Promises, Promises ?

There is no doubt that, whatever you might think of David Cameron and the Conservative Party, the guy knows how to sell himself. While politicians of all parties have suffered the shame and humiliation of being exposed as expenses fiddlers - and some Conservatives have been the worst offenders - Cameron has seized the opportunity to show his leadership strength in dealing with his offenders in a way which leaves Gordon Brown appearing comparatively floundering.




Cameron himself has been under the spotlight for using his expense allowance to pay his mortgage but at least he has been clear and open about this from the start and, whatever you may think of the expenses machinery, he is clearly not a major offender. So he has been able to stride through this crisis of confidence in politicians and has become one of the few to come out of this with his reputation enhanced in the eyes of the public.

If as most people now suspect the Tories win the next General Election, Cameron's pronouncements take on a more pertinent hue and deserve to be subject to close scrutiny.

Yesterday, in a major speech, he declared that a Conservative Government would revolutionise British politics in a number of ways. They would :-

Reduce Prime Ministerial power and restore the role of parliament

Would consider fixed length parliaments , taking away the right of the PM to judge best date for an election.

Devolve more power to local government

Reduce the degree of whipping on key votes

Reduce the use of the royal prerogative by the Prime Minister


Wonderful. All this sounds very good in the light of the expenses scandal and there is no doubt that it's the kind of speech which will be seized on by those who are sick to death of the goings on at Westminster and thirsty for some kind of promise of change.

And I fear that's all it is. Tony Blair made a few grandiose promises before his election in 1997 with regard to the openness of the British parliamentary system but very little changed when he got into office. Some of these changes are easier than others. In order to give the British electorate real local choice, the whole concept of funding local government has to change and the balance between local and national taxes completely revised. Are the Tories going to commit to that?

And I see the promise about reducing Prime Ministerial authority as so much hot air too. I can't honestly see Cameron being prepared to subjugate his own pretty strong will to a Conservative Party where he has a number of elements of whom he is wary.

So does Cameron mean what he says? Maybe? Some of it. But I suspect he has gauged a speech which everyone wants to hear and which may help him sail into power next year - and what then? Well sorry if I'm cynical but the expenses scandal will be old news - though I don't doubt voter anger will still be high - there will be a new administration with lots of new MPs (if present predictions of sackings come to fruition) and an opportunity for Cameron to set out his personal stall.

I suspect much of this 'new Jerusalem' will be quietly shelved - just as it has always been in the past.