Cameron needs to avoid being a one-idea pony

Cameron’s little talk to Demos today (to launch their Progressive Conservatism Project) was full of pleasant abstract stuff about de-centralisation as a means to fairness. But what was most interesting was how dangerous the Tory schools policy suddenly seemed.

Why? Because when education came up during the Q and A (after an hour of generalised and fairly soporific Burkean rhetoric) Cameron’s whole demeanor changed. He had actual, even workable, policies to communicate (courtesy of the excellent Gove) and he was suddenly charismatic, believable — even a little Obama-ish?

But having energised his audience, DC’s lack of anything concrete to say on any other subject became all too woefully apparent: no economic policy but sneering at Brown’s debt; nothing on Health but a fondness for the NHS…and the speed with which he scampered away from a question about foreign policy
— progressive or otherwise– was embarrassing.

Why is it only Gove who comes up with usable policies? How do other members of the shadow cabinet spend their time? Surely Dave’s coterie of spin docs and PR men can see how much better he performs when he has something to say.