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April 18, 2006
Tuesday
 
 
Sailing under false colurs
Johnathan Pearce (London)  UK affairs

I see that the Labour Party has decided to bash the Conservatives, led by David Cameron, using the image of a chameleon riding a bicycle. Ouch. I am not sure what is more damning: the chameleon image or the bike. Of course, this blog has already vented a fair deal about the supposed limitations of Cameron, so I will not tarry long on this point, other than to say that some of the fizz seems to have gone out of the Cameron charge of late, although it may be that he is simply waiting and watching while Blair, enmeshed in scandal and policy paralysis, meets his political Waterloo. I am still unconvinced whether Cameron will play a convincing Wellington, however.

Comments

Nu-Lab accusing the Tories' leader of telling people what they want to hear? Oh, the irony!


Posted by Gasky at April 18, 2006 08:31 PM

Well to pinch one from the old ladies of the feminist movement-
A Libetarian needs David Cameron
like a fish needs a bicycle.
What is the new slogan?
Dont hold your breath until blue turns to green?
Or somesuch.
Thank god I'm off on holiday soon!!


Posted by RAB at April 18, 2006 08:50 PM

That looks more like a frog than a chameleon. Otherwise, the idea's quite good - although unnecessary. I don't think anyone needs to be convinced that Cameron's an empty opportunist. The Conservative middle classes will vote for UKIP and the Conservative "working classes" - I don't like that term - will vote BNP. I don't know who the working class black folks will vote for, as the BNP doesn't want them.

That is how it is going to work out because no one trusts empty, posey Dave.


Posted by Verity at April 18, 2006 09:43 PM

Verity,

Nothing wrong with being genuine 'working class', it's a shame that the unions rather disgraced the term.

However, the 'working class' that supported the Tories, were more than that, they were proud of being largely self sufficient and quite independent minded, comprised largely of artisans and high street entrepreneurs, (shopkeepers if you like), 'small' business owners, and 'middle managers, fairness and integrity were a part of their ethic.

That they supported Conservatism was more out of a sense of thinking, and voting, for the 'long term', rather than the immediate socialist style 'quick-fix'.

The problem arose when it was realised that things never were better when the Tories were in power, it was always a case of jam tomorrow, but none today.

The excuse that it took a while to clear up the mess left by the previous Labour government, wore a little thin when Thatcher was in power for all those years, and still things never really got any better for 'the working class', who really were, in truth 'middle England'. They could see all that Government largesse, but none seemed to come their way.

The skivers and jivers, seemed to be as well off as the work ethic endowed, concientious family man was, and without the effort Thatcher, rather than make the place fit to live in again, encouraged the working class to join in the general trough feeding mentality that is now welfare Britain. Major convinced them that this was the 'way to go', and they went...

Cameron with all his sensitive new thinking, is only endorsing and reinforcing that way of thinking...long may he suffer, for wasting the last chance to save the UK.


Posted by ernest young at April 18, 2006 10:31 PM

It makes me believe in kismet. One last chance, as you say, ernest young, to save Britain, and the designated saviour goes over to the enemy.

This is a tragedy of such terrible proportions, I wonder if any future historian will ever write about it adequately.


Posted by Verity at April 18, 2006 10:58 PM
"Deputy Leader John Prescott first characterised the 39-year-old Tory leader as a chameleon, ..... but underneath he is Conservative to the core," said Prescott.

Well, apparently he convinced somebody.


Posted by Midwesterner at April 18, 2006 10:59 PM

Prescott's definition of a Conservative, is 'old Labour's' i.e. toffee nosed ex public school, and never done a decent day's work in his life, a part of the old 'landed gentry' era.

He sees Cameron as ' all promises. and no substance', which is really quite a fair assesment...

But then no-one ever called Prescott a genius...


Posted by ernest young at April 18, 2006 11:09 PM

He may have said it
But I'm bloody sure he couldn't spell it.
There was a line on the news quiz the other week when Bliar was on one of his world saving trips (they used to be 50p a tab in my day, but he only gets off on the smell of gas , that's why he has to borrow the Queens aeroplanes so often)
that went , Bush rang up Downing St forgetting that Tone wasn't there, and got Prescott.
They talked for half an hour, and only three words in any known language were spoken.
But they understood each other perfectly!


Posted by RAB at April 18, 2006 11:23 PM

How long before some wag comes up with, re Dave:
"Blue and green
Should never be seen
Except for on a fool."

Any bets?


