Constitutional clanger from PM Cameron
SUAVE? Absolutely. Articulate? David Cameron has that in spades. Yet, despite these vital attributes for a politician he is regarded in some quarters, not least areas of his own party, as being a bit of a chump.
Cameron should know by now that if you get into a muddle over a constitutional issue when you are Prime Minister – such as Scottish independence – the last person you should seek advice from is the Queen.
Yet, Cameron for some bizarre reason approached the Queen’s private secretaries to find out what they advised as the next step. This was a gross error of judgement on Cameron’s part and the equivalent of asking the monarch personally to side with him in that row.
These revelations came to light in Cameron’s memoirs published last week.
It appears the Queen did make some comment, saying people should think hard before reaching a decision on this issue – which is not really her constitutional right.
But Cameron appears to believe that he said nothing that was wrong when he made his approach to the Palace although his action has been condemned by all and sundry, including those in his own party who believe the monarch should be kept at more than arm’s length out of this and any other political debate.
She should have nothing to do with any of it.
Mr Cameron’s naivete in some respects has been demonstrated before.
That was when he decided to go to the office by bike to establish his “greenness”, yet behind him was a car carrying his shoes.
Cameron’s book, in which he attacks both Boris Johnson and Michael Gove is plainly a good read but it is surprising that he got away with such naivete in other areas of his work without being sussed out.
Mr Cameron was plainly the only man fit for the job when he became leader of the Conservative Party.
But he is a past master at making speeches which sound magnificent but which on closer inspection reveal emptiness. He certainly got away with it for a long time.