ConservativeHome's ToryDiary

The Cameron-Osborne rock

Rachel Sylvester, from her new perch in The Times, suggests that there is "a fundamental disagreement" between David Cameron and George Osborne when it comes to the family. Rachel Sylvester is probably right in saying there are differences. ConHome has heard the same.  Osborne is more socially liberal than Mr Cameron (and also, as a matter of fact, more hawkish on foreign policy) but it's not a "hot" dispute. Mr Cameron began his leadership campaign with a pledge to recognise marriage in the tax system and there'll be no retreat from that pledge. In a recent speech to the Centre for Policy Studies Mr Osborne was emphatic in his support for the party's family policies - recognising that stronger families were essential to reduce the long-term welfare burden.

Given the "hot" tensions between Brown and Blair it is understandable that journalists are keen to see parallels in the Cameron-Osborne relationship (Peter Oborne has done the same).  It is probably true that Mr Osborne is at least as influential as Mr Brown was in the comparative stage of preparing for government.  Mr Osborne as General Election coordinator has made a large share of the biggest strategic decisions over the last year - shaking up Campaign Boris, hiring Andy Coulson, making the inheritance tax promise.  But there isn't the rivalry that existed between Brown and Blair.  The two men get on well and with Andy Coulson and Steve Hilton are members of what Iain Martin has called The Quartet - the group of four that makes all the big judgments about Tory strategy.  It was David Davis' exclusion from the inner circle (not the formal meetings, which he sometimes chaired) that contributed to his decision to resign from the frontbench.

If the two most powerful men in the Conservative Party agreed on everything it would be spooky.  It's good that they see some things slightly differently.  Mr Osborne is more of a hare, Mr Cameron more of a tortoise although the Tory leader is apparently now readier than his Shadow Chancellor to push towards lower taxation.  Ms Sylvester is also unlikely to find the wider party unhappy with Mr Cameron's policy on marriage (Tim Yeo and a few others excepted).  ConservativeHome's own poll of the next generation of Conservative candidates found 93% favoured support for marriage from the tax system.

5pm: With the Daily Mail jumping on to the Sylvester story it's worth noting this line from George Osborne's July speech: "We are committed to introducing a recognition of marriage into the tax system." Seems pretty unambiguous to us.

Samuel Coates to join David Cameron's office

Tim Montgomerie writes:

"Other blogs got there first but I am delighted to confirm that Samuel Coates, Deputy Editor of ConservativeHome, looks set to join David Cameron's office as part of the speechwriting team. 

At the age of 22, Sam's likely appointment after a number of competitive tests and interviews is a tremendous personal achievement, I wish him every success.  His commitment to the social justice agenda and his interest in international human rights will be just two of the significant contributions I know he'll make to Team Cameron.

David Cameron's gain is definitely a big loss to ConservativeHome.  Sam has become a very good friend over the two-and-a-half years we have worked together, and I'll miss his company as well as his enormous contribution to this website. Today is a day for congratulating Sam.  We'll be announcing the recruitment process for his successor tomorrow."

> The photo of Sam and David Cameron was from a recent 'Day in the life of David Cameron' feature.  Sam's namesake at The Times will be pleased that there'll now only be one Sam Coates covering Westminster!

The Telegraph makes mischief

"Every morning at nine, Mr Cameron meets key aides and shadow ministers including William Hague, Michael Gove and George Osborne. Mr Davis has always been put out that he is not invited."

Those two sentences appeared in yesterday's Telegraph, from Robert Winnett.  Quite damaging on the face of it but not true.  We happen to know that David Davis attended the morning meeting as often as George Osborne.  When David Cameron and William Hague are both away David Davis actually chaired the meeting. 

Not content with getting it wrong once the Telegraph's Political Editor Andy Porter repeats the idea again this morning:

"Davis was irked that despite his seniority, he was rarely asked to attend the Tories' regular 9am strategy meetings. Instead, the close cabal is made up of George Osborne, Michael Gove and William Hague; chiefs of staff Ed Llewellyn and Catherine Fall; and communications chief Andy Coulson. Steve Hilton, the Svengali figure credited with rebranding the Tories, used to attend, but recently his appearances have been limited, as he prepares to move to California."

