There must be room for forgiving-and-forgetting in Project Cameron

Over the nearly three years since David Cameron became leader a fair number of talented individuals have left the frontbench for a variety of reasons.  We think of Graham Brady, Mark Field, Bernard Jenkin, Patrick Mercer and Hugo Swire, for example.  One or two of them should be brought back.  There is a great deal of talent within that group and it would also be unifying for the party leadership to show that it is willing to forgive and forget some past differences.

> Step 2/10: The Cameron circle needs to be bigger

Comments

[ChrisD]

"There is a great deal of talent within that group and it would also be unifying for the party leadership to show that it is willing to forgive and forget some past differences"

To be honest, that comment will divide opinion. I don't think that Graham Brady should return any time soon. And what about David Davis?

[London Tory]

1.Start with a senior frontbench role for John Redwood MP. The man is far too intelligent to be wasted, as he is at the moment.

2.Give Michael Fallon MP an important economic portfolio. He looks the part, and talks sense. Unlike Osborne.

3.A return of an authentic working class voice to the Tory front bench. People like Phil Davies MP, Douglas Carswell MP and Nadine Dorries MP given a far more prominent role. Eric Pickles MP made Shadow Home Secretary.

4. Make a partisan figure Chief Whip. I would go for either Simon Burns MP or Andrew Mackay MP. McLoughlin is useless.

5. Make the overiding qualification for every Shadow Cabinet member the requirement to be political in all of their responses. Give each of them a copy of the Alistair Campbell Diaries to read- as most need a kick up the arse.

[Tim Montgomerie]

Fair point ChrisD; if David Davis wants to come back...

[Mark Hudson]

I think London Tory makes some strong suggestions. Sadly, if one looks at the A-List stitch-up and also what happened with the Euro selections, it's hard to conclude that the Party now wants anything other than Cameroons in place.

[Mark Hudson]

The days when an ACD offered me the PPCship in a target seat in exchange for my Association's bank balance to bail them out seem long gone.

[Carlisle Mack]

I would be very surprised if David Davis and Patrick Mercer were given shadow portfolios any time soon. Unfortunately neither appear to move in the appropriate circles where they will have the opportunities to explain pleasantries with Russian oligarchs and their "old money" advisors. Nor have they demonstrated the spectacular lack of judgement and economic nous necessary to be a valued member of DC's inner circle.

[Westminster Wolf]

No, no to Bernard Jenkin.

Supporters of the Priority list remember him for terrible implementation.

Opponents of the Priority list remember him for defending its unmeritocratic 'principles'.

[Henry Mayhew - ukipper]

Yes, perhaps I should be brought back. I totally disagree with DC's analysis, while admiring his success, and have contempt for his acolytes.

Here I come boys! Call me.

[Jane Gould]

the David Davis question comes up repeatedly at our local functions. I hope that he will return soon in a suitable role.
However, vis John Redwood, he is a brilliant man and very well-suited to his current role as head of the economic policy group where he is definitly not "wasted"..
As for a front-bench role, this would raise various spectres, not least his willingness to publicly divide the Party and openly undermine the (admittedly weak) leadership of the time.
it would send entirely the wrong message to bring him into a prominent role. We must as a Party keep our nerve, remember our strengths and hold onto the attitudes that have attracted new supporters and allowed people to trust us again.
sorry if that all sounds a bit impassioned for a Monday morning, but I believe that we will win the next election - and win it as Modern, Compassionate Conservatives.

[M Dowding]

Where oh where are the public statements demolishing Brown's economic stupidity. He claims to have preached to foreign countries the need to be more careful in the past when we all know from previous speeches he trumpeted tax, borrow and spend and ignored frequent IMF warnings. . He now still claims more of the same will cure the problem. More petrol on the fire will douse the conflagration. FTSE lingering around 3500, the pound becoming a 1930's deutschmark. Sales of wheelbarrows soon to go through the roof. Where is the OPPOSITION?
We really are looking desperately weak and powerless whilst the worst Government and PM in history make progress in the polls. What is going on? Mandleson marmalises us and GO, when the absolute criminal fraudster in the saga and proven liar swans off to Russia to beg, borrow or steal more favours from wherever. It's like a penalty shoot out when our players are to afraid to take a shot in case they miss. Well so far we have failed The Party, The Country and the least well off. Plus ca change!
Meanwhile cosy old ConHome meanders along like some backwater, a quiet babbling brook, seemingly oblivious to the disaster unfolding. No anger, no feeling for the terrible and terrifying state we are in. If we were by some fluke to win a General election we appear to be incapable of creating andything to address the issues and bankruptcy befalling us. One example to lift the gloom and show purpose would be to commit to the return of tax relief on pension fund dividends. A win win policy. Pensions become worthwhile investments, the FTSE rises accordingly and some common sense rears it's sad little head. What about housing? Bring back a 10% relief on motgages but a limit of 80% value to loan. Dear Lord, what are we supposed to be for?
How do we pay for this? How did we pay for bank bail outs? Borrowing yet more. How about saving for the future instead?

[ChrisD]

"Unfortunately neither appear to move in the appropriate circles where they will have the opportunities to explain pleasantries with Russian oligarchs and their "old money" advisors. Nor have they demonstrated the spectacular lack of judgement and economic nous necessary to be a valued member of DC's inner circle."

Don't let the facts get in the way of your rewriting of political history!

[M Dowding]

anything and mortgages spelling errors caused by frustration! Sorry.

[ChrisD]

"We must as a Party keep our nerve, remember our strengths and hold onto the attitudes that have attracted new supporters and allowed people to trust us again.
sorry if that all sounds a bit impassioned for a Monday morning, but I believe that we will win the next election - and win it as Modern, Compassionate Conservatives."

Jane, totally agree. And its never too early in the week to make an impassioned rallying cry on ConHom.

[E M John]

I am a long-term Conservative member, and I am honestly quite surprised by the lack of strong comment coming from the Conservatives on Brown's mishandling of the economy.

It is time to stop tripping around the field making daisy-chains, and to get in there and make the country understand what Brown is doing. When Brown eventually concedes and goes to the country, the mess that the Conservatives will need to sort out will be enormous. The Conservatives will make themselves extremely unpopular in the process, and Labour will exploit this to the full.

Expose the man for what he is, and do your best to force him into an early election, before the economy repair task becomes totally impossible.

[Mr Angry]

It is becoming blindingly obvious that if the Party is to protect itself from the Campbell/Mandelson strategy of labelling us all as Bullingdon Boys, which the ever willing BBC et al will be very keen to promote, then there needs to be some genuine diversity in the Shadow Cabinet. That does not mean paying lip service to Labouresque political correctness but rather the inclusion of talented but non toff MPs such as Eric Pickles for example.

With Mandelson and Campbell back in harness Labour are back as a PR and spin force to be reckoned with and as the totally avoidable Osborne mess shows we need to raise our game pdq!

[ChrisD]

"Fair point ChrisD; if David Davis wants to come back..."

Hmmm, I was a bit cheeky when I throw David Davis into the mix of names Tim. I thought that he made it clear when he took the action he did, that he was not still harbouring an overriding ambition to remain in front line politics?
I suspect that the names you mentioned have all made their views known?

[RichardJ]

"People like Phil Davies MP, Douglas Carswell MP and Nadine Dorries MP given a far more prominent role. "

Not sure about Dorries, she seems to have been thoroughly fisked from Right (Devil's Kitchen) to Left (Liberal Conspiracy) and I say that as someone who sympathises with her views on abortion.

[The Wilted Rose]

ChrisD - Of course Graham Brady should return! The Tories need more principled people on the frontbench, as well as sorting out the disastrous Willetts/Gove 'progressive' (socialist) education policy. Academic selection is the key to future prosperity.

[Dave B]

Given that Patrick Mercer all but joined the Labour gov't when the Conservatives were at a low ebb in the polls, and Mr Brown looked like a winner, I'm at a loss as to why you feel he should be further up the pecking order. The man's first loyalty is clearly to his ego.

But while we're daydreaming, how about a spot at the top table for Mr Carswell? I believe he's expressed a wish to be last ever Minister for Europe, sounds like an goal to be advanced :-)

[Edison Smith]

We need Michael Fallon more involved.

[Chris SE9]

Very telling that you don't name a single woman deemed worthy of your support - same old same old then ?

[Malcolm Dunn]

What a stupid comment @13.14

[Tim Montgomerie]

Chris SE9,

Probably because no women have fallen out with the Cameron leadership and need to be brought back?

[GB£.com]

"Very telling that you don't name a single woman deemed worthy of your support - same old same old then ?

There are no ginger-haired one-legged lesbian Scientologists with chronic halitosis listed either.

Come on ConHome. A bit of balance please.

[Matt wright]

We do need some working class advocates.

[Opinicus]

They have to let me back on the Candidate's list first before I forgive and forget.

[John]

I’m afraid David B is entirely correct to say that Patrick Mercer’s first loyalty is clearly to his ego and I doubt the man actually gives a damn about the Tory Party and Mercer announced that he would not be attending the 2007 Conservative Party conference and I think that was just sour grapes.

Mercer’s friend Davis would like to take David Cameron’s job and Mercer’s loyalty is to Davis so only a fool would trust Mr Mercer in any position of power, furthermore there have been too many scandals with people unset by the crass remarks of Mr Mercer, let’s face it he’s likely to cause problems something of a loose cannon.

The best thing to do with Mr Mercer is to put a bayonet in his hands and boots on his feet and speedily dispatch him to the front line that he help to create and, so gives his support. It’s time we had some politicians on the front line, because in all truth, I think the wrong people are dying.

[Fred]

Hugo Swire should be bought back to the front bench - Party Chairman? He has the people skills and charm to be an effective advocate for the party.