By Paul GoodmanFollow Paul on Twitter. Tim Chatwin was Head of Strategic Communications. James O’Shaughnessy was Head of Policy. Peter Campbell was a long-time researcher to Cameron, who helped to prepare him for Prime Minister's Questions – as he did former Conservative leaders. Steve Hilton was…well, Hilton needs no introduction to our readers. (…And then […]
By Paul GoodmanFollow Paul on Twitter. Two of the behind-the-scenes players in the Syrian drama are Britain and Russia – Britain, because it is one of most intervention-leaning western countries, and Russia, because it is the Assad regime's main diplomatic backer (Iran excepted). The possible emergence of a hardline Sunni Islamist government, were the regime […]
By Tim MontgomerieFollow Tim on Twitter David Cameron has conducted a mini reshuffle this morning. He has appointed John Hayes MP to the Cabinet Office and Michael Fallon will be taking over John's Energy brief. Both men have been two of the Coalition's success stories. Taking John Hayes first. In his previous ministerial incarnation Hayes […]
By Tim MontgomerieFollow Tim on Twitter Newly-released papers from Lady Thatcher's personal archive have been widely reported today. One that caught my eye was Ken Clarke's opposition to the Falklands War. The man who was a regular thorn in Margaret Thatcher's side but was then a very small Tory beast is reported to have said […]
By Paul GoodmanFollow Paul on Twitter Yesterday's meeting of the Conservative Parliamentary Party has already been well covered. James Kirkup has described how backbench MPs told Cabinet Ministers to row in behind Cameron. James Forsyth has reported how one MP in a marginal seat – James Morris – told his colleagues to stop making difficulty […]
By Tim MontgomerieFollow Tim on Twitter 81 Tory MPs rebelled on David Nuttall's EU referendum motion. 91 Tory MPs voted against Lords reform. 143 Tory MPs have voted against the Coalition's policies at some point. 37 are hardcore rebels. 136 Tory MPs voted, last night, against the Tory leadership's position on gay marriage. Another forty […]
By Tim MontgomerieFollow Tim on Twitter Yesterday I argued that Cameron's Europe speech would bring four benefits to the Conservative Party. One of those benefits was a better relationship with the centre right press. There's plenty of evidence of that this morning. Here are key quotes from Britain's five centre right/ Eurosceptic newspapers: Daily Mail: […]
By Peter HoskinFollow Peter on Twitter Even from America, Steve Hilton makes waves that lap at our shores. The Sunday Times reports (£) on a seminar that David Cameron’s policy-chief-on-sabbatical recently gave to students at Stanford University — and, boy, does it contain some spicy quotes about government and its frustrations. Mr Hilton complained that, in […]
By Tim MontgomerieFollow Tim on Twitter Cover boy – Boris sporting a very nice silk and patriotic handkerchief in his suit pocket. It's that time of year again when GQ names the one hundred most influential men in Britain. I've read it so you don't have to. In no particular order of importance (or silliness) […]
By Tim MontgomerieFollow Tim on Twitter In my Times column (£) I offer eight pieces of New Year advice to David Cameron: Offer an In/Out referendum in your January speech on the EU. Nothing else will quite restore goodwill amongst traditional supporters in the country and press. In today's Sun, Trevor Kavanagh agrees. Communicate regret […]
By Tim MontgomerieFollow Tim on Twitter It's blame-and-bash-b-b-b-b-backbenchers week on Fleet Street. Matthew Parris kicked it off last Saturday with his attack (£) on the "spittle-flecked" "Rabid Right". Ian Birrell joined in in yesterday's Evening Standard. And in today's Telegraph Peter Oborne throws his keyboard at lots of Tory MPs with surnames beginning with 'B'… […]
By Tim MontgomerieFollow Tim on Twitter Exhibit A: "Having been an office holder in the Conservative party for fifty-three years, I find it difficult to remember a time when the party’s leader in government failed consistently to chime with the natural instincts of our supporters." From Brian Binley MP. Exhibit B: "I’ve always wanted to […]
By Paul GoodmanFollow Paul on Twitter. When I left the Commons in 2010, the local Association activists were more or less the same people as when I entered it in 2001 – though, of course, older. Others had died during that decade or so, like other, less active members. Others still failed to renew their […]
By Paul GoodmanFollow Paul on Twitter Tim Montgomerie yesterday offered congratulations to George Osborne, and commiserations to Policy Exchange, on respectively gaining and losing Neil O'Brien. Seconded. As Tim wrote, "Team Cameron is succeeding in recruiting the calibre of people that it needs to maximise its effectiveness".
By Tim MontgomerieFollow Tim on Twitter Another sign this morning that Team Cameron is succeeding in recruiting the calibre of people that it needs to maximise its effectiveness. Less than a fortnight ago we learnt that Lynton Crosby would be joining the political side of the Cameron operation on a consultancy basis from the new […]