In this week’s big political interview on the Andrew Marr show, David Cameron showed clear contempt for the public by giving patronising responses to questions about the role played by a Tory advisor in government decisions.
In this week’s big political interview on the Andrew Marr show, David Cameron showed clear contempt for the public by giving patronising responses to questions about the role played by a Tory advisor in government decisions.
Lynton Crosby is strategist to the Tory party, and questions have been raised about his role in the government’s decision to scrap plans to introduce plain packaging on cigarette boxes given his links with the tobacco industry.
There are also concerns about Crosby’s advisory activities with a private health care company in relation to the NHS.
However Cameron assiduously side-stepped questions about whether he had discussed the proposed tobacco strategy with Crosby.
Andrew Marr:
“So can I ask you again whether you have actually talked to him (Crosby) about this issue?”
Cameron:
“Well I think it is important this issue of lobbying because, well look, let me be clear he has not intervened in any way, on this or indeed on other issues and the decision, it’s very important people know this, we haven’t actually changed our policy, I mean, I think there are merits to plain paper packaging for cigarettes, we need more evidence, we need greater legal certainty, we’re not going ahead with it right now, but I certainly don’t rule it out for the future.
“So the whole thing actually, from start to finish has been something of a media invention. So, he hasn’t intervened, it would be wrong for him to intervene in any way, the decision was actually taken by me, sitting up there (points towards building in No. 10) at my kitchen table, let’s not move ahead with this now, we don’t have enough evidence, there’s too much legal uncertainty.”
“But let’s be clear, this government has been very tough on tobacco, you know we have said we’ve got to cut down on these vending machines, we’ve got to stop big shops doing big promotions, we’ve carried on with the smoking ban, we’ve put up the price of cigarettes, and if we’re too much in hock to the lobbyists as it were, why have we just published a lobbying Bill?”
Marr:
“You have told me absolutely everything except the question that I was asking, which is have you talked to Lynton Crosby about this?”
Cameron:
“I have answered the question; he has not intervened in any single way.”
Marr:
“You haven’t actually prime minister, but you won’t tell me whether you have talked to him about it?”
Cameron:
“I think as I’ve said, he hasn’t intervened in any single way, I think you’ll find that is an answer.”
Marr:
“Yes, but its not quite an answer to the question I asked.”
Cameron:
“But Its all you’re getting (laughs).”
Marr:
“There we go.”
Cameron’s tone is similar to one he probably uses with his children, with a clear undertone of ‘now don’t be a naughty boy, I’ve told you what you have to believe, now run off and play, there’s a good boy’.
The public, and the electorate deserves better.
3 Responses to “Cameron protects Tory advisor Lynton Crosby and sweeps aside need to tell the truth”
Che Bramley
Time for Cameron to Go cause he has no respect for the people of this Country and I feel he knows he is gone come the General Election in 2015, so he is destroying all he can between now and then, and he will make sure that he make lie after lie after lie aswell
Selohesra
When you have lost all the policy arguements – attack the the campaign strategist. Good plan – I thought labour was shoo-in for 2015 with coalition facing unpopularity for dealing with Labour’s mess – but looks like you are worried now.
Philip
If he doesn’t have something to hide why doesn’t he answer the question? If he hadn’t talked to Crosby about it he’d surely have said so already. The fact he refuses to directly deny it is practically an admission that he has talked to Crosby about these things. That matters.
I agree that it shouldn’t distract from the larger political issues but this is an issue in its own right.
It’s about regulatory capture at the very highest level. That’s a serious issue.