The Telegraph would be on stronger ground if it wrote about the closeness of David Cameron and George Osborne, for example.  (Only natural given Mr Osborne's chairmanship of Cameron's leadership bid).  They didn't do that but have made very specific and more troubling accusations about David Davis being sidelined from this key meeting.  We know that The Telegraph is not writing the truth.  We can't believe that CCHQ hasn't told The Telegraph that it's untrue.  Why The Telegraph persists in writing it is the real question.

10am, Sunday 15th June: David Davis, interviewed by Andrew Marr, confirmed that he did attend the 9.15am strategy meeting.

3pm, Sunday: Andrew Porter has now blogged on these morning meetings.

Andy Coulson coordinates summer media offensive

It was last summer that George Osborne recruited Andy Coulson as head of party communications.  The former News of the World Editor played a major role in helping the party avert an autumn election.

PR Week - that great source of stories about turmoil in Downing Street - reports that Andy Coulson is planning a publicity offensive over the summer.  There will be no vacuums but a grid of stories to ensure that there is little respite for the embattled Labour Government. 

PR Week spins the "summer offensive" as meaning a growth of Andy Coulson's power now that Steve Hilton will be relocating to the USA for six or so months.  In reality it is more a reflection of David Cameron's desire to avoid any complacency.

Gavin Megaw - former CCHQ press operator, quoted by PR Week - gets closest to understanding the more strategic role that Steve Hilton will now be playing: "Ironically, it will be much easier for Steve to capture the real mood of the country and translate it into the party's long term plans from outside the Westminster bubble, away from all the short term politicking and media distractions."

Steve Hilton, Cameron's 'guru', off to USA for six months

The Sunday Telegraph is reporting that Steve Hilton, chief strategic adviser to David Cameron, is relocating to California where his wife - Rachel Whetstone - is taking up a six month appointment at Google's world HQ.

It appears, however - despite The Sunday Telegraph's headlines - that Mr Hilton will remain a key adviser to David Cameron, on full pay but playing a strategic, rather than a hands-on role.

It is a mark of Mr Cameron's respect for Mr Hilton that such a distant relationship has been accepted.  So many decisions in politics come out of team discussions and a fast reaction to events.  Mr Hilton's role will now have to be even more strategic - focusing on the big picture direction of the party.

Alongside George Osborne and Andy Coulson, Mr Hilton is part of what Iain Martin has called The Quartet that runs the Conservative Party, with David Cameron.  Although Mr Hilton is seen as a moderniser - and was behind the greener, gentler emphases of the period up until the course correction of last August, September - he also strongly supports the party leader's social conservatism and commitment to marriage, fatherhood and the family.

Speaking to ConservativeHome last week Steve Hilton was full of the joys of fatherhood himself and his commitment to his own family explains this move to California.

If the move is only six months - as billed - there are advantages to the Project Cameron.  This is a time for Mr Hilton to observe the US presidential campaign at close quarters and be refreshed in his strategic insights.

> More on the role each key Quartet adviser plays: Andy Coulson, Steve Hilton, George Osborne.

David Cameron's Chief Speechwriter leaves for charity work

He joined the leader's office less than two years ago but, according to an impeccable source, Danny Kruger has resigned as Chief Speechwriter to David Cameron.

The parting is very friendly.  Danny has decided to pursue his commitment to Only Connect - "a theatre company and resettlement charity working in London prisons."  Read more at OnlyConnect's website.  The charity was the brainchild of Danny's wife, Emma, and they are now planning to build it up together.

Alongside Peter Franklin, Philippa Stroud and Cameron Watt, Danny has been one of the most effective 'back office' advocates for the party's social justice agenda.  He'll leave a big hole in the leader's office but his decision can't be faulted.  It's a great thing to write big speeches about the poor.  It's more earthy to be helping people at the coalface.  Good luck Danny.

Related link: A rehabilitation revolution

"A party within a party"?

The Mail on Sunday's Simon McGee reveals a new dining club within the parliamentary Conservative Party; The Green Chip Club.

The by-invitation Club - focused on the 2005 intake - was formed at the start of the summer by frontbenchers Michael Gove and Greg Barker in order to bring together some of parliamentary party's leading supporters of Project Cameron.

Backbench dining clubs are not unusual but many MPs will still feel excluded from a club that appears to be a new favoured circle of David Cameron's Preatorian Guard.  Given the involvement of George Osborne, Andy Coulson and Steve Hilton, it is clearly a club that enjoys the full blessing of the leadership.

