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The job of the official opposition is to hold the government of the day to account. The Shadow Chancellor’s ability to do this has been seriously called into question; his recent attempt to pick a fight he couldn’t win with Peter Mandelson did lasting damage - not because of the content of the scandal so much as the fact it made him look amateurish.
Similarly his comments on the value of sterling have received widespread ridicule. When the press didn’t react well to what are, after all, reasonable views he was left looking as if he had nothing to say – almost as though he hadn’t thought that far ahead.
Mr Cameron has done his best at what he does best, namely being the presentable face of a rag-tag collection of oily opportunists and protectors of privilege.
In the absence of sustained attack Gordon Brown is in serious danger of beginning to enjoy himself. The only real opposition he faces at the moment is from the financial sector itself, which is likely to prompt a lurch leftward in the governing party.
The banks’ failure to pass on the recent interest rate cut in their lending practices has prompted MPs such as Treasury Select Committee Chair John McFall to threaten full nationalisation.
There is no doubt that, notwithstanding his culpability for decisions made while Chancellor, Mr Brown is the best qualified person to be leading the country in the current circumstances.
The trouble is that without intelligent scrutiny and consistent, viable alternatives from the Conservatives we risk writing the Prime Minister a blank cheque and simply expecting him to get on with things.
See also: Karma chameleon
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21 November, 2008 The wheels come off
David Cameron once said ‘conviction without policy is like a car without wheels: it won't get you where you want to go. We have to be clear about the direction our policy will take.’ Sadly the wheels seem to be coming off, and the Conservatives’ conviction is vacillating wildly.
Behind the fatuous claims of record debt from both sides of the Commons, it is difficult to escape the feeling that David Cameron’s front bench has been found wanting over the last two months. The Conservatives’ poor showing, while a joyous relief for the Labour Party, should be a cause for genuine concern among the wider electorate.
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