Bel is thinking

Today brings news of a gloomy ICM poll for David Cameron. He falls behind Gordon Brown on strength, capability, the economy, and much else besides.

Serves him right. Perhaps now he will learn that the British public are not impressed by arrogance, especially when they suspect that there is not much substance behind the swaggering pose. By attacking grammar schools and selection by ability, David Cameron deliberately picked a fight, not only with grassroots Conservative Party members, but also with hardworking parents all over the country who want the best education for their children. Having then seen the disquiet he and David Willetts had caused with their ill-judged policy, he attempted to dismiss these genuine concerns, crassly referring to opponents as ‘delusional’, and then making some off-putting macho attempts at leadership.

In all this, David Cameron forgot one very important fact: he is not yet in 10 Downing Street. The public still have the opportunity to say ‘no thanks’. And as unappealing as a Brown premiership is to many (look at previous polls, for example), people have now decided that even that is preferable to being led by an arrogant man with no substance, and no real understanding of the issues that affect the ordinary voter.

One of David Cameron’s key selling points with the public was that he appeared to be an ordinary man who could empathise with ordinary folk. Many were therefore prepared to look past his seeming lack of substance. However, his chest-beating arrogant performance of the past few weeks has put paid to that. People now see a different Cameron: a conceited, lightweight politician whose bullishness and unwillingness to listen could actually ruin the country. Together with George Osborne, the impression is of two adolescent schoolboys who have been left in charge of the house while the parents are on holiday. While it was alright to watch them thrashing about and losing the spoons, concerned citizens are now sitting up in alarm as these two have now tired of their hitherto harmless game and turned their attention to mummy’s precious antiques. There is now genuine concern that they have no clue what they are doing, and perhaps someone should do something before they destroy something of value.

So the polls are bad for Cameron, but there is one small comfort: we are still far from a general election. There is still time for him to recover from this. I would advise him to don the garb of humility and find some way of ditching this mad grammar schools policy. For a start, he could perhaps endeavour never to mention it again, and hope everyone forgets all about it. More importantly, he and David Willetts should keep their traps shut until their education policy review group reports back with its findings. Then they will have something of substance to put before the public.

David Cameron and his band of men need to learn the purpose of policy: the lives of many, their education, and their future, depend on Government policy. Policy making should therefore be approached with humility, with a sober mind, and with a sense of responsibility. It should never be used as a red rag (or even a sop) to grassroots supporters, to make headlines in the media, or to wrongfoot political opponents.

Perhaps these polls will teach David Cameron this lesson. If that happens, well and good. If not, then God help him.