Cameron and Brown

Abstract

The emergence of David Cameron as leader of the Conservative party, following his successful fight for the party leadership in 2005 presented a new and fresh development in British politics following the elongated tenure of Tony Blair. The marriage of the ordinary and exceptional components of politics were well entrenched in British politics by this time and political marketing was part and parcel of the spin oriented presentation of politics and political figures. Blair’s ability to convey a sense of authoritative leadership in combination with populist rhetoric, and the presentation of him and his family as ordinary, appeared to suggest that a foundation for a successful leadership bid and an assault on power revolved around this type of political presentation. He was also able to position his party in the centre of the political spectrum and occupy a position where the Conservative party, and its leaders, appeared isolated and out-of-touch on the right. The move of the Conservatives to the centre, under the modernising strategies of Cameron put pressure on the voter to differentiate between the parties and thereafter to examine the role and identities of the leaders of the parties. In advance of Cameron’s leadership Gerry Sussman observed, ‘The catch-all British and American elections deflect attention from serious issues and elevate the importance of personality, “character”, style, and the who’s ahead elements of elections’.¹