Having joined WebCameron in my guise as “Charon QC” many moons ago (I saw his first vidcast) I was amused to receive a ‘temperate’ email from David. The subject line read ” Boris wins – exclusive David reaction video”
What was fascinating – post council / mayoral elections, reading The Observer editorial today (and Andrew Rawnsley), was the emphasis on qualifying comment; hedging about with ‘It is mid-term’, ‘Labour lost it, The Tories did not win it’ and the inevitable caveat that there are still two years to go before Brown faces the electorate – that is, if the Labour Men in Togas don’t decide to put on an impromptu production of Julius Caesar first.
The other amusing comment – by Alexander Deane, former Chief of Staff to David Cameron – was that David Cameron has succeeded in de-contaminating The Conservative ‘brand’ ( in the mind of the fickle, largely uninformed and apathetic British electorate – my addition). A turnout of 45% is hailed as a triumph. Christ on a bicycle… even Zimbabwe can manage a 120% turnout. A quick trip to Google revealed a number of entries about ‘de-contaminating the Tory brand’. I do wander how many people in Britain actually know what the political parties (a) are doing (b) what they say they will do in their manifestos and (c) care. I get the feeling down at The Bollo and other watering holes that quite a few people don’t give a damn about politics. Mind you… some of the people I tend to meet ‘of an evening’ are often so over-refreshed they can’t even remember (at that time, and only at that time) where their houses are, let alone if they have fallen into a ‘negative equity’ situation – and long may that continue. All is, after all, restored come the dawn.
Andrew Rawnsley’s article was interesting: He was honest enough to admit that the press will now take the Tories more seriously…. but then exuberance and enthusiasm took hold and readers were treated to a number of subtle gems in one beautifully executed sentence: “There will be bigger and more eager audiences for the speeches of the shadow cabinet. When David Cameron calls, people will come running. When he asks for a favour, it will be swiftly given. When he has a photo call, everyone will want to be in it. Keep an eye on Richard Branson. The more that David Cameron is regarded as a winner, the more likely he is to become one.
I, for one, cannot wait to see Richard Branson upending David Cameron and then squirting him with champagne or, being pictured on a foreign trip with David Cameron to advise on British business interests abroad
I do hope that Mayor Karloff will not become too sensible now that he is the most powerful Tory in the country. We have a hint that Boris may well revert to type with the immortal words, as reported by Rawnsley today … ” I was elected as New Boris and I will govern as New Boris,’ … he joked in the early hours of Saturday morning, trying to reassure voters and his colleagues that the chaotic and brick-dropping side of his character will be permanently suppressed.”
BTW Zimbabwe managed 45% – and it would be nice to congratulate them for believing in democracy!
Yes… I was being facile – but let us see if Mugabe really believes in democracy. Not looking too good at the moment is it?
Have a look at the pic on my blog today. Is that you on the right doing your Zelig gig?
Andrew….. Ah… yes… Zelig…Woody
It may well be me in the pic…!
decontaminate the tory brand – heads down, gobs shut and pretend the skeletal figure hovering in the background isn’t the woman who fucked up the country from 1979 onwards – eventually everyone who remembers what tories are like will have died. as will tebbit, parkinson, archer, aitken, shirley porter (god how many liars cheats homophobes and good old-fashioned criminals can you have in one party???). standing room only in hell!
fortunately they keep opening their mouths and reminding us… and we’ll always have boris. this mayoral thing might work out quite nicely for ‘my sort’.
and before you ask, dad, i have just done con and ad and contract isn’t til friday so no i shouldn’t be reading a book. i’m going to have a beer and see my children. maybe even in that order!
Alex Deane is definitely one to watch…whether you agree with him or not is another matter.
if he’s a tory i won’t – that old knee just keeps jerking!
never heard of him.