Over at Coffee House, Daniel Korski looks at how Prime Minister Cameron might operate (should he be elected!). He suggests that Mr Cameron might appoint a new Cabinet-level Secretary of State for Veteran Affairs (entirely consistent with the Cameron-Fox emphasis on these issues) and also a Secretary of State for Climate Affairs. We like the first idea and hope the second idea is unfounded.
Prime Minister Cameron is rumoured to be considering restoring Ken Clarke to the Cabinet. He will also decide if he wants to restore other big beasts to the frontbench. David Davis, Iain Duncan Smith and John Redwood are some of the party’s biggest hitters.
Prime Minister Cameron’s first one hundred days is the focus of the final part of Andrew Grice’s five-part series on Project Cameron this morning.
Mr Grice notes the importance of the Implementation Unit under Francis Maude and the Tories’ determination to hit the ground running from day one. Although Labour carried out big changes in their early days in power – like Bank of England independence – their more difficult reforms on schools and hospitals, for example, were delayed. David Cameron doesn’t want to repeat that mistake and centrepiece reforms on schools and welfare will come early so that the benefits also come early. There must be a risk, however, that Labour will leave the economy and public finances in a mess. George Osborne’s first budget could define the early Cameron years in the same way Geoffrey Howe’s budgets defined the Thatcher years.
Mr Cameron won’t rush to reverse the Hunting Ban (via a free vote). This will probably be a second year action. The Conservatives will want to appear focused on the bread and butter issues facing the nation.