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Cameron talks New Labour, but acts old Tory class warrior

New Labour CameronSome journalists are incredibly gullible. On the basis of his rhetoric, Dan Hodges tweeted “Could someone on the Left tell me which part of David Cameron’s speech I’m meant to disagree with.” How about Dave’s outright porkie concerning Jeremy Corbyn’s comments on the assassination of Osama Bin Laden? Seeing as Dan’s less a journo and more a well remunerated “opinion former“, what does a proper one think? Will Jane Merrick of the Indy on Sunday writesLabour’s gigantic problem: why did I, from a Liverpool comp, who voted for Blair & never voted Tory, agree nearly every word of PM’s speech?” Seduced by words, it’s never occurred to Jane that what the Tories say might be quite different from what they do.

And that’s what Dave’s speech was. It’s just words and positioning. As I’ve said previously, the established tradition is to take the chancellor (and shadow) and the leader (and the opposition leader) speeches as a piece. They complement each other. Though, this year, the two leading figures in the two leading parties had different priorities. John McDonnell’s speech was outward facing and signalled his intent to contest Osborne’s ill-deserved reputation for economic competency directly. Jeremy Corbyn’s, however, defined himself and consolidated the position of the new leadership. The audience was primarily the movement and core/swing “values” voters.

Osborne’s and Dave’s were outward facing, they wanted the so-called centre ground which, they believe, has now been evacuated by Labour. With most of the media on side, they know they can get away with stealing New Labourish language around inclusion and social liberalism while carrying on cutting, carrying on privatising, carrying on undermining the security of everyday life. They’re unaccountable and untouchable.

This is no accident. It plays to the enclosed sniffing grounds our indefatigable news hounds inhabit. Just because those bearing the brunt aren’t nice middle class journalists allows one to suppose that Dave has gone all nice, that the Tories are no longer nasty, that compassionate Conservatism is back. No, all it means is the Tories are taking care to choose their victims. They’re ensuring those who pay for the next five years of Tory government are those people these self-same journos will never give a shit about.

This article first appeared at All that is Solid

6 Comments

  1. Mervyn Hyde says:

    The Simple truth is Cameron is a pathological liar, even Thatcher said he has absolutely no vision of anything, he has no belief system to hang his political hat on.

    The media were all glowing with admiration for pack of lies dressed up as policy, Laura Kuennsberg was wetting herself with absolute joy over Cameron’s speech, the BBC is an utter disgrace and what is absolutely sure we need a complete overhaul of how and who represents us in the media.

  2. John P Reid says:

    yes, but jut saying the Tories may say one thing do another isn’t enough of a reason for millions of people not to trust them, even if Cameron or a successor only do half what he says it’ll be more than what someone who hears Corbyn ,and thinks I only agree with 49%, and even then its that 49% of what corbyn says that he has to convince the public he will do.
    so far he’s had 5 u -turns, how many more?

  3. John P Reid says:

    you could almost say to quote Mandelson

    we’re all Blairite now!

  4. David Ellis says:

    People know what they are going to get when they vote Tory: the selfish, individualist approach to political issues and solutions. That allows them to say for instance that they are the workers party without their members and voters stampeding out the door. They are fully aware that it is bullshit just as everybody else is. The idea that they are caputring the middle ground by this method is purely delusional the real puprose of such chatter being merely to make the guilty Tory voters feel better about themselves and stick with the project. For now the middle ground have chosen the selfish, individualist approach even if they feel guilty about it. They did choose the collectivist, socialist approach but New Labour shat all over that dream so they had no other option but to go with the selfish, individualist approach because let’s face it they are staring ruination in the face and something has to be done. Lucky, in the teeth of continued treachery of those who profess the collectiviest, socialist approach, that so far when the selfish, individualist approach breaks down as it must the middle classes haven’t yet chosen the collectivist, fascist approach.

    1. Robert says:

      But as we all know Corbyn will need to be on his game and offer something the people can believe in.

      The Tories do win more then labour do and that is a simple fact over the years the Tories have won because their PR and spin machine went into overdrive while labour argued with it self.

      You watch the next four and a bit years labour will be slamming itself and the Tories will simple need to do nothing, as the labour right attack the left and the left will attack the right.

      Cameron is going and Osborne should be an easy touch unless of course Boris wins, it will be an interesting period the Tories leadership contest.

      Labour has to get over the battle for the leadership and all factions need to pull together not a hope in hell.

  5. Bazza says:

    Yes Dan’s a political imbecile.
    The only reason for the existence of the Tory Party (and all right wing parties on Planet Earth) is to con the masses and to preserve the wealth of the global rich and powerful.
    In the UK CONservaties are well named!
    Anything else is just for the mugs out there.
    We just need to try to politicise the working billions (who have to sell their labour to live) and whose labour really creates the wealth and makes societies work.
    Democratic power should be with our global brothers and sisters.
    Words are cheap, judge on practice!

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