Cameron’s ‘aroma’ is the key for the Tories. For Brown, it is all-out class warfare

David Cameron has so far baited Gordon Brown with the confidence of a schoolboy teasing a roped guard dog. The Chancellor has wanted to unleash himself on his opponent from the outset, but was restrained by No. 10 Downing Street on the basis that such attacks would be a waste of energy during the new party leader’s media honeymoon. Best wait until the public grow sick of the new-look Tories, the Blairites counselled — and then the Chancellor’s joyless team of character assassins could get to work.

Six months later and time has only strengthened Mr Cameron’s opinion-poll lead, and sharpened the focus on Mr Brown’s weaknesses. No. 10 has appeared to sit back and enjoy the Conservative portrayal of the Chancellor as a ‘roadblock to reform’, giving the Tories time and space to consolidate their message and take full advantage of a still receptive media. To the Treasury’s fury, Mr Cameron has stubbornly refused to implode.