The MoS notes that William Hague and David Davis are excluded.  There's probably not too much to be read into that.  Other key members of the Cameron inner team aren't part of this dining club either.  Oliver Letwin for example.  It is nonetheless an unwelcome development.  The revelation that there is a group of MPs with privileged access to Team Cameron will not be welcomed by those in the parliamentary party already unhappy at the ability to influence the direction of the party.

Listed below are the Club's thirty members.

The Tories can't afford to lose Andy Coulson

On Tuesday evening, over at Three Line Whip, David Hughes reported that Tory communications chief Andy Coulson "has no desire to emulate Alastair Campbell and become the Number 10 spokesman".  Like David Hughes, ConservativeHome is a big admirer of Mr Coulson and hopes that the party can keep hold of him.  He has helped to engineer a big improvement in the Tory operation - since he started work last summer but some do believe that his time at David Cameron's right hand is a stepping stone back to a big media role.

He is a member of The Quartet - Iain Martin's description of the four people who make all of the biggest decisions in the Conservative Party: David Cameron, George Osborne, Andy Coulson and Steve Hilton.  Steve Hilton is on a two-day week at the moment following the birth of his first child.  Iain Martin worries that the Tories miss his creativity.

But it is not really more creativity that the Tories need.  They are buzzing with ideas.  Fraser Nelson writes this in this week's Spectator:

"‘You can get it if you really want’ runs the current Tory advertising slogan. But get what? The problem is not that Mr Cameron has no answer. The problem is that he has about a dozen — and cannot narrow them down. Many of his policies, such as welfare reform, are radical and urgently needed. Some are worth casting a Tory vote just to see them enacted, such as Michael Gove’s promise of school reform. But no policy has yet been explained in a way the ordinary voter can understand."

The lack of a big theme was discussed by ConservativeHome yesterday.  The best thing that Team Cameron can now do is to pause a little more, decide on some big messages and focus relentlessly on those messages.

Fraser's Spectator piece warns the Tories that Brown's operation is now becoming competitive again.  The Conservatives cannot afford to let their operation slip.  Brown has been strengthening his team in recent weeks and is even learning to delegate.

Can a Basildon man save the Tories again?

John Harris of The Guardian authors a profile of Andy Coulson, Tory communications director, in today's glossy Weekend section of the newspaper.  It appears to be a profile based on very little access (Andy Coulson rightly wants an end to the Tories talking about themselves and what he calls the "internal wiring") but does, nonetheless, offer a readable overview of the man widely credited with helping to turnaround Tory fortunes:

Coulson the man: Raised in the Essex town of Basildon, Andy Coulson was educated at a comprehensive.  He is married with two young sons.  Harris spends a large part of the piece discussing the extent of Andy Coulson's involvement in the royal bugging scandal that led to his resignation from the editorship of the News of the World.

George Eustice likely to manage party's relations with conservative coalition

George Eustice is to stop being the Leader's Press Secretary from the end of the month.  He's going to take a two month sabbatical - to read some books, not newspapers - and will then probably return to a part-time position at CCHQ in the new year.  If he does return it will be to coordinate David Cameron's relations with the conservative family of think tanks, campaigning groups and websites/ blogs.  George is, I understand, also hoping to stand for Parliament and cannot do that and continue to handle press for the leader.

I hope George does undertake this coalition role.  It was one of the ten ideas proposed by Donal Blaney earlier this month:

"As the conservative movement in Britain grows at an impressive rate, Team Cameron likewise need to ensure that the members of the conservative movement, and in particular its leaders, are kept in the loop and feel they have a channel of communication to the Party leadership. The appointment of someone with a role similar to Tim Goeglein at the White House (who is in charge of White House relations with the conservative coalition) will help ensure the broader conservative movement remains if not wholly on side then at least broadly on side, thereby avoiding future misunderstandings and rows."

On a personal note I'd like to record my own little tribute to George.  ConservativeHome hasn't always been 100% helpful (!) but he's always been courteous to me and a pleasure to deal with.  I travelled down from Blackpool with him after this year's Conference - the BBC's Nick Robinson was also with us - and, licence feepayers, party donors, CH mug purchasers, take note - we were all in the second class carriage.  I hope he takes up this coalition manager role.  His experience at the 'No campaign'  and his closeness to David Cameron makes him ideal for the job.  In my two months as chief aide to IDS, when he was leader, I identified such a role as a priority task.  It would be great to see it finally happen...

