The Tories must make Francois Hollande the running mate for Ed Miliband in 2015

By Harry Phibbs
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In the 1988 US Presidential election, the Democrat candidate, Michael Dukakis, was criticised for being soft on crime due to his policy of "weekend furloughs" described as a "revolving door" prison policy. The Republican campaign ran negative advertising pointing out that many prisoners committed further crimes while they were let out. The example of Willie Horton was featured so prominently that the Republican campaign manager Lee Attwater joked that "by the time we're finished they are going to wonder if Willie Horton is Dukakis's running mate."

I suggest equivalent emphasis should be placed, during the British General Election in 2015, on making the French President Francois Hollande the "running mate" for Ed Miliband.

When Mr Hollande won last year the message from Mr Miliband was clear. What Mr Hollande would do for France, Mr Miliband wished to do for Britain.

After meeting the new President an effusive Mr Miliband said: