David Cameron did better in yesterday’s debate compared to last week. But he still can’t break through. What’s the poor chap doing wrong?
First, the obvious point. He’s involved in a Big Lie: covering up what the nasty wing of his party would do to Britain should the Tories to win power.
To Cameron’s credit, he’s not very good at it. Talk to any trial lawyer and they’ll tell you lying’s hard. You can usually spot a liar in the witness stand at twenty paces.
Lairs must be clever, fast on their feet, have a brass neck, and a good memory. Why a good memory? Because liars must remember the lies they’ve told and not contradict themselves later on. Truth-tellers – most normal people – don’t have that problem. They just do their best to tell the truth. Liars, conversely, must constantly look over their shoulders. They need to be tough and clever to carry it off.
Cameron’s not in that league (Peter Mandelson probably is). Cameron has an okay brain - silver spoon, good breeding stock, excellent schooling – but he’s no genius. He’d make a fine marketing man or top-end Chelsea estate agent. But he’s no Einstein. Ergo he looks uncomfortable when telling lies. People pick up on it, especially now with politicians hated so fiercely.
Second, he’s too posh. That’s a strategic, not a class-hatred, point. People from Cameron’s background…
- worth c. £40 million
- related to the Queen
- Eton/Oxford
- married into landed gentry
- wealthy North London/Oxfordshire chattering class lifestyle
… don’t do debate. It’s beneath them. They’re born to lead. They don’t ask people to do something, they tell them. They do so with charm and diffidence but that’s just velvet glove hiding iron fist.
Of course they’re gentlemen and accept they must go through the motions. They “debate” at the Oxford Union as students. They appear before Conservative Party selection committees and “debate” with rival candidates. They “debate” on the hustings and in the House of Commons.
But those are all rigged affairs. The debate is a civilized veneer, a necessary hoop to jump through, before they obtain what rightfully belongs to them: power, money, influence.
So there’s something humiliating for Cameron to appear before the nation in ninety minute debates and be asked to justify his position. He looks uncomfortable. He knows, deep down, he shouldn’t be there. Cameron’s in the wrong place at the wrong time.
The Tory press try to defend him, e.g. by making up lies about Nick Clegg. But that still leaves poor David, born to rule, creaking with Eton charm, the Bullingdon photo on his study wall, having to explain himself to the plebs. That’s not what David Cameron’s for.