(3) David Cameron is rebuilding the Tory big tent

In part (1) of this series we noted that David Cameron is comfortable with all of the key traditions within conservatism, including fiscal, social and compassionate conservatism.  One thing that has stemmed from this has been the rebuilding of the big Conservative tent.

There have been a few occasions when David Cameron has acted against his instincts to be a uniter.  His hot-tempered response to the grammar schools row being most notable.  His overall approach, however, has been to seek unity rather than division.  Dominic Lawson noted how Cameron's language was part of this phenomenon:

"His tricks of political oratory are precisely the opposite of Brown’s, which is to say, he is a follower of Tony Blair. This involves not the setting-up of dividing lines, but a form of language that is “inclusive” — phrases to which nobody could possibly object."

He has brought big beasts in from the cold including the two contenders from the 1997 leadership contest.  First to return was William Hague as Cameron's Shadow Foreign Secretary (and heir apparent if David Cameron was to fall under the proverbial bus) and Ken Clarke as his Shadow Business Secretary.

The Tory leader's willingness to use all the talents available to him was evident from the start of his leadership.  From the traditional left of the party we saw John Gummer and Stephen Dorrell run the quality of life and public services policy groups.  From the traditional right Cameron enlisted Iain Duncan Smith for the social justice policy group, John Redwood to examine economic competitiveness and Peter Lilley to look at global poverty.

Mr Cameron also wants to plant a portion of the big tent on the territory of the Liberal Democrats and New Labour.  Orange Booker David Laws has been wooed and praise has been poured on to the head of schools reformer and now Transport Secretary Lord Adonis.  Neither man or other targets have yet succumbed to Mr Cameron's charms but there's plenty of time for that to change.

One of the most important observations made about David Cameron's character was made by Quentin Letts in a recent Daily Mail sketch.  Writing in the context of John Bercow's controversial election as Speaker, Letts concluded that Cameron is not one of life's haters:

"One of the Tories was David Cameron who wandered in early for a foreign policy statement and shook the Squeaker's hand with debonair charm. Mr Cameron is not one of life's haters. Plenty of his MPs think Mr Bercow is a sleazy traitor but the Tory leader prefers not to waste energy on such emotions. In this he is similar to Tony Blair, who worked out that hatred is a negative commodity which can only make life more complicated. Shrewd."

Shrewd indeed.

Cameron needs to do two things to remain a source of unity within the party:

1. He needs to show that there is a possibility of rehabilitation.  Graham Brady, David Davis, Mark Field, Bernard Jenkin, Patrick Mercer and Hugo Swire have all left the frontbench for various reasons.  None have returned.  That should change.
2. A tight-knit group of people that Cameron has known for many years forms his inner circle.  It has served David Cameron well but is a little too closed.  His kitchen cabinet will be examined properly in another instalment of this series.

Comments

[Anthony Scholefield]

Surely the whole of the Tory problem goes back to their neglect of their traditional base-thats why you have now got 5 parties taking bites out of the Tory vote,that is UKIP,BNP,DUP,Christians,English Democrats.

Your'big tent'is a Westminster bubble big tent from which the voters are increasingly excluded.

The opinion polls flatter to deceive. I notice on the breakdown that for example in ICM ,UKIP are on 2% and the BNP on 1% but of course this is before the voters are confronted with the choice of parties on the ballot paper

Look what happened at NOrwich North .
Moreover the voters have indicated that they will still punish existing MPs for the expenses scandal.

Therefore the idea that the Tories will win over 40% of the vote is preposterous and the only reason they are doing reasonably is Labour's meltdown-it has nothing to with Cameron who has totally failed to erect a'big tent' for the electorate.

[Martin Marprelate- A Man in the Street!]

"Look what happened at Norwich North."

Didn't we win that one with a good majority and large swing to the Tories against Labour?

[Vulture]

They can put up a marquee just as long as the tent isn't big enough to fit Lord Mandelslime in - the only job he should get under a Tory Govt. is cleaning out the latrines tent. It's the kind of work he's used to.

[Redwood fan]

John Redwood is a libertarian, not a right-winger. He is a social, as well as economic, liberal but not PC. John is also sceptical of interventionist foreign policies. His contribution to political debate in the party has been massive. Despite his total loyalty to David Cameron and his frontbench colleagues, John remains on the backbenches. Why?

