I was delighted to see that readers of ConservativeHome have voted Michael Fallon to be their Parliamentarian of the Year. Fully deserved. Yet, and I say this as one who voted for Michael, it is in another way totally meaningless. Micheal Fallon has many talents. He is diligence personified. He has a mastery of economic matters. He has experience. He is a skilled media performer. But he is in the wrong job. Anyone who has watched Michael in action on the Treasury Select Committee, of which he is Deputy Chairman, knows we need Michael on the front bench. It is a mystery why he is not.
On the eve of the budget we all know that the economy is going to be front and central in the next election campaign in a way that it has not been in the last 2. Michael would bring much to building our credibility. He has often appeared as the unofficial Conservative spokesman on Newsnight and is totally unflappable even when Paxman (who clearly respects him) is on full charge. He doesn't do sound-bites - just substance and, as such, would be a stable, reassuring and competent voice to the public. And he has experience of having served in a Government that very successfully shared the proceeds of growth (yes indeed) between targeted public spending increases and reductions in the amount of money the Government took off people in tax. It would be to the great benefit of the Conservative Party and our prospects of regaining power if David Cameron were to call on Michael to serve on the frontbench again soon.
