameron: As I understand it, you are looking to being the next Tory Prime Minister. This entails attacking the enemy at the weakest point. Unfortunately, it appears as though you are unable to see the wood for the trees. In addition, you need to approach this with an open mind. This means putting aside your ignorance, prejudice, and fear.

The Human Rights Act (1998). This is Tony Blair's legacy. A fine piece of legislation. So good that it has caught the government breaching citizens human rights. They have scored an own goal, and so it appears have you by not spotting the potential of calling out foul to the referee.

There is a Department for Constitutional Affairs, responsible for justice, rights and democracy. It is headed by the Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs, and Lord Chancellor, Lord Falconer of Thoroton. Neither he nor his department is fit for purpose. Have you not read the Reports by the Joint Committee On Human Rights? There are 50 cases where the government has ignored citizens human rights.

Either, you are in favour of human rights or you are against them. If you are in favour, then the very least you should do is challenge the government's appalling human rights record. If you remain silent on this issue, you are condoning the government's record of violating citizen's human rights. Prove that you are different by being the voice of the people...