Cameron should be above dissing his internal critics

David Cameron launches his National Citizen Service idea today.  I think it's a great idea but this morning's BBC News bulletins were giving at least as much attention to Mr Cameron's putdown of Michael Ancram.  This is what the Conservative leader told The Sun (my emphasis):

“I want all Conservatives to think carefully before they open their mouths... When you make changes you’ll get blasts from the past who signify nothing.  Political leadership is about taking a long-term approach. It’s about ignoring noises off stage.  I don’t think when Tony Blair was trying to change the Labour Party he spent his whole time worrying about what Tony Benn was saying.  I set a clear course that has already reaped huge benefits. Look at our local election results."

'Blasts from the past who signify nothing'?  Mr Ancram's intervention was ill-timed - as ConservativeHome argued on Tuesday morning - but Mr Cameron really must stop trashing his critics.  His frustration is understandable but his behaviour is not statesmanlike.  It's a reminder of the time when he attacked critics of his grammar schools policy as "delusional" or when he criticised Ali Miraj and Stanley Kalms in a Today programme interview.   Mr Cameron should allow others to deal with his critics.  He must be a unifying figure and he's only given a 11th hour burst of life to the nearly dead Ancram story.

Cameron's office still needs to do much more to build better links with the parliamentary and wider party.   This is what Anne McElvoy wrote in yesterday's Evening Standard: "I have been struck in the past two months by the fact that many Tories who defended the new leader in effusive, not to say excessive, terms last year, have become sour and negative now.  Too many of them feel neglected by him and his team... There are frequent complaints from people who thought they had an 'in' with him being treated coolly or even haughtily by his office, or letters written by people who have been kind to him, returned unsigned or ignored."  I hear many, many similar stories.

Project Cameron's key achievements: Unity amongst the true 'Top Tories'

Yesterday ConservativeHome began a series looking at Project Cameron's key achievements by focusing on the renewal of the party's one nation tradition.  Today we look at the unity at the top of the party.  Tomorrow we look at 'governing by proxy'.

Whenever I read a headline which includes the words 'Top Tory' I know I need to be suspicious.  'Top Tory' is invariably used by mischievous journalists to  illustrate a story about somebody we've never heard of.  There's been a lot of Top Tory stories recently.  Top Tory donors who haven't given much to the party for a long time.  Top Tories who are only 26 years old.  Top Tory candidates upset at failing to get selected for plum seats.

What is remarkable is that the real Top Tories have been very loyal to Project Cameron.  David Cameron's most significant resignation was the departure of Graham Brady from the frontbench over grammarsgate.  Graham Brady is a considerable figure but he wasn't in the shadow cabinet.  Much bigger Labour beasts have criticised Gordon Brown.  I think, for example, of ex-Home Secretary Charles Clarke or Brown's former Permanent Secretary who compared the Chancellor to Stalin.

All of the big beasts of Team Cameron have been united and loyal.  Although some can be criticised for their work-rate - perhaps related to the extent of outside interests - the true Top Tories have been increasingly evident in the media, defending Project Cameron.  David Davis has encouraged the right to get behind David Cameron.  Liam Fox has backed the leader on grammar schools and climate change.  William Hague has told the party that there's no other show in town.

The unity has also been evident in the policy group process.  David Cameron has succeeded in enlisting the support of people seen as right-wingers - IDS (social justice), Peter Lilley (international development) and John Redwood (competitiveness) - and those traditionally seen on the left - Stephen Dorrell (healthcare), Ken Clarke (democracy), Michael Heseltine (regeneration) and John Gummer (environment).

And what about true Top Tory donors?  The Guardian - that bastion of pro-Tory comment - noted yesterday that the Tories are "in robust financial health"  and listed some of the people who have delivered the financial improvement.

Even amongst grassroots members - where there is concern over strategy - 87% back David Cameron to remain Conservative leader.

George Bridges resigns

Other blogs have noted George Bridges' decision to resign from his senior campaign post at CCHQ.  As Ben Brogan points out, it was only recently reported that he had been tasked with 'bomb-proofing' the policy review process.  The conspiracy theorists will, no doubt, be out in force.  It may be true that, as Ben Brogan writes, the increasingly influential Lord Ashcroft was not a big admirer of George but my understanding is that he decided to quit because he's getting married.  Simple as that.  He didn't want to spend the first months and years of married life juggling a political position that often needs 24/7 attention.