Posted by RobtE at April 18, 2006 11:42 PM

Prescott's the only one in the cabinet - maybe the entire contingent of Labour in the Palace of Westminster, who has ever had a job. He's also the only politician of any hue in the last however many years to have taken a swing at a voter. Also, when questioned at one of their party conferences why he had his government Jaguar drive 500 feet, he said, "Because the wife didn't want to get her hair blown about. Any more stupid questions?"

If I had to spend an evening in the company of one of two Old Labour pols, give me Two Jags over the humourless, sweaty, smelly, priggish Gordon Brown any day.


Posted by Verity at April 19, 2006 12:42 AM

Sure I'd prefer to be down the pub with John
rather than Gordon.
With John he would get gently pissed and funny.
Not to say that he isn't pretty funny anyway.
But with Gordon?
Well if you'd even managed to get him to the pub- given his hair a wash, swarfegar'd his inky little budgetary fingers, got the stains out of his suit---
Well there's a suspicion I have that despite his Calvinist puritanism, if it came to a drinking contest his Scottishness would kick in and he would down 15 straight whiskeys and not even belch.
Then he'd invade Poland.
He will never win an election and will probably go back north and spend the rest of his days meddling in the Scottish Assembly or the HOL.
All political careers end in failure.


Posted by RAB at April 19, 2006 01:30 AM

I don't know how many people have watched the advert but I did see it last night and it does distinctly look like the work of John Prescott - clumsy, badly done and inarticulate. The more I see 2Jags on TV now the more he reminds me of Jabba The Hutt so maybe there's an opportunity there for the Conservative Party to wreak its revenge?


Posted by Julian Taylor at April 19, 2006 08:59 AM
they were proud of being largely self sufficient and quite independent minded, comprised largely of artisans and high street entrepreneurs, (shopkeepers if you like), 'small' business owners, and 'middle managers, fairness and integrity were a part of their ethic

A selective view of history, viewed through rose-tinted spectacles. It's almost identical to the late Victorian view of the middle classes, which is equally Panglossian and optimistic.

The more plausible view is that people just wanted stuff to work, bugger all to do with the supposed noble integrity and fairness of the Tory-voting working class.

EG


Posted by Euan Gray at April 19, 2006 10:47 AM

John Prescott as Jabba the Hutt. Funny. What's not so funny is the image of him getting his comeuppance(?sp) in the form of Anne Widdicombe in a gold bikini... eeeurrrgh.


Posted by mandrill at April 19, 2006 11:34 AM

That cameleon reminds me of the Bud one that was star of their adverts in the US several years ago. Cameron does have some of Budweiser beer about him. Yes he is a Tory but just not a very good Tory...his policies are light and watery.


Posted by Andrew Ian Dodge at April 19, 2006 12:27 PM

Why is he called 'Two Jags'?


Posted by James Waterton at April 19, 2006 01:58 PM

What's up Euan? - Can't understand anyone having any sort of ethic in their daily lives? - or is that luxury reserved only for the 'professional types?

You have only read about it, I lived through it...so keep your 'oh so smug', superior scorn for North of the Border.


Posted by ernest young at April 19, 2006 02:08 PM

Deleted


Posted by GH at April 19, 2006 04:05 PM

According to an article yesterday, David Cameron has said he would like a sticker of "Dave the chameleon" on his fridge door. He also apparently sent an aide to get one of the "Dave the chameleon" mugs that Labour were giving out to journalists.
Like many on this site I have deep misgivings about DC, but I have to admit this story, if true, did cause him to go up in my estimation a little.


Posted by Steve P at April 20, 2006 11:37 AM

EG,
Once again I must cross my sword with your wilting stick of celery.

It's almost identical to the late Victorian view of the middle classes, which is equally Panglossian and optimistic.

Yeah, right. So how come those same people were the major drivers of a socioeconomic revolution in the standards of living, literacy and education in these islands? Look at all the inventions between about 1880 and the start of the WWI and tell me the late Victorian middle-class never achieved anything... Sheesh.

I like chameleons, they're cool little creatures. Dave Cameron doesn't change his skin, he's more of a suit full of bugger all.

Guy,
I am still unconvinced whether Cameron will play a convincing Wellington, however.

The only thing even vaguely Wellingtonian about DC is that he'll end up being given the "boot".


Posted by Nick M at April 20, 2006 03:43 PM

Well said, Nick M. Given the boot! Ha ha ha!


Posted by Verity at April 20, 2006 09:51 PM

When Prescott first came to power he required to have two ministerial jaguars assigned to him at the Department of Transport, while at the same time exhorting people to make better use of public transport ... hence the term '2Jags'.


Posted by Julian Taylor at April 21, 2006 12:06 AM
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