The View from the Sun: Checking reality in an alternative universe

Ground control to Major Tom
Commencing countdown engines on
Check ignition and may god’s love be with you………..

Day 1 on our exploration of Rupert’s World of Tory Wonders. Today we have a two-page spread devoted to introducing our super hero Dave to his gullible public. It is a pity that Steve Bell has already used the caricature of the man with the underpants over the trousers, it would fit Dave so well. Though perhaps Mr Bell could modify it, and dress him as the Joker, from the original Batman TV series.

“Steel vs Rust” suggests the headline. The campaign slogan is Vote for Change. The country is hungry for change, the battle bus is emblazoned with the need for change. But the majority of the two page spread is devoted to one central theme - to hit back at Gordon brown, to accuse Brown of being the plastic candidate, to repudiate Brown’s policy claims…..

We are back at the Joker, aren’t we? After he laid out his one sentence master plan for taking over the world, all his dialogue consisted off was the threats against Batman. A well-known psychiatrist suggests that this may be an inverted form of adoration.

A theme is beginning to emerge here. This isn’t a battle of political ideas, it’s a battle of personalities. Dave is a strong fresh new approach, Dave is the youthful candidate, Dave is enthusiastic…….

This interview is startling in many respects but mainly because it consists of rebuttals. In his introduction to the readers of the Sun, Dave is not laying down his agenda but trying to hit back at Labour jibes and policy assaults over the past few days. “ Hitting Back” is all very well, but is hardly the way to suggest that in the battle of ideas that you are taking the initiative. So Cameron’s big moment is one in which he is leading from the back foot, always a tricky manoeuvre (and one that this blog does not recommend trying without a doctors advice)

The Joker, sorry Dave is proud of his efforts to “modernise the Tory party” So how many old Etonians does that take? He believes that voters are listening to the opinion of “very influential business people”

Well listening, yes, but forming their own opinions, or as the taxi driver I met the other night put it to me, “They are responsible for all F****** mess we’re in and they think we should take them seriously?”