RSS Feed
Where's the Conservative Reaction?
Iain Dale 5:20 PM
I'm sure a grateful nation will be able to wait for my contributions on Sky at 10pm and 10.30pm and News 24 at 11.45pm, but I think we need a Conservative reaction sooner rather than later. Anyone listening?
UPDATE 17.32: The Conservative Party has just released a statement from an unnamed spokesman.
We are disappointed that after weeks of spinning the Prime Minister has now decided not to call an election. In doing so he has deprived the British people of the chance to vote for the much needed change this country needs. "What's now clear to everyone is that Gordon Brown has been obsessing about his own political future when he should have been running the country. This is an extraordinary demonstration of his weakness and indecision. He has changed his mind in the face of the strength and clarity of the Conservative argument. As long as he remains in Downing Street Britain faces more NHS cuts, falling school standards and rising crime. The Conservative party will continue to fight for real change and against more Labour failure.
Was that the sound of champagne corks popping at CCHQ?
UPDATE 5.45pm: David Cameron has just done a five minute piece outside his home in Oxfordshire. Brilliant performance. You can just tell that the last week has re-energised him. He spoke in a statesmanlike way, no gloating, just proper criticism from a Leader of the Opposition. His adrenalin was flowing. This is what he said...
“The reason why the Prime Minster has cancelled this election is because the Conservative Party is making the arguments about changes this country needs and people are responding very positively to our proposals.
“He has shown great weakness and indecision - it is quite clear that he has not been focused on running the country and he has been trying to spin his way into a General Election campaign, he has now had to make a humiliating retreat.
“The big disappointment for me, and I think for millions of people in the country, is that we now have to wait for a possible two years before we can get the real change we need in our country - change to improve our NHS, change to raise standards in schools, change to give people opportunity in their lives.
“The Prime Minister says he has a vision for change - well put that vision to people in a General Election - this is not a vision for change, this is just a strategy to cling to office.”
41 Comments:
maybe it's better for the polls if the tory team don't pour out too soon to revel in brown's misfortune.....
Portillo ripped into Gordon incredibly effectively on BBC News 24 - I guess that's payback for the time he faced him as Shadow Chancellor! What a day to be a Tory, the days of this government are effectively numbered!
I was thinking much the same. Also: why didn't Andy Coulson get hold of the NotW poll and stick it out earlier, I wonder?
George Osborne was on the R4 news bulletin at 5pm - very good he was too.
Perhaps someone was listening. We've just had a Conservative reaction on Sky, attacking Brown's weakness.
I hope this is not a sign that, having had a great conference week, the official opposition has now gone back into hibernation.
Iain - BBC just said Cameron would be on shortly. But I also don't reckon the Tories need to jump on this from the start. The constant spinning and chaos is evident without rubbing Brown's nose in it. That said, I look forward to the nose rubbing to come...
I missed Portillo on Sky, but he's just been on the BBC, and has destroyed the biased questioning put to him. Quite excellent. The chap on there actually suggested that Cameron should have egg on his face as result of Brown's clever political decision...
Easy Iain. let the news sink in before Cameron sticks the knife in. better for him to react to what Brown says.
The 'feartie from fife' quote from the scottish first minister is a stunner and reminds me of another word that comes from another dialect far to the south that has a certain resonance today.
‘The right hon. Gentleman is afraid of an election, is he? Afraid? Frightened? Frit? Could not take it? Cannot stand it? ‘
Groundhog day coming up?
Get out there Gentlemen: This is how they stiffed you the last time: they told the public exactly what they wanted to hear not what the truth of the matter was.
probably the 6,456th re-write to try to get away from "Whoopee! the wimp! Bottler Brown "which was the first draft.
Osborne was on the PM programme on Radio4 at 5. this afternoon.
It's coming from Witney now.
Does David have to have those garages in the background?
He looks and sounds good though.
He's frit!
According to a very pissed off Adam Boulton's blog Cameron has said he will give his reaction to a pooled audience; thus getting even more of the media on his side. Shame he didn't exclude the BBC from any announcement though.
http://adamboulton.typepad.com/my_weblog
“Cowards can never be moral”
Mahatma Gandhi
Iain,
I've just been watching Cameron being interviewed on News 24. Excellent!
