The Sun Says: Carry on, Dr Fox

The Sun provides Liam Fox with some handsome coverage this morning.  A news piece talks about the Shadow Foreign Secretary's 'x-factor' and 'The Sun Says' column encourages him to play a full part in the coming race.  The leader highlights five main 'Fox x-factors':

1. Fixing broken Britain: "He would be tough on the yob culture, while believing that Britain’s long-term social ills can only be solved if families and the community get involved in helping to find the solutions."
2. Economic dynamism: "He believes in lower taxes and promoting enterprise."
3. A Britain playing a full part in the world: "He wants Britain to look beyond the “obsession” of Europe and take a more global view."
4. He has real experience of life: "A comprehensive school boy, he became a doctor and knows from his surgeries the everyday problems Sun families face."
5. He is a supporter of the war on terror: "He is solid on the rightness of bringing democracy to Iraq and is a staunch believer in Britain’s relationship with America."

Point five will certainly be critical for The Sun.  Only one of Murdoch's global titles failed to back the Iraq war and The Sun has been a leading supporter of the campaign that Ken Clarke opposes.  The Sun's Euroscepticism will also make Ken too big a pill for the Wapping staff to swallow.

The Sun also has a history of antagonism towards the other leading leadership contender, David Davis.  Last October it attacked the Shadow Home Secretary for being "all talk and no action" after he had failed to speak in a Commons debate on immigration.  “There must be someone in the party who could do the job better than him,” the newspaper had concluded after political opponents had ridiculed Mr Davis for his parliamentary absence.

Comments

[James Hellyer]

"THE DOCTOR who hopes to cure the ailing Conservative Party may just have the perfect mix of style and substance."

I think that's as good an endorsement as you could hope for!

[malcolm]

Sadly the Daily Mail virtually ignored him and The Times political sketchwriter treated him as a a bit of a joke.
Worst was a ludicrous debate on Radio 5 at 10pm which ridiculed Liams idea of flying the union flag at school.This will result in (yet another) letter of complaint from me to the BBC.Did anyone else listen to this show as I can't remember the name of the moron from New Nation(?) who was so disparaging about Liam and I want to get my facts right (for once).

[Simon C]

When was the last time a Conservative managed to get the Sun onside?

The Times's sketch-writer did a hatchet job on Liam during the election as well. If they unleash Tom Baldwin next, it will be a sure sign that New Labour is worried about him too.

[Disraeli]

Simon C,

That would be Iain Duncan-Smith I believe. Don't you remember their ludicrous cheerleading for 'Smithy', as they put it, last time round.

The pattern of the Sun has been that they back the most right wing contender in a Tory leadership contest before supporting Labour at the general election.

[James Hellyer]

"Don't you remember their ludicrous cheerleading for 'Smithy', as they put it, last time round."

Which would be because the alternative was Ken Clarke. They weren't enthusiastic about IDS even then, but preferred him to the alternatives.

[Derek]

I like Liam Fox, and his policies, but he badly needs to get more MPs to publicly back him, as he's 29 behind. DD is just waiting to add Liam's 10 to his own score!

[Selsdon Man]

You are right Derek. It looks like Dr Fox has picked up the Cornerstone votes. Perhaps the Editor can enlighten us.

[Editor]

Despite your constant invitations, Selsdon Man, I am not a member of, or spokesman for, the Cornerstone Group!

[James Hellyer]

Don't you hold out on us, Tim! Make them spill the beans! ;=)

[Selsdon Man]

Me Editor, I have not claimed that you are a member or spokesman for Cornerstone. You do, however, seem to be supportive and have access to their team. Fox must have some of them to claim 30 to 40 supporters. If Fox has most of them, it would be very significant as he would be ahead of Cameron, and possibly close to Clarke's and Davis's totals.

[Simon C]

"The pattern of the Sun has been that they back the most right wing contender in a Tory leadership contest before supporting Labour at the general election."

A near identical phrase to this appeared in Peter Oborne's bowling for Clarke piece in this morning's Speccie.

Disraeli - are you in fact Peter Oborne - or did you just read your Spectator early and neglect to give him credit for the sound-bite?

[James Hellyer]

This soundbite?

"Rupert Murdoch’s Sun has a consistent strategy in these Tory election contests: back the most right-wing candidate and then support Labour come the election."

[Simon C]

As I say, near identical.

[Yonder]

Liam Fox is seriously in danger of winning my vote. For a start, he believes that I should have a vote in this contest, which is more than can be said for certain other candidates. He has openly rejected the 'one more heave' approach, while staying true to Conservative core values on nation and family. Even better he has sought to extend Conservative core values to encompass human rights and the environment. He is also a recognisable human being, occasionally only too human, but nevertheless an engaging and attractive personality. None of this is enough of course. He needs to demonstrate a seriousness of purpose that has, on occasion, eluded him in the past. Above all he needs to convince the party that with him at the helm, things will be different at the next election. I hope he is thinking very hard about his next few speeches. Content-free platitudes, however palatable, will not do.

[Guido Fawkes]

Peter Oborne in the Speccie: "Word has seeped through the grim headquarters of News International in London’s East End that Clarke must at all costs be stopped. Rupert Murdoch’s Sun has a consistent strategy in these Tory election contests: back the most right-wing candidate and then support Labour come the election."

Be warned.

[James Hellyer]

As Oborne is an out and out Clarke supporter his columns can now be viewed as little more than propaganda for his man.

[Simon C]

What's interesting, James, is that Oborne wrote his column, predicting that the Sun would not back Ken, before the Sun came out for Liam. Clearly he was trying a pre-spoiler operation. Did he know the Sun would back Liam, or was he just guessing?

To the very limited extent that "right" and "left" are helpful labels, I am not sure Liam would be the most right-wing.

[James Hellyer]

Oborne was just trying to dismiss The Sun's opinion before he knew whom it was for, becasue he knew whom it was against.

His generalisation is inaccurate anyway. I don't remember the Sun calling for Redwood in '95, or Redwood, Howard or Lilley in '97 (all of whom appeared more "right wing" than Hague), or Davis in '01. What they have previously done is call for the more right wing and eurosceptic of the final round candidates. This is the first time I can see they've praised an apparent outsider to this degree.

[Simon C]

"Liam Fox is seriously in danger of winning my vote."

Glad you've got one! (Bitter, me??)

[James Hellyer]

Not a party memeber then, Simon?

[Simon C]

Yes - but not one who is absolutely confident he will still have a vote after September 27 (although I might be pleasantly surprised).

[Oliver McCarthy]

Disraeli (and Peter Oldbore), try to keep up! IDS wasn't Tory Leader at the last election. If he had been he'd have won, and the country would now be in a state of civil war.

If there's any conventional measure by which Dr Fox can genuinely be described as more rightwing than David Davis I'd be interested to know.

[Selsdon Man]

You will be pleasantly surprised, Simon C (unless the ballot is rigged!).

"IDS wasn't Tory Leader at the last election. If he had been he'd have won, and the country would now be in a state of civil war."

How, Oliver? Time you calmed down son.