‘Camer-wrong’

“To those waiting with bated breath for that favourite media catchphrase, the U-turn, I have only one thing to say:  You turn if you want to.  The Lady’s not for turning!”  Margaret Thatcher, Conservative Party Conference, 1980.

Since then governments strength has almost been defined by a ‘U-turn index’.  Ignoring calls for change showed strength of character, making them showed the government was weak and too populist.  Unlike Mrs Thatcher’s Government, this Conservative Government has left little time for bated breath as it performs U-turn after U-turn.  But does this necessarily mean Cameron and the Coalition are weak?

Whether it does or it doesn’t actually misses the point.  Margaret Thatcher didn’t make a U-turn in 1980 because she was right and she knew it, and the success of her Government shows this.  If she had made a ‘U-turn’ having know she was right, then that would have been weak.

The difference with Cameron and the Coalition, is that they have made ‘U-turns’ because they were wrong, and they realised it, not simply because they bowed down to pressure.

For example:

• Selling off forests – Wrong
• Cuts to school sports – Wrong
• Prison sentence reforms – Wrong
• Healthcare reforms – Wrong
• Withdrawing 500 troops out of Afghanistan by next summer – Wrong

Cameron is right when he says, “It’s not strength or leadership to be living in fear of being criticised for changing your mind.  I don’t make any apology for listening to people and wanting to change things.”  ‘U-turns’ on these policies doesn’t show weakness of character, it instead shows a Government that is not thinking when it develops policy.  Cameron can dress it up all he likes.  In reality, what it does show is a Government that is making policy which everyone can see is wrong.

Nevermind the virtues of a Government with strength of character, we need to be worrying whether this is coupled with good solid policy making.  If the House of Lords Reform and Elected Police Chiefs are anything to go by, a Government with strength of character and the wrong policies leads to a dangerous straight.