Grant Shapps, sounding like a Party Chairman, says David Cameron should be judged only after a full term of office

By Matthew Barrett
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It's worth noting Grant Shapps' Daily Telegraph article this morning. There are a trio of reasons for this. Firstly, Ministers don't write for newspapers all that often, so it's interesting when they do. Secondly, Shapps is the Minister of State for Housing and Local Government, but he writes not about housing, but about government in general, and what constitutes successful governance:

"Getting a full term is more important than you might think because governing comes in three distinct stages ... First you’ve got to tell people what you intend to do. Second, you have to legislate to make it happen. Third you need to follow through to turn all those new rules and laws into real life outcomes. Only then can the electorate truly judge how your pledges stack up against reality."

The final, and most notable part of Shapps' article is the section in which he assures the Telegraph - and Conservative voters - that the Prime Minister knows how to ensure Ministers perform:

"David Cameron knows delivery means everything. As one of those ministers hauled into Number 10 to have my feet held to the fire, I’ve born witness to the PM’s sheer determination to get the job done….The Prime Ministerial interrogation presses ministers into detail that might surprise some."

This is the sort of thing a Chairman of the Conservative Party might write, and funnily enough, one of the top tips for the job - should the Prime Minister see fit to reshuffle the Cabinet - is Shapps. His article today will do nothing to decrease the speculation.