Sunday, February 4, 2007

Cameron angers Operation Black Vote

Pendennis in the Observer reports that David Cameron has got himself into a bit of a pickle on candidate diversity. First, there were the usual Cameron-esque "Trust me, I'm a liberal" pronouncements and the introduction of the "A List".

We have had all that "I'm a Observer reader at heart" nonsense for a long time from David Cameron, on various issues. I have long thought that there would be a day of reckoning on many of his statements, when the true Tory party bit back.

This has now happened with candidate diversity. The "A List" has been cancelled, causing such euphoria in the true right-wing Tory party (as opposed to the left-of-centre Tory party that Cameron is trying to make us believe exists) that Iain Dale excitedly conflated the sayings of John Junor with those of Bill McClaren and announced that there would be "dancing in the streets of Auchtermuchty" about the announcement.

However, there were some people who thought Cameron was genuine about candidate diversity. Operation Black Vote, for one, as Pendennis reports:

'David Cameron has lacked courage in maintaining his progressive stance. There is now no mechanism to ensure that the imbalance of black MPs is challenged,' says OBV's director, Simon Woolley. 'He was seen as someone who could transform the Conservatives into an inclusive party but he has capitulated to the right-wing rump that does not want their party to be truly inclusive. I think that this has left a cloud over Cameron's leadership.'

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