Expect a Big Improvement in Dave

Lynton Crosby is in London working for Dave now, and was saying his g’days to the political hacks last night. He hasn’t arrived a moment too soon. This bit of Ben Brogan’s piece struck me as being exactly right (my bold):

He argued in favour of applying strict tests to any issue that a party leader might want to raise with the voters: is it genuinely salient? Europe is, gay marriage not so much. Is it personally relevant to the voters? Tax is, Lords reform isn't. Is it capable of political differentiation with your opponent? After yesterday, Europe certainly is. We can expect that rigour to be applied to the choices Mr Cameron makes between now and polling day. But his central point was on what David Cameron's strategy should be. After reminding us that strategy is something you do but don't talk about, he gave us a hint – with a list: deficit cut by a quarter, 850,000 private sector jobs created, interest rates at record lows, cap on benefits, immigration controls, free schools, fuel duty cut, state pension increased, income tax cuts for low paid. His point was that it will be the Government's record that will make the most compelling case with the voters. As for the press – "friend and foe" – and the BBC – "socially biased, run by a socially progressive, out of touch, narrow elite" – there was no point raging, he said. Effort will instead focus on promoting and preaching the record.