If only this coalition government gave us time for reflection. If only this coalition government gave themselves time to reflect.
The Rumsfeld-esque shock and awe tactics that are driving forward market based Chicago School style privatisation policies, are giving politicians, commentators and the public very little time in which to grasp the broad implications of policy, let alone the detail.
Of course, when the government artillery is being urged to fire rounds at an ever-increasing speed, accuracy is secondary to rate of fire, and ministry gunners lose sight of the agreed targets and friendly fire proliferates.
It is possible that Marshal Cameron, whose grasp of detail has never been his strongest point, must be regretting allowing his generals, Gove, Lansley, Clarke, and May such a free hand to set their own strategic targets and achieve them each in their idiosyncratic way. Still Dave sees himself as a PR master and when he turns in for his eight hours he must be confident that whatever Clarke, may say about knife crime, in the morning he can find words that the Mail can turn into the killer sound bite. He knows that selling policies, just like the man from the Pru of an earlier generation, is easy as long as the punters remain hazy about the small print.
But hold on, there are angry Tories. These are Tory backbenchers who hate the LibDems for stealing their jobs, and behind them are the ranks of Tory local and county councillors who have to make cuts that not only get rid of “non jobs” which they needed an excuse to do anyway, but actual services that their electorate rather liked, depended on, even cherished.
And what about the civil servants who do all the work, who put together the white papers/ Are they smiling? Ministry payrolls have been slimmed down; ministers are more demanding as speed is of the essence, and mistakes and errors of judgement necessarily creep in. Organisations jealous of their reputations, particularly those whose masters can change at the whim of a fickle electorate, always stick together when there is any hint of trouble. Some, after years of Labour power, may even like to engage in a game of gentle sabotage
So, Cameron’s nightmares are not about the opposition, who need time, not the media unless he upsets Murdoch, nor LibDems who might possibly refrain from voting with the coalition for some hazy conscience thingy, although Clegg has been reported as feeling rather low, and it’s never good to have a LibDem moping about the house.
No, it’s his own right wing, who will never forgive Cameron for not winning the election outright. Remember they only put up with his hug a hoody antics and sleigh rides because, after Howard and Duncan Smith, here was a man who would deliver a general election victory
Then there are the grassroots who voted for quiet man Duncan Smith as leader, and finally the mandarins of Whitehall who are fiercely protective of their departments and will do anything if needed to disassociate themselves from any financial disaster, just in case Osborne’s spending cuts have the effect that most economists forecast as the possible outcome.
So, is there a plan B? The media seems to think that Whitehall has been busy making alternative fiscal plans, some even claim to have smelt them in the air. But can you imagine Osborne changing direction. Like Blair. who is digging up the grounds of his newly acquired £6m estate for unexploded bombs, Osborne is not a man to doubt himself no matter how the tealeaves read. But, PR Dave cares which way the wind blows.
