Sunday, June 21, 2009
And discontent within Conservative ranks too
Conservative Home has a very frank post about what is going on within the Parliamentary Conservative Party. It seems that things are not exactly hunky dory there and that David Cameron has upset quite a few of his fellow MPs:
The Parliamentary Conservative Party is very unhappy. The anoymous letter earlier this week was one sign of discontent. David Cameron got another taste of his MPs' anger when he addressed them all on Wednesday. In terms of electoral politics this discontent may not matter much for now. Cameron will continue to command public support for the most draconian action against MPs. "He could shoot us all and the public wouldn't think it enough," one joked. But MPs have long memories and Cameron will need their support in tougher times. The gallows humour going around the Commons tea room is that MPs have gone from lobby fodder to cannon fodder.
"I don't need to have behaved illegally or immorally to see my career end in humiliation. Cameron would throw me overboard without a moment's hesitation," one MP said. "But," he continued, "he'll need us to be loyal to him one day but he's not showing much loyalty to us."
Cameron's heavy handed but inconsistently applied discipline is storing up problems for him in the future. In particular the fact that backbenchers are being deselected for misdemeanors but Shadow Cabinet Members like George Osborne are not being punished for what some view as equally poor misjudgement is fostering discontent.
The Parliamentary Conservative Party is very unhappy. The anoymous letter earlier this week was one sign of discontent. David Cameron got another taste of his MPs' anger when he addressed them all on Wednesday. In terms of electoral politics this discontent may not matter much for now. Cameron will continue to command public support for the most draconian action against MPs. "He could shoot us all and the public wouldn't think it enough," one joked. But MPs have long memories and Cameron will need their support in tougher times. The gallows humour going around the Commons tea room is that MPs have gone from lobby fodder to cannon fodder.
"I don't need to have behaved illegally or immorally to see my career end in humiliation. Cameron would throw me overboard without a moment's hesitation," one MP said. "But," he continued, "he'll need us to be loyal to him one day but he's not showing much loyalty to us."
Cameron's heavy handed but inconsistently applied discipline is storing up problems for him in the future. In particular the fact that backbenchers are being deselected for misdemeanors but Shadow Cabinet Members like George Osborne are not being punished for what some view as equally poor misjudgement is fostering discontent.
Comments:
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Bit ridiculous really. With such an outrageous issue as expenses, Cameron needs to take a hardline approach to dealing with it, even if it does mean seeming a bit harsh when loyalty is needed. In regards to George Osborne though, i do agree with you.
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