Tombstone Tory Trouble

The Conservative 'compassionate' mask finally slipped this week with a deluge of stories – no doubt to the delight of Thatcher and the local blue rinse – indicating the nasty party were well and truly back: un-green, mean and ready for cuts to our public services.

Last week began with a vitriolic attack on the prime minister – no actual policies, you understand, just sneers and insults. Not to be seen to be surrounded by old-school Tories, Cameron had to bus in a crowd of young Conservatives to make him look good.

Meanwhile, broadcaster Dame Joan Bakewell launched a stinging attack on the Conservative’s tombstone poster campaign which attacked a mooted solution to the funding of Labour’s social care plan. Bakewell’s remarks came hours after Andrew Lansley admitted that he failed to tell David Cameron about his private talks on social care with Health Secretary, Andy Burnham.

Speaking on BBC’s ‘The World at One‘, Bakewell, who in November 2008 was made a ‘Voice of Older People‘ by the Government, said:

“You know we’ve had a lot of pious talk recently about how we must salvage the reputation of parliament because of the expenses scandal, but the scandal is still going on, because people are telling lies.

“That poster, which was that Gordon Brown wants 20,000 when you die, is merely one of a series of options being put forward as a way of stopping people having to sell their houses, people don’t want to have to sell their houses as they get older and this option, paying 20,000 out of your estate when you die is just one proposal put forward in good faith. To turn it into this grotesque poster is an insult to everybody and it damages the case for older people and their serious care.”

Last week's events provide further signs that Project Cameron isnt firing on all cylinders. The week that saw the Tory leader talk of shifting power away from the political elite to "the man and woman on the street" was also the week that saw desperate and chaotic efforts by his inner circle to ensure that Joanne Cash, a glamorous "A-list" candidate and supporter of all-women shortlists, who is married to one of Cameron's Old Etonian [yes again] pals, was maintained as parliamentary candidate for Westminster North.

Negative campaigning and a right Tory mess with members of the shadow cabinet not speaking to each other and cock ups over selection. Just imagine what they will be like in Government!?