While we were on the subject of CCHQ I learnt out one thing earlier today that horrified me.  I was speaking to a very senior political journalist and they told me that days go by without a call from Team Cameron's press operation.  Hours don't go by, this journalist told me, without a call from Team Brown.  Over to you Andy Coulson...

War with the Mirror

A rather slanted piece in The Observer sourced by the Mirror describes David Cameron's first meeting with Daily Mirror Editor and former spin doctor Richard Wallace. They met at Cameron's request, alone at his Portcullis House office, to discuss the Mirror's repeated personal attacks on "Tory Toff" Cameron.

Wallace dismissed Cameron's claim that "You're treating me worse than the Sun treated Kinnock in the 1980s.", saying that this kind of criticism was "par for the course for politicians". Noting the Michael Howard vampire image when he was elected leader, he said that as the Mirror is the only card-carrying Labour paper it is "duty bound to heap opprobrium" on Cameron every day.

Afterwards Wallace said: "I was quite shocked. This is a man who wants to be Prime Minister, and he was whining away like a little schoolboy". On Friday he was apparently incandescent about Cameron's comments about the private meeting at Cheltenham, telling George Osborne: "The gloves are off. "If you want a war, I'll give you a war'." (Quote sanitised, we're a family website).

It's a similar situation to when Tony Blair tried to gain favour with right-leaning newspapers in the run-up to 1997. Learning from Kinnock's mauling, he and Alastair Campbell were successful in winning back The Sun and other newspapers, although they were disappointed at not being able to win over the Daily Mail.

Cameron had raised the prospect of lifting the ban on CCHQ dealing with Mirror lobby journalists, but that looks unlikely to happen for some time!

Deputy Editor

How will Andy Coulson do?

Recruiting Andy Coulson was a coup for David Cameron, as a former tabloid editor Coulson is the most senior figure yet to make the jump from Fleet Street to Westminster. But how easy will he find it?

In today's Guardian Ian Cobain reviews Andy Coulson's career. In his time at the News of the World he did not shy away from attacking the Conservatives. Here's what he wrote about Boris Johnson:

"For a posh bloke who went to Eton he has an uncanny, popular touch. He also has an uncanny habit of cheating on his wife."

And on George Osborne:

"Osborne ... has now owned up to his encounters with a cocaine-snorting call-girl ... like Cameron, the frontbench MP won't be drawn on whether he has taken drugs himself. But remember, politicians make the laws. That's why we have the right to ask about their backgrounds - especially when they aspire to run our country."

But being nasty about the Tory party is far easier than getting other people to be nice about it. Will Coulson's lack of political experience be a problem? Cobain quotes a friend of Coulson:

"He's very bright, he learns very quickly, he's very witty and very likeable. He may be in danger of saying the wrong thing early on, but he's smart, so he'll probably stay in the background for a while, learning the job."

Coulson is intelligent. He had a reputation at Wapping for being a safe pair of hands. And though he has no political experience he has good relationship with some of the most important people in the British media - Sun Editor Rebekah Wade is a close friend and Rupert Murdoch a former boss.

But there is more to the media than News International. Coulson will quickly have to turn his attention to the Telegraph, the Daily Mail - whose editor Paul Dacre is said to be an admirer of Gordon Brown - and the vital BBC.

David Cameron wants Coulson to make "a formidable contribution" and to help build "the most effective strategy and operation to win the next general election". Let's hope he does.

Andrew Burkinshaw 

Cameron recruits former News of the World editor as communications chief

As Iain Dale exclusively predicted earlier, 38-year-old Andy Coulson, the former Editor of the News of the World is to be the new Director of Communications for the Conservative Party from 9th July.  He will work with George Eustice, head of media [Correction: 'the Leader's Press Secretary (Henry Macrory is Head of the Press Office'].

As Fraser Nelson writes over at The Spectator - this is a very welcome appointment.  Mr Coulson fills a big gap in Team Cameron.  He will know how to appeal to the striving voters that are not yet connecting with the new hug-a-hoodie Conservatism.  It was, after all, Coulson's News of the World that came up with that phrase that powerfully mischaracterised Cameron's social responsibility agenda.  He took the bullet for the recent royal phonetapping scandal but he still has excellent connections with the Murdoch empire.  ConservativeHome has long believed that the party needs to strengthen its media operation and hopes that we now have the kind of person who will not allow future grammar-style rows to run out of control.