Adam Boulton just said "bottling it" on Sky. I just do not believe what I am hearing!
Could this backdown from Brown be the catalyst for a leadship challenge within the labour party?
Cameron was transformed - that short interview in Witney was one of the best that I've ever seen from him.
The Cringing Fist has been stared down by David Cameron. I am amazed but delighted.
Victor
Justine Greening is also giving a very good performance on News 24
Cameron pitched it just right - powerful.polite but scathing in his condemnation of Brown's cowardice.
Cameron is a Prime Minister in waiting.
Brown set out to destroy the Conservative Party - instead he's destroyed his own reputation and made his main opponents stronger and the best leader they've had for a generation untouchable within his party
surely you realise that this will be all forgotten about by joe public in a month's time and then it'll a labour government still in power with a 66 seat majority - you tories are too excitable...
Judging from the sounds of champagne corks popping I'd say that the Conservatives are now on the piss....
Sad day though, in many ways. I'm sure that many people would have been delighted at the prospect of voting these idiots out of power.
Still, that time will now certainly come. Brown can only lose support from this point forwards, what good news does he have to look forward to?
Cameron and Portillo have been magnificant!
This is a real turning point in politics. The reverse in one week, will as far as Brown is concerned be the beginning of the end. The election may be two years or more away but for Brown it is downhill from now on. "Never glad confident morn again"
The more he appears on the screen from now on the more bored and stale he will become.
Australia 10 England 12 (France); Brown 38 Cameron 44 (ICM)...even the Brown Beatification Corporation has been forced to admit this is seriously bad news for their leading man.
"I'm on the record that I have always thought Brown wanted to call an autumn election and would indeed do so"
Well done mystic mogg
anonymous 6:00
Joe Public might forget but many in the media will not. If Murdoch's organisation turn against your man over this and his failure to hold the promised EU referendum then the game's up.
Oh good - just seen DC on BBC News 24. My worries of 5:38 were unfounded.
I live in a country town and it's common to see plaintive notices pinned to trees;
Black tabby, white streak between its ears. Last seen.....
I understand Gordo has pinned notices up around Westminster:
Bottle. Lost in the last week. backbone missing too. Any sightings, please get in touch with....
The Real Video streams of the Cameron/Ming reactions to the non-election are down. BBC's website must be under some serious pressure :-)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7031803.stm
Justine Greening just on News 24 now - and she's giving Gordon both barrels.
She's calling him weak, indecisive, unable to provide leadership.
She has even suggested he change his mind *again* and have the election.
Fantastic.
(Hello they've dug up Norman Tebbit in the hope of sowing discord. The BBC - Brown;'s best friend.)
Man in a Shed - Yes, I noticed that too. Waited until the news was about to end before they wheel out Tebbit to sow some seeds of misery. He so often behaves like a party unto himself it's not even funny.
Norman Tebbit on BBC news - says he never attacked Cameron...blah blah blah.
Too late Norman - we know you're a traitor! Go back to your hole.
Where is Gordon Brown hiding?
In KFC?
Chick Chick Chickyyyy...
Just shows how pathetic George Useless is!
Get cameron a decent press team!
David Bartlett 6:41
"...BBC's website must be under some serious pressure :-)"
Pressure from Brown Central, presumably.
Channel 4 news had George Osbourne on about an hour ago.
Anonymous 5.59 pm said...
"Cameron is a Prime Minister in waiting."
He's going to have a long wait.
I don't think the change in the polls realy reflects intention I think it reflects a general public desire not to have a pointless election right now.
Nonetheless this is an important change. Not merely because Gordon's honeymoon period is well & truly over but because it is the first time since at least John Major's first election that people have not been embarrassed to say they are voting Tory. That is a long term change which can hardly be underemphasised & though I have strong reservations about Cameron that change is to a significant level due to him.
Latest polls also disasterous for the Lud Dims. I think the existence of multiple parties is necessary if we are to have real democratic choice but the LDs clearly do not deserve people's votes.
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home