Westminster waits eagerly for the return of the Crosby show

Never before in British politics can the recruitment of a part-time consultant have been given so much coverage. The papers have treated Lynton Crosby’s coming arrival at Conservative Campaign Headquarters with the seriousness that used to be reserved for changes in the great offices of state. Ministers are no less excited; they are full of theories about the significance of the hiring of this hardscrabble Australian operative and what it says about the future direction of the party.

So what’s the fuss about? Well, as with so much to do with the Cameroons, one can only really understand it in the light of the 2010 election. In this case, Lynton’s appointment means that the Conservative leadership has finally accepted that its campaign was a mess, full of competing egos and mixed messages. A senior figure says: ‘It’s a total acceptance by David and George of the critique of the last election campaign.