Did Prime Minister just storm out in a strop? Yes!
IN 2013, before a meeting at Downing Street, an official warned me: ‘The PM is unhappy with Eric Pickles [Communities Secretary] over his proposals on private landlords, which he thinks aren’t nearly tough enough.’
Cameron was in one of his ‘action this day, don’t give me any reasons why I can’t do this stuff’ moods. Eric Pickles presented a cautious paper on landlords which suggested targeting resources on ‘homes in multiple occupation’, often used by illegal migrants.
The PM wanted something much bolder – he wanted landlords to check the immigration papers of every potential tenant and only give them housing if the landlord was confident they were entitled to be in the UK.
He pushed his case hard. Eric Pickles pushed back hard: ‘Prime Minister, can I be blunt with you? This is a seriously bad idea. Checking immigration papers is really hard. Many of them, you will be shocked to know, Prime Minister, are frankly forged.
‘What are we asking private landlords to do – act as an arm of the immigration service?
‘I am very dubious. We could end up in a situation where anyone foreign-looking cannot get into private rented accommodation because landlords won’t risk getting it wrong. It could be very dangerous and divisive.’
I had exactly the same concerns. Few took the PM’s side – even among Conservatives. He was determined to get his way.
But Pickles, who suddenly seemed to have transformed into a ‘squidgy liberal’, was not giving an inch.
Few were willing to face down the PM in these meetings, and go on fighting when he took a different view. Pickles was one of them.
Suddenly, without even summing up the debate, the Prime Minister said: ‘OK, end of meeting.’
He slammed his red briefing file closed, pushed his chair back, stood up and walked out. Everyone looked baffled.
Government meetings never, ever, ended without in some way finishing the agenda.
Had the PM really just walked out in a strop? Yes, he had.