Conservative Diary

« Miliband perfunctory on Libya, happier on Surestart at PMQs | Main | What about democracy for Iran? »

Cameron doing more than Thatcher, says Michael Fallon

Tim Montgomerie

Towering Cameron-1
Mr Fallon, the Deputy Chairman of the Tory Party (and in reality David Cameron's most senior parliamentary advisor outside of the Cabinet) argues that Cameron is moving "further and faster" than Margaret Thatcher. He makes the claim in an article for The Telegraph.

It's an audacious piece. Francis Maude made a similar claim last July.

Look at, Fallon writes...

the level of taxes the Coalition plans...

Gove's education reforms...

Lansley's reorganisation of the NHS...

privatising Royal Mail...

getting people off welfare...

stopping further transfers of power to Europe...

localism...

Fallon concludes:

"[Thatcher's] introduction of privatisation helped to liberate Britain's economy and forge a more self-reliant enterprise culture. But her wider mission of really handing back power to the people is only now getting fully under way."

It's a bold piece and unlikely to appeal to the Liberal Democrats who won't like any idea that they are helping to complete Thatcherism.

It will also feed Labour's narrative. See this leaflet from their campaign in Barnsley;

Barnsleyleaflet

What is says to me is that Fallon and Downing Street understand the growing unhappiness on the Tory benches. This article is a message to them and all the more fascinating for that.

Comments

You must be logged in using Intense Debate, Wordpress, Twitter or Facebook to comment.