Which pundits are backing which candidates?

Yesterday’s Guardian story confirming Ken Clarke’s leadership ambitions was genuinely newsworthy but August hasn’t produced much else of real significance. Regular readers will know that Friday is usually ‘Good week, bad week’ time on this blog. At the end of the month I’ll produce a ‘Good August, bad August’ review but there hasn’t been enough to justify a weekly grading.

One of the advantages that a blogger enjoys over a conventional journalist is that we’re not required to find content for the same-sized newspaper or news bulletin everyday. When there’s a lot to say we have the room to say it. When we don’t it’s best to shut up. I’ll resume the ‘full service’ in September. In the meantime I hope you’ll forgive the reduced number of posts whilst I sit in the garden enjoying the sun and ploughing through Antony Beevor’s Berlin.

Another casualty of the leadership candidates and MPs decamping to their summer holidays has been the ‘Who’s backing who?’ feature. Since my last post of 21 July I’m only aware of one extra parliamentary endorsement and that was David Davies, the excellent new MP for Monmouth, declaring for his near-namesake. Reading today’s Spectator and Frank Johnson’s convoluted endorsement of David Davis I did think a review of which candidates had the backing of most pundits might be of interest.

It’s probably an unforgivable sleight to Wat Tyler and the other ‘pyjama bloggers for Davis’ but for the purposes of this post I’m going to define ‘pundit’ as a conventional newspaper/ TV commentator. [I still love you, Wat!]

In these terms David Davis has at least three declared supporters. [I emphasise ‘at least’ because I’m well aware that I’ve probably missed lots of names and I hope that readers will fill the gaps in my knowledge with their own posts]. Frank Johnson (The Spectator) has declared for him (as just mentioned) and former Tory MP Michael Brown has effectively backed his long-term friend from his Independent perch. Mr Davis’ most notable (and surprising) endorsement came from Tim Hames in The Times. DD has also attracted some negative attention… from Bruce Anderson and Peter Oborne. Criticism is, perhaps, almost inevitable if you’re the frontrunner but it’s certainly been strong.

David Cameron is doing very slightly better. Matthew Parris (The Times), Suzanne Moore (The Mail on Sunday) and India Knight (The Sunday Times) have all blessed Mr Cameron with their journalistic ink. DC also has the imprimatur of Boris Johnson who, as a pundit and parliamentarian, squeezes on to both of my ‘Who’s backing who?’ lists. Mr Cameron has also attracted negative attention. Within The birth of Blameron Nick Cohen wrote this:

"You leave Cameron's speeches without the faintest idea of how he would tackle Islamism or protect his country. Should Britain stick with the United States or move closer to France and Germany? What's gone wrong with multi-culturalism? Should democracy be encouraged in the Middle East, and if so how? Answer comes there none."

The contest’s third David – Willetts – does much better amongst columnists than colleagues. They all fall slightly short of endorsements but ‘Two Brains’ has received very positive coverage from Mary Ann Sieghart (Times), Peter Riddell (Times), Peter Oborne (Spectator/ London Evening Standard) and Philip Stephens (FT).

I can’t find any takers for Fox, Clarke, Rifkind, Lansley, May etc but, to repeat myself, I’m very conscious of my partial knowledge. I have two questions for readers:

(1) ‘Which endorsements have I missed?’ and
(2) ‘Do the endorsements of pundits matter?’

Comments

[Wat Tyler]

Pundits for DD?

1. Miguel P ( http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2088-1650733,00.html )

2. Rees Mogg ( http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,1052-1651968,00.html )

Personally I've "interpreted" many many others as supporters...but not sure the umpire would agree.

And Ed, really...India Knight? Has the garden sun gone to your head? (see http://www.idler.co.uk/html/frontsection/shopping.htm for excellent review of her book The Shops)

Do the pundits matter? Pretty unlikely among this electorate I'd say- whether it's MPs or members. I sometimes wonder if they'll even listen to me.

[James Hellyer]

The press only seem to be talking about Cameron and Davis anyway. Neither have actually developed breakthrough momentum for their campaigns, so I think we have to be aware that that conflict is a media construct. Either campaign could all too easily falter if it doesn't gain ground soon (see yesterday's Clarke story for an example of how this might happen).

We can't let the press railroad us into limiting our choices, just because bipartisan conflicts produce easier by-lines.

And if the MPs have all the votes,who cares what the pundits say!

[Selsdon Man]

The views of journalists and pundits must be taken with a pinch of salt. They will back their friends or close contacts - they know that they are more likely to be fed 'exclusives' etc that will enhance their standing with their editor and peers.

India Knight and Suzanne Moore are hardly heavyweights. As for Rees-Mogg, his predictions are regularly wrong.

By the way - can anyone suggest an intelligent piece by Danny Finkelstein? How this man manages to get away with writing drivel on a regular basis is beyond me!

[Graeme Archer]

I also think Tim (by the way - what sunshine are you enjoying? I'm freezing today) is wrong to dismiss the bloggers' views. I thought we all got into blogging precisely BECAUSE it spells the end of the professional journalists' hegemony of political thought. I've enjoyed reading all the Glendas writing about blogging ... trying to pretend that they don't care ... I agree with other comments here: though I share India Knight's predilection for David C, my belief in him wasn't altered one iota by the expressed views of the author of "My Life on a plate" (must have been a big plate, India).

[malcolm]

Don't know why you don't like Finkelstein Selsdon Man.I've always found his articles quite insightful.I used to particularly enjoy his analysis of PMQs when Duncan Smith was leader which I always thought were fair.

[Editor]

Graeme: I wasn't trying to dismiss bloggers (being one myself!). I was suggesting (perhaps wrongly) that because Wat, Peter Cuthbertson, Tom Greeves and other top bloggers aren't yet (sadly) read by as many people as read the likes of Matthew Parris and Tim Hames, they didn't qualify for my list.

I agree with Malcolm about Daniel Finkelstein, too. I don't agree with everything he writes but he's solid on two of today's most important issues - the war on terror and Europe. It's good to have him as Comment Editor at The Times.

PS Graeme - it is overcast in Salisbury today. I'm indoors with the cricket on. England are 432 for 6. Excellent!

[Jim]

Mike White's piece newsworthy? Ken's speech before recess all but confirmed he will stand. The only news angle in the Guardian was KC distancing himself from the euro and his people were dissing that.

BTW check out this week's Mandrake diary in the Sunday Telegraph for signs of an unusual endorsement for Willetts...

[Peter]

Michael Gove should definitely be added to the list. He's come out for Cameron, of course.

[cheap beats solo]

Though they are quite durable, the nice thing about many higher-end headphones is that parts are often available in case an ear pad or other piece does break.