John Harris of The Guardian authors a profile of Andy Coulson, Tory communications director, in today's glossy Weekend section of the newspaper. It appears to be a profile based on very little access (Andy Coulson rightly wants an end to the Tories talking about themselves and what he calls the "internal wiring") but does, nonetheless, offer a readable overview of the man widely credited with helping to turnaround Tory fortunes:
Coulson the man: Raised in the Essex town of Basildon, Andy Coulson was educated at a comprehensive. He is married with two young sons. Harris spends a large part of the piece discussing the extent of Andy Coulson's involvement in the royal bugging scandal that led to his resignation from the editorship of the News of the World.
The Coulson-Osborne partnership: George Osborne is said to have recruited Andy Coulson [networker Osborne has also played a big role in getting Cameron into the diary of John McCain, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Google's CEO]. This, to Osborne's credit, was despite Coulson's frontpage News of the World story in the autumn of 2005 about the Shadow Chancellor, a hooker and the use of cocaine. Osborne denied using drugs with the woman. Harris:
"Rumours of this unlikely [Coulson-Osborne] courtship were greeted with incredulous gasps: as one Cameron-watcher puts it, the logic behind what Osborne was up to seemed to amount to, "This guy stitched me up like a kipper - let's hire him.""
While Editor of the NotW Coulson was also responsible for exposing one of Boris Johnson's extra-marital affairs.
Coulson's politics: While Editor of the NotW he advised readers to vote for Tony Blair at the 2005 General election but he never appeared comfortable with Labour. William Hague was his principal columnist. When Hague returned to the Tory benches he recruited Fraser Nelson. Harris writes that the News of the World was consistently Eurosceptical during his editorship. He is also a committed interventionist in the war on terror. Former Sun Bizzare columnist, Coulson is nowhere near as political as Alistair Campbell - the man he is often compared to. Piers Morgan tells Harris that this is a good thing. The former Mirror Editor thinks that Coulson may have much more of a popular touch.
Coulson's early days: Coulson was, in some people's eyes, slow to make an impression. For Harris he spent some weeks watching, waiting and learning. He arrived when Tory morale was in freefall and he wanted to understand the operation before choosing his role within it. He had the same wait-and-see reputation at the NotW. One recruitment trick of his was to take potential employees out for an evening and see how their character changed after they'd had a few (too many) drinks.
Coulson's role: Harris cannot decide whether Coulson's principal role has been to deliver more "tabloid punch" to already decided-upon political announcements - as when he coined the 'Anarchy in the UK' theme in August - or whether he has broadened the Conservative message - by arguing for the inheritance tax cut and a return to talking about immigration. I also understand he was instrumental in downgrading the Gummer-Goldsmith report. It's surely a bit of both.
An example of Coulson at work: Harris uses the National Citizen Service policy launch as an example of Coulson at his best:
"One of the best examples of the punch he has brought to the Tories' PR came in September, when he gave the Sun the inside track on Tory plans for National Citizen Service, a very Cameroonian proposal whereby 18-year-olds would be obliged to put in six weeks of voluntary work. It was at Coulson's suggestion that the idea was launched with the Tory leader being pictured in Bolton with the British-Asian boxer Amir Khan, thus packaging Cameron's worries about social exclusion and urban youth in a mixture of multi-ethnic modernity and tabloid-friendly toughness. "This will make people feel proud about themselves and about their country," ran a quote from Cameron that betrayed Coulson's influence. "It will mix people from different backgrounds: north and south, black and white, rich and poor. It will be a way of learning respect for our country and each other, just like national service was." The joining up of Tory traditionalism with Cameroonian touchy-feeliness was almost comical, but it did its work."
Coulson's place in Team Cameron: Despite all of his considerable achievements, Harris suggests that Coulson remains slightly outside the Cameron-Hilton-Osborne core of the Tory machine. My guess is that that's wrong. Steve Hilton will enjoy a special place in the leader's circle because of a long-standing friendship and because David Cameron has no intention of retreating from a 'politics of and' where traditionalist and Hilton's moderniser messages are blended. But Andy Coulson has earnt his place at the very heart of Team Cameron. He and Osborne providing a good balance to Cameron and Hilton.
Related link: ConservativeHome's memo to Andy Coulson on his first day at CCHQ.
Different people have to be reached in different ways. Andy Coulson is very good at getting the message across to who don't follow politics on a day-to-day basis. It is worth bearing in mind that many people's vote is governed by their emotions rather than any sort of intellectual analysis. Andy Coulson is one of those rare breed of people who can tap-in to the popular mood at the time.A man who can articulate a situation in a memorable sentence is definitely an asset.
Posted by: Tony Makara | November 03, 2007 at 11:39
I do not think it an exaggeration to say that Coulson may well have saved the Tories. His big money salary was money well spent.
Posted by: CCHQ Spy | November 03, 2007 at 11:48
Coulsdon is the only explanation for the sudden and totally unexpected turnaround from Blulabour bungling to genuine Tory red meat, which saved Cameron from certain oblivion.
Yes the money was indeed well spent.
Posted by: Traditional Tory | November 03, 2007 at 12:19
The real credit should go to David Cameron. He is good at blending talent to achieve an effective mix. Hilton is a moderniser, Coulson is more of a traditionalist. The same applies elsewhere in the Cameron machine. Danny Kruger is pretty trad, Dougie Smith is a mod. Ed Llewellyn is very Whitehall, Kate Fall is more county set. Andrew Mackay is boardroom smooth, Desmond Swayne is military bluff. I could go on. DC is the ace conductor.
Posted by: Sam | November 03, 2007 at 12:27
Taking nothing away from DC and the front bench, it certainly seems that Andy Coulson has managed to put a check on some of the more outlandish views within the party leadership.
The results can be seen. The best consistent poll results since July 1992.
Now if he can encourage the likes of Lansley, Clarke and Rifkind to get in line with the vision that is being defined and persuade the QOL team to build some decent voter-focussed proposals out of the solid analysis in the QOL report then we might have the whole package.
More of the same please Mr Coulson.....
Posted by: John Leonard | November 03, 2007 at 12:41
Great insight Sam
Posted by: Ay Up | November 03, 2007 at 12:41
DC is the ace conductor.
Is that so? Well the symphony wasn't sounding very sweet until Coulson came along.
Dougie Smith is a mod
Is that what you call him, Sam? I would choose terms that could not be published on a family blog.
I knew Douglas Smith when he was an FCS activist. I suspect you don't know him at all.
Whatever 'mod' stands for in his case it is certainly not 'moderate'.
Posted by: Traditional Tory | November 03, 2007 at 12:42
Sam, I agree fully. David Cameron has created great balance in the Conservative approach. David understands that a Conservative government will have to govern for the country and that requires balance. The Cameron team is now so well balanced and what's more they gel! Years ago I read a book on advertising and it taught me that you've got to sell the message to sell the product. To capture people's attention you've got to reflect their concerns, then you can sell your product. Politics is no different. David Cameron has put together a great team, and a team that is getting results.
Posted by: Tony Makara | November 03, 2007 at 12:49
It may interest the folk on here that a MORI poll for the Sun has put the Conservatives BACK IN THE LEAD, which is evidence that the previous poll was a rogue one.
Take a look at the UK Polling Report and you will see what I mean.
Posted by: Votedave | November 03, 2007 at 16:08
yes, can we have a tory diary on the mori poll? The Sun headlines it as a new low for Gordon, and it has us in a 5 point lead.
Posted by: activist | November 03, 2007 at 18:08
Coulson is paid to take hard decisions. he is doing well.
Eustice wasn't pulling his weight. Coulson saw that and the lobby reaction to him trying to perform a press secretary role but unfortunately only with the credibility of a press officer.
Just one example but the this ruthless but sensible decision shows we are on the way back to power!
Posted by: rotay | November 03, 2007 at 19:05
Coulson has done really well, but it seems it will be in vain, because as Brown clearly knows, Cameron's d-day will be the day after the eu referendum has been ratified.
Now Cameron has confirmed (according to Ben Brogan) that he will not honour his post-ratification pledge, internal warfare is guaranteed.
Time for the referendum party to rise once more?
Posted by: Chad Noble | November 03, 2007 at 19:12
Votedave, yes, it looks as if Gordon Brown is mired in political quicksand. Let's hope we can get that great British institution 'The Sun' backing David Cameron at the next election, whenever Yellow Brown is forced to call it.
As David Cameron said the other day on his video, its only a matter of time before this decayed Labour government is extracted by the British electorate. The Blair-Brown years are heading for the dustin of history.
Posted by: Tony Makara | November 03, 2007 at 19:24
Tony Makara - if you read the article it reveals that after breakfasting with Brown on the day he bottled it, Murdoch quickly organised to meet Cameron for dinner the next night and congratulated him on his speech and they apparently got on well. Since then the Sun has become increasingly critical of Brown.
Posted by: Ted | November 03, 2007 at 20:06
Why do we have to hear Cameron's news from Ben Brogan and Brown's from Marr.
Two leaders and not a bottle between them let alone deep blue water.
Posted by: michael mcgough | November 03, 2007 at 21:15
Coulson has done really well, but it seems it will be in vain
Ah, so would you also say that all the good work by Conservative candidates and activists (including myself) has been invalidated by a read on a good ad by the likes of you as well? I don't think so.
The factual, rather than comment, portions of the Brogan blog post are in agreement with the arguments I made to your previous posts here - no change. I attended an Area conference here today where this subject was addressed by reasonable, sensible Conservative Eurosceptics such as Roger Helmer MEP, and the overwhelming opinion was that we need to focus on the fight against the Treaty (Constitution) now.
Now Cameron has confirmed (according to Ben Brogan) that he will not honour his post-ratification pledge, internal warfare is guaranteed.
I don't agree with your take, but if you want to guarantee warfare, Chad, I guarantee we'll crush you! Remind me, how many seats have your guys in UKRAP won lately? Besides, how can you promise "internal" anything? Didn't you strop off from the Party a couple of years ago?
Apologies, Ed, I'm indulging Chad in steering a thread to his own agenda again...
Posted by: Richard Carey | November 03, 2007 at 21:41
Ted, yes, let us hope that David Cameron's call for change will feature more often in TheSun. If Gordon Brown thinks he can get by without the support of TheSun he has badly underestimated the influence of that amazing paper. Its hard to define what exactly makes TheSun click with so many people but TheSun just seems to have an antenna for popular taste and popular feeling. One thing is for sure, being an enemy of TheSun is a death sentence for any politician, as Neil Kinnock knows only too well.
Posted by: Tony Makara | November 03, 2007 at 21:43