OFFICIAL STATEMENT FROM CCHQ

"David Cameron today announced that former News of the World Editor Andy Coulson has been appointed as the new Director of Communications and Planning for the Conservative Party. He will take up his appointment on 9 July.

David Cameron said:

“Andy is a hugely experienced journalist. I am delighted that he has agreed to join my team as Director of Communications and Planning.  Andy will make a formidable contribution as a senior member of my team in building the most effective strategy and operation to win the next general election. I look forward very much to working with him”.

Andy Coulson said:

“I am delighted to be joining David Cameron’s team and I look forward to helping the Conservative Party to return to Government under his leadership.”"

2.30pm: Guido blogs that Coulson will be critical to a 'bodyline bowling' attack on Gordon Brown.  Guido's buddy Michael White writes on Guardian online that it will be vital for Coulson to hire media folk who understand television.

6pm: Ben Brogan "is assured" that Coulson will be on a whopping £400,000 a year to "take the Tory communications machine apart and rebuild it to his liking".

CCHQ seeks £140K media strategist (apparently)

"David Cameron is apparently on the hunt for a £140K media strategist for the Tories."  That nugget is taken from an article on The First Post about Gordon Brown's alleged need for an Alastair Campbell-figure.  On David Cameron's first anniversary as leader ConservativeHome did recommend that the press operation be strengthened.  A number of individuals have apparently been approached including a senior figure at The Independent although CCHQ's preference is for someone with broadcast standing who will support one of Project Cameron's primary aims - the wooing of the BBC. 

There will be a number of issues in the new media strategist's in-tray.  Here are two:

1. First would be the need for a little more courtesy towards the newspapers.  The newspapers are jealous of the attention that Team Cameron gives to the broadcasters but there are other niggles.  There was some annoyance at The Times last week, for example, after CCHQ had been contacted for a quote on their Brown-pensions-story.  After providing a quote CCHQ started to tell other media operations about the story; spoiling The Times' exclusivity.  Yesterday's Business scoop on the poor getting poorer was soon followed by a CCHQ press release but the press release failed to credit The Business with the research.  Neither of these are massive faults but they can hurt important relationships.
2. The second task will be handling what could be called 'the coming storm'.  Brownites are determined to launch strong attacks on Cameron from the autumn.  Brownites have long been frustrated at what they see as the Blairites' kid-gloves approach to Cameron.  They want something much harder.  The Brownites will probably use surrogates but expect a lot of attacks on Cameron as a hypocrite for his use of domestic air travel.  Kevin Maguire's blog and articles (here, here and here) can give you a taste of what to expect.

More experienced press officers - who are trusted by their shadow ministers and therefore able to speak immediately on their behalf - will be another important improvement.

"The Cameroons"

There is an important profile of David Cameron's top advisory team in today's Guardian.  Here are a few key observations from the extended piece by Andy Beckett - for which he has clearly been granted considerable access:

• Little known: Most of David Cameron's back office are unknown with the exception of Steve Hilton.
• Inexperienced: Michael Portillo observes that the team is "bright", "nice" but a "bit thin." He continues: "It's not surprising. The Tory party has lost layer after layer of talent over the past decade or more."  Ed Llewellyn, Cameron's chief of staff, was aide to Hong Kong Governor Chris Patten, however, and also adviser to Paddy Ashdown whilst the former LibDem leader was in Bosnia.
• "Nice": "Gabby Bertin, Cameron's press officer since the latter stages of his leadership campaign, is quick to frame this new political etiquette in party terms. "People love to make the comparison between us and Labour in the 90s. We couldn't be more different. We're honest. We're transparent. We don't go around threatening people. We don't go round lying." A Cameron aide has a more worldly explanation: "In the 90s Labour seemed wet and needed to show they were tough. Our problem is the opposite.""
• Loyal: Cameron has picked people he knows and trusts. He does not want to repeat the mistakes of past leaders who accepted the recommendations of colleagues and ended up with staffers who weren't necessarily loyal to - or understanding of - the mission.
• Young: "Bertin is 28 and has only been working in politics for four years. Danny Kruger, one of Cameron's two speechwriters, left university in 2000. Osborne, Hilton and the Conservatives' campaign director George Bridges are still in their 30s. Cameron's chief of staff, Edward Llewellyn, is barely 40."
• Male and Etonian: "Bridges' trajectory is typical. Like Cameron, Kruger and Llewellyn, he went to Eton. In public most of the Cameroons dismiss this as a minor biographical coincidence, but it's nothing of the sort. Eton has a unique ability to produce Conservative politicians... Eton is also, of course, all male. The Cameroons are also mostly men. Most of the women involved tend to be in more minor roles."
• More 'right-wing' not so long ago: "[In 1999] Bridges called the respected environmentalist Lord Melchett, then director of Greenpeace, "evil" and "anti-progress" in his column in the Times. Cameron's current press secretary, George Eustice, remained a prominent activist for the UK Independence Party and other Eurosceptic groups until 2003. In 2002 he publicly defended a cinema advertisement in which an actor, dressed as Hitler, endorses the euro."
• Close to Blairites: "Nowadays, for all their declared distaste for New Labour's methods, Cameron's people remain respectful of Blair and his machine. Some of the admiration is personal and mutual. Hilton is friends with Tim Allan, Blair's former press officer and still an influential Blair advocate. Rachel Whetstone, Hilton's partner and a semi-detached Cameroon, is friends with Ben Wegg-Prosser, 10 Downing Street's head of strategy. Wegg-Prosser gave a reading at the wedding of the Conservative MP and Cameroon Ed Vaizey. Some of this is just the usual mingling of sharp Westminster operators with networking instincts and work in common. And, of course, both groups are united in their dislike of Brown."
• Hungry to be governing again: "A more junior team member, whose politics are to the right of his leader's, has a more long-term worry. He fears that in downplaying traditional Conservative causes, in changing the party to be more in tune with modern Britain, the Cameroons have in effect accepted that they won't change the country much in office...  But then he changes his tone. "I don't want to spend another five years in opposition doing this nonsense," he says with sudden fierceness. "I want to be handing policies to civil servants, not journalists." ...The Cameroons are not really a clique or a nice new kind of Tory. They are part of a tribe accustomed to running Britain. They think it is well past time they had another turn."

The Guardian profiles Steve Hilton (and misses the elephant in the room)

Pictures from today's Guardian of Steve Hilton 'webcameroning' the Tory leader during their India trip.

This morning's Telegraph calls him the party's real deputy leader and there's a useful profile of Steve Hilton in this morning's Guardian although Patrick Wintour and Tania Branigan miss one of the most important features of the man who is undoubtedly the most important political influence on David Cameron.

That most important feature is Steve Hilton's control freak tendency.  ConservativeHome regularly hears from inside CCHQ about a project becoming stalled because it is still awaiting the green light from The Director of Strategy.  Most Tory leaders have shared a low opinion of CCO/ CCHQ and David Cameron has already been burnt by CCHQ.  The early problems with the A-list, the mishandled Mayoral process, the Bromley by-election operation and basic problems of membership management have only encouraged Steve Hilton in his belief that CCHQ requires micromanagement.  Hilton and Francis Maude's relationship has often been very strained as each competes to knock an often dysfunctional operation into shape.  Francis Maude is fairly portrayed as an ultra-moderniser but even the Party Chairman has had to moderate Steve Hilton's desires for greater central control of the candidate selection process.

The Guardian also fails to mention Steve Hilton's controversial £23,000pcm remuneration package.  We've never learnt if that was a temporary measure - as was said at the time - or if it continues.

What is certain about Steve Hilton is that no Tory adviser has ever enjoyed such influence on a party leader in modern times.  It is also true that he has managed to combine his dominant role with being very well liked.  People respect his creativity and his commitment.  His drive to control David Cameron's message and get CCHQ to perform as he wishes is entirely transparent and his colleagues have respect and affection for him.  The danger is that his dominance is excluding other voices - but that's a subject for another day.

Daniel Kruger joins leader's office

ConservativeHome has learnt that Danny Kruger has resigned as Chief Leader Writer at The Daily Telegraph to become special adviser to David Cameron.  Danny Kruger will have responsibility for big occasion speeches and for ensuring that the leader's office and Oliver Letwin closely co-ordinate policy development.  ConservativeHome has reported on recent failures of the leader's kitchen cabinet to involve key party figures in policy announcements.

