James Forsyth James Forsyth

Politics: Is Cameron having a Jimmy Carter moment?

The government is struggling to retain its reputation for competence.

issue 12 March 2011

The government is struggling to retain its reputation for competence.

The government is struggling to retain its reputation for competence. Ministerial ineptitude has become a dangerously large part of the major news stories in recent weeks, from the Libyan crisis to the scandal surrounding Prince Andrew. This should worry the coalition, because the public will not support government cuts or reforms to public services if people believe it is incapable of carrying them out.

Appearing competent is a prerequisite for successful government. The government will only get credit for what goes right if it is seen to be in charge. The team in No. 10, which has its share of veterans of the Major era, remembers that the economic recovery of the 1990s reaped no political dividend because the Tory reputation for economic competence had been destroyed on Black Wednesday.

Labour are well aware, too. They remember that the Brown government never recovered from the sense of incompetence created by its decision to bottle out of an election planned for October 2007.

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