Get radical, Mr Howard

It’s not good enough for the Tories to pinch Labour policies, says Simon Heffer. They must appeal to the people on the economy, education, drugs, immigration and Europe

A shadow minister said to me last week, ‘We might have a more credible leader now, but we have less credible policies.’ We were talking after the Tories’ announcement on health care — throw more money at the problem — had been followed by the Labour policy — throw more money at the problem. With the Tories still battered after the Euro-elections, and many of their notional supporters still sceptical about them, the aping by the opposition of what the government seeks to do is causing despair. Everyone assumes the election will be next May or June. Whether it is or not, there is no time to be lost in making serious policy.

A fortnight ago, Peter Oborne noted the rise of the ‘Notting Hill Tories’.