Danny's appointment will be welcomed by the right of the party.  Danny is a convinced Eurosceptic, a social conservative and one of the driving forces behind Direct Democracy's localisation agenda.  His appointment will bring some balance to the leader's office that, with the exception of Desmond Swayne, is currently dominated by centrists.  Edward Llewellyn, for example, the leader's highly capable chief of staff previously worked for Paddy Ashdown and Chris Patten.  Dougie Smith, the leader's principal speechwriter, is a leading moderniser.

Danny is not a right-winger in the Heffer mould, however.  Danny has been a leading supporter of Iain Duncan Smith's Centre for Social Justice and is also supportive of the leader's green agenda.  It is probably the case that he has been unhappy with The Telegraph's increasingly strident line.  Simon Heffer and Jeff Randall have been leading regular attacks on Project Cameron and last week's YouGov poll - which gave the Tories a steadyish 5% lead - was headlined as disappointing by the newspaper's political team.

Some will worry that Danny is not a safe pair of hands.  He was forced to resign as candidate for Sedgefield before the last election because he talked of the need for a process of 'creative destruction' in the public services.  Danny's enthusiasm for Schumpeterian economics was not shared by an enraged Michael Howard.

As Danny moves into the leader's office, Jonathan Hellewell moves out.  Mr Hellewell, David Cameron's private secretary, is moving to St James's Palace to work for Prince Charles.

Cameron 'guru' is paid £23,000 every month

The Sunday newspapers have caught up with Iain Dale's blog and told the world that an Australian  hedge fund millionaire is one of the Tory party's previously secret lenders.  The Observer also unmasks Johan Eliasch, a Swedish sports equipment tycoon and Finnish property billionaire Poju Zabludowicz.

A bigger and much less savoury story can be found in The Sunday Times:

"The Tories under David Cameron have accepted £100,000 from the wife of a foreign arms dealer barred from making political donations in Britain.  Wafic Said, a Syrian-born Saudi, and his British wife Rosemary are accused of exploiting a loophole in the rules to fund the Tories, who are under increasing pressure to reveal their financial backers.  According to a senior Conservative source, Said used to give donations to the Tories until he became a tax exile and foreign gifts were banned. His wife now bids at fundraising auctions, which friends say is his way of supporting the party."

The Sunday Times continues: "Over the past two years the Saids are understood to have given at least £550,000 to the Tories at auctions but none of it has been declared publicly."

The sale of arms to Saudi Arabia began in the 1980s under Margaret Thatcher with Wafic Said a key middleman: "Said has a colourful public profile. He was the middleman who profited from Britain’s biggest arms deal — “Al-Yamamah” — which involved the multi-billion-pound sale of fighters and warships to Saudi Arabia. The deal was signed by Margaret Thatcher, whose son Mark was said to have received payments for his involvement in the deal in the 1980s."

Mr Cameron was evasive when ConservativeHome asked him about arms sales to repressive regimes during the leadership process and a frontbench defence spokesman welcomed a new arms deal with the Saudis last December.  The record of the Saudi kingdom on human rights, democracy and religious freedom leaves much to be desired.  Arms sales to untrustworthy regimes have always been questionable but must be doubly so in the post 9/11 world.

For many Conservative members the party's sources of revenue arouse less excitement than how the Tories spend their earnings.  Last week's news that Cameron aide Steve Hilton is receiving £23,000pcm caused much anger amongst ConservativeHome visitors.

Today's Sunday Herald has used the Freedom of Information Act to produce a fascinating article on how the Tories spent £18m at the last General Election.   Here are some of the highlights of the article:

• "Ex-Tory leader Howard handed over day-to-day control of last year’s election campaign to controversial Australian Lynton Crosby, whose six-month fee was reported to be £250,000.  But invoices submitted by the pollster’s firm, Crosby Textor, show that the total amount was closer to £450,000, with a fee of up to £60,000 per month."
• "Documents also showed that the Tory campaign focused on policies designed to shore up their core vote. In particular, a large part of the £4.5m spent on “unsolicited material to electors” focused on protecting the UK’s borders."
• "Costs for the campaign slogan “Are you thinking what we are thinking?” came in at £120,000."
• "Documents showed the party footing the bill for up to £20,000 in libel damages for Labour MP Martin Salter, falsely accused of bullying at a Tory press conference in 2004."

These revelations will only encourage those party members who want to see CCHQ behave much more transparently.  The elections to the party board - which has operational responsibility for fundraising and spending - are not even advertised on the party's own website.   ConservativeHome profiled the five candidates on Friday.