Getting it

Bruce Anderson in today's Independent absolutely gets it. The piece refers to the difficulty the Tories have had in capturing a narrative (regular Reptile readers have my permission to roll their eyes and/or tut at my mentioning this) and the dangers ahead.

Mr Cameron needs an intellectual framework: a number of speeches, a long pamphlet or a short book. From this, it must be possible to derive themes and phrases. Thereafter, those themes and phrases should be endlessly repeated.

Spot on. The time when you think you're going to throw up if you make that point or say that line once more is probably the time when it finally gets through to the wider public. Anderson even gives a good example from one of Cameron''s speeches:

"This is a government which treats children as adults and adults as children"

It's a line that has resonance whether we're talking about the family, security, liberty, health and education provision and even taxation. It's a line of attack that has substance behind it and is potentially popular. Once the Brown honeymoon is over and people start listening to the Conservatives again, Cameron should conclude that the brand is decontaminated and it's time to talk turkey.