Books: Review - Campaign 2010: the Making of the Prime Minister by Nicholas Jones

Published: 19 August, 2010
by JOY JOHNSON 

SEASONED observer Nicholas Jones offers an engaging account of the General Election

David Cameron and Nick Clegg entering No 10 is a telling image for the front cover of Nicholas Jones’ new book – Campaign 2010 The Making the of the Prime Minister. The result on May 6 2010 was inconclusive. Labour lost. The Tories never won outright while Nick Clegg managed to lose five seats on the night.

The TV debates, the first in British election history were decisive. The main parties conceded equal coverage to the Liberal Democrats, thus giving Clegg mass publicity. 

Addressing viewers directly, Clegg brimmed with self-confidence. Taunting Brown and Cameron that they were the “two old parties”, Nicholas Jones’ judgment was that Clegg’s supreme ability to capitalise on a platform, which had been denied his prede­ces­sors, “electrified the campaign”. With predictions of a hung Parliament already a talking point, Clegg achieved “king-maker” status. 

Twenty seats short of an overall majority, the Tories won the spin stakes and Cameron seized his moment by offering a “big, open and comprehensive offer” to the Liberal Democrats.

Clegg, an economic liberal, was closer to Cameron and the Tories than previous leaders. With the media accolade of “Cleggmania” Clegg had made clear during the campaign that he would talk to whomever had the most seats. In reality he was positioning himself to do a deal with the Conservatives. 

The 2010 election was against a backdrop of economic crisis.  Through skilful spin and the aid of allies in the media, the Tories framed the crucial political debate away from tax rises, investment and growth to one entirely predicated on cutting the deficit. 

In the run-up to May 6 Cameron had already outwitted Labour. He also outwitted his Party grandees. As Jones outlines, Cameron had spent more than three years wanting to change the face of the Conservatives through the selection of more women, gay and black and Asian candidates. Local parties resisted and he was hampered by the slow turnover of party grandees within the parliamentary party.  

All that was to change during the expenses scandal. With the Telegraph’s leaked details of “duck houses,” moats, and chandeliers he brought about the ‘old guard’s denouement’.  

The Tory high command had a breathing space as the Telegraph laid into the government first. 

Once the Tories hit the headlines Cameron, with his director of communications the former editor of the News of the World, Andy Coulson, were swift to act.  

Tipped off that they were next, Cameron, by way of a pre-buttal, issued an apology. It became the BBC headline and Cameron was seen as decisive and in touch with the mood of the country.  Labour and Gordon Brown in contrast looked slow and plodding. 

When an attempt was made to look decisive we had the disastrous YouTube appearance by Brown. New Labour famous for spin, manipulation and discipline were out-manoeuvred. 

This episode is illustrative of how the current government acts. 

Use the economic crisis to bring about ideological change in shrinking the state and bring about further privatisations.  

Jones has been a keen observer of the political scene over a number of years and for students of political theatre and its actors it’s a must. 

It also has the merits of being a good read.  

• Joy Johnson was director of communications for Ken Livingstone when he was Mayor of London 

• Campaign 2010: the Making of the Prime Minister. By Nicholas Jones. Available now from www.bitebackpublishing.com