In brief: by trying to turn the defence of the NHS against American attacks into a political stick with which to beat the Conservatives, Labour has given David Cameron and other senior Conservatives plenty of airtime to make the case, “Look, we’re not like previous Tories. We like the NHS – and to prove it, we’re going to criticise a fellow Tory.”
It’s just like Tony Blair showing that he and Labour had changed by bashing his own party; giving Cameron and co. the opportunity to be in the media bashing their own party helps Cameron achieve his strategic objective. Not a smart move in my book.
Update: the first poll published after the affair provides supporting evidence that it has helped rather than hindered David Cameron.
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I think Nick Clegg has mishandled this too. All he has done is issue a single tweet, 24 hours too late. This was a golden opportunity to make a positive case for Lib Dem policies.
Having spent the weeks running up to the start of recess calling for “holiday” to be cancelled, Clegg appears to have vanished. Who is in charge of the party at the moment?
Alternatively, it exposes the divisions which Cameron has done so well to keep quiet. And the Irish still have to vote on Lisbon yet.
But always on the backfoot as opposed to doing it on his own terms. Its more akin to Neil Kinnock responding to the latest outburst from an ‘eccentric’ backbencher on unilateral disarmament, frightening the electorate with what they really think than Blair in the mid-90s.
Voters vote on emotion and the feeling that the loony right will take a scythe to the NHS is overpowering Cameron’s response on ringfencing