David Cameron has been described as "cartoonish" and a "confused social democrat" by the men who plucked his "philosopher-king" Philip Blond from obscurity.
The men who plucked Cameron’s “philosopher-king“, Philip Blond, from obscurity have rounded on the Tory leader for the “cartoonish depiction of the state” in his party conference speech and for being a “confused social democrat”.
Demos Director Richard Reeves and Chair of Trustees Philip Collins have used their sharp pens in Prospect to criticise David Cameron’s approach to tackling inequality. In the current edition, out today, they write:
“Cameron’s new ‘egalitarian’ platform is full of holes…
“He is signing himself up to Labour-style poverty and inequality measures, even as he rejects Labour-style redistribution. In other words, he is setting his own big trap, and trotting gamely towards it.”
Reeves took over at Demos in September 2008 and quickly launched their Progressive Conservatism project at an event which featured speeches from both David Cameron and Philip Blond. Blond left Demos in June citing “political and philosophical differences” to set up his own think tank ResPublica but the programme continued under the leadership of former Conservative party policy advisor Jonty Olliff-Cooper. Philip Collins is a former speech writer to Tony Blair who fell out of favour with the Government after the publication of a June 2008 article for Prospect titled ‘Liberalise or die‘.
The article in the current edition of Prospect goes on to say:
“the best counter to Cameron did come from Labour’s Liam Byrne, whose speech on the ‘smarter state’ to the Institute for Government in November argued that countries with ‘big’ civil societies almost never had smaller states. Even within the US, liberal Minnesota has higher spending, and more civic engagement, than conservative Mississippi.”
This blog has previously outlined the problems with David Cameron’s selective approach to poverty and inequality.
25 Responses to ““Cartoonish” Cameron the “confused social democrat””
Liz McShane
Anon – don’t worry – no offence is ever taken. I just truly believe that The Labour Party (forget individuals) still is the best bet for ensuring a more socially just, equal and fair society and I believe in collectivist (ie there is such a thing as society…)style of politics not the I am alright Jack approach).
Re driving test… not sure.. I grew up in a car-free household (not for any Green reasons) just we didn’t need one and thought could be spent better elsewhere (eg holidays in The South of Ireland) but I think I will stay car-free and carefree!
Anon E Mouse
Liz – Holidays in the South sound good although currently unemployment is rife over there I’m told.
My parents are there at the minute for a wedding so I’m sure “drink will be taken” in the way it normally is at those sorts of things.
A car free household is rare but it must have been a nice childhood I would expect.
Got to get back to work I’m afraid – on a deadline and it’s freezing here!
Liz McShane
Anon – family holidays in The South were sometime ago… but when it did start to get expensive The Continent became more of an attractive option not least because of the weather!
Car free household – yes lots of walking, although I did feel embarrassed when we walked to parents’ evenings at my grammar school as i think we were the only family that didn’t have a car – stupi I know but that’s the kind of place North Down is.
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CrankCase
The history of the Labour Party is a history of betrayal. They promised socialism, but despite seven post-war Labour governments we are still a backward class-ridden society with not a bit of socialism to show for it. They promised a referendum on the Lisbon Treaty but reneged on that promise after the General Election, even contesting a court case that an individual took in order to attempt to compel them to honour its promise. They’ve encouraged mass immigration, which increases competition for jobs and therefore depresses the wages of the working people they purport to represent; they launch an illegal war in the Middle East – the overall main casualties are working class soldiers; they’ve abused the expenses system, voted to keep details secret, and allowed its MPs to become wealthy at our expense. Even Gordon Brown has been allowed to get away with double flipping his private flat and house, while living grace-and-favour at 10 Downing Street, but even his supposed enemy David Cameron hasn’t made a fuss of this – because Labour and Tories are all part of the same massive con on the British public.
If anyone had any intelligence they would not vote for any of the two main (corrupt) parties.