[david]

I agree about John Redwood. He is not the most media friendly but his blog is required reading. He needs a bigger role even if he is not fronting it.
Also agree that there needs to be a way back. David Davis showed he was not a team player but everyone can learn. He is the natural successor to Ken Clarke as the reasonable bloke talking sense on 5 live. He is very good at it and the party does not have presentational skills to burn.
DC has. I cannot wait to see him let loose at an election. This party really got lucky and I wish more people on this site would recognise that.

[David Belchamber]

I agree entirely with what David has said at 10.44 - but then I would, wouldn't I?

[Martin Marprelate- A Man in the Street!]

John Redwood in the Shadow Cabinet? Gordon Brown would think that the cavalry had come over the hill to rescue him after all. Leave the Vulcan where he belongs on the back benches writing articles that few people read.

[Mr Angry]

Sadly Cameron's "Big Tent" only has an open door to the left and has been pitched so as to exclude the majority of Tory members activists and the core vote. It is not a Big Tent at all in fact, it is simply the New Labour tent with a little extra leaning to the left.

[Anthony Scholefield]

As fast as they come in from the Left,they go out to the Right. But thats ok as long as the alternative right does not reach a critical mass. Then!

[bill]

I have huge admiration for John Redwood but cannot say the same for Cameron and Osborne. The only thing I can see in Cameron's favour is that people who took to Balir might take to hom. As for Osborne, nada.

[Ross J Warren]

Do you think we could call this “building the big Conservative Tent” please?

I would love to see John Redwood back in some form or another. The mans a delight to read and seems to finally have discovered Humour.

“Leave the Vulcan where he belongs on the back benches writing articles that few people read.”

Give him an important role in identifying the essential savings, we should not waste John Redwood.

"His hot-tempered response to the grammar schools row being most notable."

Grammar Schools are not the problem, its Secondary moderns that stick in the throats of many good people.

Mandy and his demon’ are simply not welcome. Should Mandalslime be given any job in our government, other than Ambassador to Uranus; I will be out of the big Tent.

D.C. is the first leader of the party that I have comfortable with since honest John. He has succeeded in convincing me to rejoin, I look forward to his premiership.

[Adrian Butterworth]

The "Big Tent" analogy is absurd. If there is any tent it is a circus tent which stretches from Westminster to White City. On the other hand, there are millions left outside who want to see the full restoration of our education system, our criminal justice system, our borders, our liberties and our national self-government. Many of these people have voted tory in the past, many have never voted tory and still many have never even voted but they are certainly a huge proportion of the country. Of course, some of them will vote tory in the deluded hope that they will support a national recovery. The more realistic will stay at home and hope that extraterrestrials will invade and occupy Britain till order is restored.

[Morgan V]

To return Patrick Mercer would be an act of stupidity the man is a maverick cold and indifferent fellow involved in too many scandals that make the Tory Party look shameless.

His recent behaviour towards Tim Ireland all over the internet is nothing less than proof that one way or another he invariably becomes the focus of scandals caused by his repugnant indifference. Alan Duncan told BBC Question Time: "He [Mr Mercer] appeared to be indifferent to the fact that someone was taunted for being black". Indifferent to those troubled by racism, indifferent to the Dunblane massacre, indifferent to wrongdoing and Tim Ireland, even indifferent towards his own constituents .

Also he infuriated grassroot Tories by agreeing to work for Gordon Brown which encouraged the impression that the Tory party was in turmoil and handed the Prime Minister a cheap propaganda victory which perhaps caused some embarrassment for David Cameron.

After Cameron sent Mercer to the backbenches Mr Mercer said "I don't regret it at all", because he was "not in politics to be a member of the Conservative Party first and foremost"

In the Sunday Telegraph we discovered that Mr Mercer wanted to go "even further into the heart of Labour", but that his offer was politely declined. Mr Mercer, not a member of the Conservative Party first and foremost is doing very well on the backbenchers and if Cameron’s mommy raised no idiot that is where he will stay for the good of all.

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The reason there maybe so many new Tory faces is that so many former conservative MPs were caught with their snouts in the trough but exclusively to them at least you can be sure Green MPs would not do that.

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