Yesterday’s Times leader marked the beginning of a new phase in David Cameron’s leadership. Although the leader communicated a dissatisfaction with what the Conservative Party presently has to offer, The Times also communicated the fact that the Tories are now seen as the Government-in-waiting. With that comes a lot more scrutiny.
David Cameron has responded today and welcomes that scrutiny although his article does not fully address The Times’ concern that the Conservative Party has yet to enthuse the nation or address some of its biggest challenges.
Over the next two weeks ConservativeHome will be launching a special ten part feature: A Government worth having. Next week we will publish a daily essay on five areas of policy where the Conservatives are close to having policies that are as bold as the challenges are great. Michael Gove will be writing about schools, Nick Herbert about crime, Maria Miller about the family, Chris Grayling about welfare and Greg Clark about civil society and the voluntary sector.
The following week we will be examining the areas where the party still needs to do much more.
David Cameron has already done an enormous about to build ‘a Government worth having’. But the mess that Brown will leave – and he may operate a scorched earth policy over the next two years – will require a Conservative Government of considerable intellectual and moral preparation.