FOURTH TIME LUCKY?

by RAY FLEMING
DAVID Cameron's victory over David Davis and Liam Fox at the first of the two–stage election for the leadership of the Conservative Party has been achieved with the minimum of policy commitment on his part. He has established himself as an extremely personable politician who makes all the right noises about modernisation and compassion but without indicating in any detail what policies he would pursue if elected. “Change, optimism, hope” were his first words after yesterday's vote. At this stage no one can reasonably ask for an election manifesto but it will surely be necessary for him in the coming weeks to spell out the three or four priorities that he will pursue as leader of the opposition. For instance, is it unreasonable to ask him to indicate where he stands on withdrawal from Iraq, on the government's slate of new anti-terrorist legislation, on identity cards, on the privatisation of public services and, even, on the European Union's future direction? The Conservative Party's failure since John Major departed has been to put its faith in personality rather than principle and policy. William Hague and Iain Duncan Smith were blindly chosen despite a minimum of proven achievement; the case of Michael Howard was different because of the impending general election. Yesterday's poll, lacking Kenneth Clarke, has not changed this pattern. Mr Cameron is untried, untested and, to a large measure unkown. David Davis has more experience but he seems to lack the gravitas that one looks for in a leader. He is a fighter, though. There is a six weeks campaign before the constituencies vote, a long time in politics.The choice has now to be made between these two; is there any possibility that the party and the country will have the chance of seeing them in debating action against each other?