Cameron should avoid dancing to Brown’s tune

One of the more frustrating aspects of the Cameron leadership is how its strategy is sometimes (overly) determined by what Labour will do or say.  Take what was their long-standing commitment to match Labour’s spending plans.  This was made in fear of the “Tory cuts” attack, and ensured that the New Labour orthodoxy – that “spending = investment” – remained in place long past its use-by date.  Cameron now admits that he should have ditched the commitment sooner, and regards the failure to do so as one of his biggest mistakes.

Why mention this now?  Well, there’s a similar air about George Osborne’s statement on a 45p tax rate yesterday.  When this measure was announced in the PBR, it seemed little more than cyincal Brownite ploy to put the Tories in a spot.  Cameron ‘n’ Osborne should have steered well clear but, instead, they’ve dived straight into Brown’s trap.  And for what purpose?  According to the Telegraph:     

“Mr Cameron and George Osborne, the shadow chancellor, are aware of the potential for irritation among core Tory supporters and MPs who believe in a low-tax economy, but the pair fear Labour will attack them for potential cuts in public services if they do not follow the Government’s lead.