Mehdi Hasan

Mehdi Hasan’s polemical take on politics, economics and foreign affairs

Another attack on posh boys Cameron and Osborne...

...and, once again, it's from a Tory MP.

By Mehdi Hasan Published 28 April 2012 11:37

David Cameron at the Lord Mayor of London's banquet in November 2010

Source: Getty Images

A common tactic for politicians and commentators on the left is to assail coalition ministers for their privileged backgrounds. There has been a plethora of references to the Bullingdon Club, Old Etonians, "cabinet of millionaires", "posh boys" and "Tory toffs" since Messrs Cameron, Clegg and Osborne took office in May 2010. Speaking in the Commons earlier this week, Labour MP Dennis Skinner accused Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt of sacking his "servant" (i.e. special adviser Adam Smith).

Now, you could dismiss such rhetoric as "class war" or the politics of "envy" - in the way that multimillionaire Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney has, across the pond, when faced with attacks on his "silver spoon" from Barack Obama and the Democrats.

But, in recent weeks, here in the UK, it is backbench Tories who have queued up to launch assaults on the backgrounds of Cameron et al; attacks which, on the surface, sound very similar to long-standing left-wing complaints about posh, out-of-touch Tories.

Take Nadine Dorries MP:

“There is a very tight, narrow clique of a certain group of people and what they do is act as a barrier and prevent Cameron and Osborne and others from actually really understanding or knowing what is happening in the rest of the country.

“I think that not only are Cameron and Osborne two posh boys who don't know the price of milk, but they are two arrogant posh boys who show no remorse, no contrition, and no passion to want to understand the lives of others - and that is their real crime.”

Earlier this year, Ms Dorries told the Financial Times that Government policy was "being run by two public school boys who don't know what it's like to go to the supermarket and have to put things back on the shelves because they can't afford it for their children's lunch boxes".

"What's worse, they don't care either," she added.

Or former shadow home secretary and one-time Tory leadership candidate David Davis MP:

They think we’re toffs.

The truth is, they look at the front bench, they see them all very well dressed, well turned out, well fed, and perhaps feel that they’re in a different world to them.

The “we’re all in this together” phrase is very important – but at the moment it’s not working.

The latest intervention is from Robert Halfon MP, in today's Independent:

"I'd love more Esther McVeys, people like that who are very clever but sound normal. They are steeped in street-fighting. We need street-fighters who represent the party."

. . ."Millions of union members vote Tory and the language we are giving out is that we hate trade unionism.

. . .He said: "Everything we say should be judged politically on how it helps strivers, how it helps aspiration. The language needs to change, the logos and slogans need to be improved."

Perhaps Cameron and Osborne, who have had the worst few weeks of their political careers, should start paying attention to the criticisms of some of their own backbenchers. I hate to say it, but Dorries, Davis and Halfon have a point. And, of course, it's difficult for the Tory high command to dismiss them as leftie class-warriors.

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Tags: David Cameron George Osborne David Davis

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View the discussion thread.

14 comments

Wed, 2012-07-11 17:48 — nawar (not verified)

http://www.cbrxx.com/members/14177.html

Sun, 2012-06-24 22:18 — Paracord (not verified)

Good post, I just emailed this to a colleague who was doing a little research on this. Thanks again.

paracord

Sat, 2012-06-02 14:40 — Steve Jackson (not verified)

I think that not only are Cameron and Osborne two posh boys who don't know the price of milk, but they are two arrogant posh boys who show no remorse, no contrition, and no passion to want to understand the lives of others - and that is their real crime

Yo got it!

Steve

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Mon, 2012-04-30 13:01 — Herbert (not verified)

"No attempt at ethical or social seduction can eradicate from my heart a deep burning hatred for the Tory Party. So far as I am concerned they are lower than vermin".

Mon, 2012-04-30 08:52 — Des Demona (not verified)

Having seen the latest 'rich list' showing the wealthy gaining 5% on avarage over the year while the rest of us lose 1.8% on average I'm not entirely sure the 'we're all in this together' slogan holds much water.

Sun, 2012-04-29 23:05 — mbrecker (not verified)

One reason they're not out of office is because in a sense many live to have a go at them. It's part of their daily routine, and the corporate MSM is more than happy to help out. Who's cheating on their taxes. Who's married and having affairs. Who's really gay but pretends to be straight. Meanwhile in the States, for the next six months literally every sleezy thing imaginable will be thrown in that campaign.

Sun, 2012-04-29 16:39 — Pero'sBreastmilk (not verified)

She's a right-wing MP, for sure, but these attacks are gold. They'll yank her before long though, no doubt. If they win the next election, ditching the Liberal 'restraint, it'll be a merciless descent into a kind of regime more reflective of Pinochet than Thatcher...

