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Cameron under fire for 'populist attacks'
Joe Murphy, Political Editor19 Feb 2009
David Cameron today came under fierce attack from a Tory donor for resorting to populist attacks on the City.
Hugh Osmond, the entrepreneur who developed the Pizza Express business, said he was dismayed by the Conservative leader's behaviour during the economic crisis.
"I don't think the Tory response to date shows a real attempt to understand either the genesis of the crisis or how to fix it," he said.
His criticism will sting Mr Cameron, who last year promised to the Conservative conference he would not "seek cheap headlines" by bashing the City.
Mr Osmond gave £84,000 to the Conservative Party last year in two tranches, making him a significant donor.
He highlighted Mr Cameron's attacks on banking bonuses as an example of populism taking precedence over proper understanding.
"Bankers' bonuses are like Premiership footballers' wages," he said.
"You can have a view that they incentivise the wrong sort of behaviour, but they're not at the root of the issue."
Reader views (20)
Surely the person who will decide Tory policy after the next Election will be Lord Ashcroft who liked the Party so much he bought it.
- A Mole, Isleworth England, 23/02/2009 13:52
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Cameron is a political windsock, pointing in whichever the wind of votes blows him.
He lacks the backbone to take the action necessary to repair the damage done by NuLiebour.
- Keith Lonsdale, Doncaster, 21/02/2009 14:42
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Don't worry he'll soon change his mind again, it depends where the votes are. Just like he said immigration is ok the way it is, then last week he said we should follow Margaret Thatchers stance when she was in power, even though to start with he behaved as though she never existed. I wouldn't trust him to run a bath.
- Sylvia, Epping Essex, 21/02/2009 00:22
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The banking crisis is one of the greatest disasters to hit the UK in many years and much of this is due to very greedy and incompetent bankers. What is the leader of the opposition supposed to do? Keep quiet? Of course not. He should make sure his views are made clearly and that this government's policies since 1997 has encouraged debt by all and has made the situation worse. The creation of the FSA by Brown made regulation a joke.
- Ralph, London, England, 20/02/2009 16:15
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Cameron is both a populist and an opportunistwho will say and do anything to get elected. The problem is that there are so many contradictions hat when he beomes Prime Minister, although the Tories will profess happiness as they did with John Major, the rest of us will expect him to keep his promises. I foresee the shortest Honeymoon period since Sir Alec Douglas Home, who was also an aristocratic Old Etonian.
- B Bristow, Andover England, 20/02/2009 13:40
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Cameron needs to come under fire for doing nothing and allowing Mugabe-Brown a free ride on his destruction of Britain.
I am fully aware call me Dave needed to be careful going against Nu-Lying-Loony-Labour but don't you think Labour were aware of that! In principle desperate times call for desperate measures! And call me Dave fell well short!!!
- Mike,, London, 20/02/2009 11:42
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Can't see why the Pizza man is worried, once Dave is in power, he'll soon buckle under to his city mates.
- David, London UK, 19/02/2009 19:11
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David Cameron changes his stance depending on how his focus groups react to a situation. If they are anti- bonuses, then so is he, anti bankers, so is he, anti-Thatcher, so is he, pro-Thatcher, so is he. He jumps on every passing bandwagon, and jumps off when the public view changes and a new one comes along.
- Val Daniels, Mijas Costa, Spain, 19/02/2009 18:09
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"simon newcastle, your not biased then,or perhaps your real name is mandleson, what silly comments you post, in your eyes only corrupt labour can lead us to salvation.
- Terry, london"
Terry, London, no I am not biased and do not think that a corrupt labour party can lead us to salvation nor a corrupt tory party. What I advocate is simple. Time to get away from party politics, have politicians that understand the issues in whatever portfolio thay have, be they Labour, Tory, Lib Dem or not. (Used shadow ed minister as he is a perfect example of someone with a portfolio but no real understanding of the subject. Many Labour Politicians will be the same.) We need to attract people in to politics who understand the issues, not spin them ie new labour and Now Newish Tories.
It is simple, we need to get away from the cycle of: Tory party 10 years in, then Labour 10 years in, then Tory party 10 years in and so on and so on. It does no good. Nothing changes. In ten years Terry we will be saying the same about Cameron if he lasts that long. Scandels will come and go in whatever form.
