Dave The Younger

‘HOW experienced is David Cameron? We refer not to his alleged drug-taking past, rather to his political record..

According to the Times’s front page, Cameron, the Tory’s new leader, is the most inexperienced person to lead a British political party since William Pitt the Younger.

But how is Cameron inexperienced? Surely any new leader is inexperienced in the ways of leading. Remember when Tony Blair was an inexperienced fresh-faced imp, leaping around the place like an evangelical preacher? Blair’s inexperience, and with it his lack of apparent cynicism, was what attracted large chunks of the electorate to vote for him.

Perhaps the Times is referring to Cameron’s inexperience in mainstream politics? As the Guardian says in “Cameron’s new Conservatism, the man who defeated his leadership rival David Davis by 134,446 votes to 64,398 has only been an MP for four years.

Maybe that’s it. Or maybe it‘s Cameron’s lack of experience in his public oratory? Let’s see. The Guardian hears Cameron’s victory speech. “I want to give this country a modern, compassionate Conservatism that is right for our times and right for our country.”

That sounds pretty familiar stuff. Looking forward to a rosy fingered new dawn is the traditional stuff of all new leaders. Nothing too contentious. Nothing too daring. Noting too inexperienced.

Now let’s see how Cameron does when faced with Blair, when the fourth Tory leader in four years makes his prime minister’s question time debut.

As the Guardian says, Blair will “seek to kill him with a mixture of kindness and condescension.”

But Blair’s up against the bright new face. If he appears too wily and knowing, Blair runs the risk of making Cameron look still younger, more vibrant and untainted.

It might just be an experience that Blair doesn’t relish…’

Posted: 7th, December 2005 | In: Uncategorized Comment | TrackBack | Permalink