Where are our left-wing politicians to stop this?

Sun, 2012-04-29 14:44 — hugh markey (not verified)

Up until the seventies grammar school boys of a Tory inclination used to defer to their public school betters. No matter how academically challenged.
Heath was allowed to open the batting for the Tories on the understanding that when it became appropriate he would anoint a Tory junior grandee as Conservative Leader and Prime Minister.
Lord Home having batted a Duck had not added to the reputation of the Tory landed gentry - the gifted amateur in politics - and made it easy for Ted to open for the Tories.
Heath, Wilson, Callaghan, Thatcher, Tebbit, and Major were a grammar school streak until Tony Blair came on the scene.
Cameron and similar toffs welcomed that fact a public school candidate was now electable. Hague and Howard had to put up or shut up. This duo proved that grammar school types were not automatic winners. Iain Duncan-Smyth was Army but not public school.
David Davis who had made it the hard way and was ready to take the vital pass from Tory Conference was so surprised when Cameron intercepted and ran all the way to the line.
However, in the final Cameron had to rely on the intervention of others to gain the vital prize.
Although Hunt is a Charterhouse Old Boy he is public school and has a similar Oxford university degree to Cameron. Public school chaps stick together! It's a tradition.
Will the Tory meritocracy stand for it - social status trumping hard-earned ability every time?

'Sright Governor

Sun, 2012-04-29 12:14 — Ageing Class Warrior

As I see it! Although retired I am blessed with a long memory. Consequently, I take this opportunity to remind you of what the Tories really stand for, and have always stood for; their current obligatory beliefs, and golden rules.
1. Punish the poor for their poverty. Specially, single Mums believing they only have babies to get a council house and qualify for child benefit.
2. It's all right to be selfish and greedy.
3. There is 'no such thing as society' (Margaret Thatcher in an interviewwith 'Woman's Own', 31 October 1987)
4. To the rich shall be given; from the poor shall be taken.
5. The unemployed are feckless, whatever that is I suppose that's me. (As far as I know I've never owned a 'feck') In fact I don't know what one is!
6 Private good, public bad. All Government, services both national and local are better under private ownership. Including Health, Education and Transport. If one can't afford, one doesn't use. Ration by price.
7. Pensioners are a a growing problem and live too long. Consequently they are an increasing burden on the country's tax payers and don't deserve ny additional consideration or special treatment.
8. The State Pension is a benefit, not an entitlement. National Insurance contributions belong to the Government
9. Means testing for the poor works and all age related benefits should be means tested. e.g., concessionary fares, prescription charges and the winter fuel allowance.
10. Public sector pensions are non-contributory and paid for by the Tax paying public. A mantra that is repeated at every possible opportunity.
Finally, it appears to me that a good Tory, 'Knows the cost of everything and the value of nothing!' Together with, there is no such thing as dirty money, only money!

Mon, 2012-04-30 12:45 — Sam Gisoad (not verified)

You might have a long memory, but it's not necessarily a good one. In particular you seem to have forgotten anything that happened in the tory party before about 1979. Those are things that the *Thatcherite* tories stood for. The ones - come on, you must remember this - that purged the cabinet of the "wets" - the one nation tories who didn't think that. The ones that wanted to finally expunge the legacy of Macmillan and Eden, and hated, if you recall, the public school tories who were too sentimental, and had awkward notions - however misguided, however classist - about 'public service' and 'noblesse oblige.'

In short, the things you have highlighted are all the things that Davies and Dorries and their ilk believe, *not* Cameron. Be careful what you wish for.

Sun, 2012-04-29 00:23 — kenny jenkins

Given how unpleasant most tories are, (sorry, did I say most? I meant all) It's always entertainingly messy when they start turning on each other. Stand well clear. I think it's about to get a bit bloody.

Sat, 2012-04-28 22:35 — Bil (not verified)

Us 'scrounging scum' that they thought were going to turn over a die at their hands have been slandered by the DWP and Media in a Goebels like propaganda lie, bullied , been assessed, appealed and been re-assessed, then had our lively hood and services slashed by these vile Hurrays. And because you middle class smugsters have stood by and thought 'it's not me Jack' you thought you had got away with it. Well let me tell you...YOU ARE NEXT. Who am I to tell you these truths? I am part of a moving forest that the Murderer King thought could never come to Dunsonaine.

Sat, 2012-04-28 15:43 — ME. (not verified)

Kick the lot out.The unemployed and disabled can do a far better job...They at least know what its like trying to survive.This is no longer the house of commons.Its the house of the rich to make decessions on how the poor can look after them...Fook the lot of them..