Now is our chance to clean up politics, get real people in, not just those who have gone to Oxbridge! Will we as a nation seize this? Sadly I think not.
We need to have ALL the population represented, whatever creed, colour or background. At the moment the House of Commons does not reflect our diverse and rich (not in money terms) society.
Maybe in our lifetime Terry??
- Simon, Newcastle, ex London, 19/02/2009 16:52
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Hugh Osmond is correct that bank bonuses are not at the root of the credit cruch/recsssion, but they are at the root of much public discontent and are very much a matter of public concern in their own right. It is perfectly right that politicians who are the publc's representatives should have a say on the matter. David Cameron is not so much guilty of populism as Hugh Osmond is of conflating two quite separate issues.
- James Elliott, Eastbourne UK, 19/02/2009 15:41
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I recently read of Dave C that 'After three years of slick presentation and skilful imitation, there is a surplus of style and a very real shortage of substance. Perhaps more worrying is that he may come across as reasonable, but the policies his party advocates are often anything but."
Easy populism is a short term fix for those with no real substance, adequate policies or long term answers.
- Barrie, essex UK, 19/02/2009 14:37
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Ted, If this current crisis is over or even seen to be nearing an end by 2010, Mugabe-Brown will be back in No 10.
Camoron is merely basing his hopes on ZANUlabour losing the next election. He has been totally impotent as leader of the opposition with no real policies.
You can say that Labour steal tory policies but if Camoron were to put forward
1) Referendum on Lisbon
2) Reintroduction of the 10p tax rate
Camoron would find these hard for labour to pinch. But he won't.
- Steve Byrne, christchurch UK, 19/02/2009 14:33
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simon newcastle,
your not biased then,or perhaps your real name is mandleson, what silly comments you post, in your eyes only corrupt labour can lead us to salvation.
- Terry, london, 19/02/2009 14:23
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Michael, London. You raise an interesting point. Our politicians normally have no qualifications for a portfolio. For example take the shadow minister for Education. He is a journalist by trade. He has, in my knowledge, no background or training in education. How can he be potentially in charge of a childs education and the countries education policy. It beggers belief!
- Simon, Newcastle, ex London, 19/02/2009 14:15
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Why is anyone surprised be this? Cameron is a PR man, that's the only job he's had. If he wins the next election, everything he has told us will disappear in a puff of smoke. Constantly trying to hide the fact he is rich just draws attention to it. He thinks they were booted out at the last election because they were the nasty party talking about immigration etc: instead it was because no one believed them. He'll do anything to get elected. Trouble is he's so bad at it. All the parties are corrupt anyway.
- Sylvia, Epping Essex, 19/02/2009 14:13
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I heartily agree.How many more times does Dave have to be told to keep his mouth shut and let McBroon carry on doing the damage.
- Harvey Lawrence, london, 19/02/2009 13:58
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The Pizza man is quite right. Whilst the country desperately needs a change from NuLabour, Cameron's increasingly populist drivel does not bode well, especially when he is on record as promising to eschew these tactics.
- Andrew, Hampton, 19/02/2009 13:22
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David Cameron will be the next Prime Minister and will deal with and criticise whomsover he chooses for the good of ALL this country's citizens, and rightly so too.
Ted, London
Dream on Ted! Yes cuddly yours and my mate Dave C may well be the next PM, but thinking he will be good for ALL this country's citizens is laughable. He most likely has rung Hugh to say he doesn't mean it but had to say it to stay in touch with the people! Can't people see the blinding obvious!
- Simon, Newcastle, ex London, 19/02/2009 12:37
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Sadly I suspect David Cameron is incapable of reasoned argument and debate. This means that all you get are sound bites and photo opportunities. Unfortuneately this applies to most politicians these days. Maybe the selection process should include a 20 page essay arguing the pros and cons of a serious issue?
- Michael, London, 19/02/2009 12:26
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Donors need to button their lips and tread carefully - they donate for many reasons, but giving money to a political party does not give them the right to pontificate on policy, tactics or strategy.
David Cameron will be the next Prime Minister and will deal with and criticise whomsover he chooses for the good of ALL this country's citizens, and rightly so too.
- Ted, London, 19/02/2009 10:29
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