Daily Mail: Growing rebellion and Dave losing touch with troops

Tim Montgomerie in the right-leaning Daily Mail has an interesting opinion piece which seeks to analyse David Cameron's current standing as Prime Minister and leader of the Conservative Party. He starts in no uncertain terms:

Whereas the best Prime Ministers possess most of the necessary leadership skills, the really great ones possess them all.

They must be good communicators - particularly, nowadays, on television. They need to have a vision for the country and an ability to master the detail of complex policy.

They must build strong teams of advisers and ministers. And they need to excel at party management so that backbench MPs and activists are loyal in bad times, as well as good.

It is the absence of this last skill that poses the most serious threat to David Cameron’s chance of becoming a great Prime Minister.

It should be noted that Tim Montgomerie is the editor of the ConservativeHome blog and web site—the litmus paper for the core Tory voter. And has many concerns: increasingly alienated backbenchers, a narrow coterie of personal advisers, some instances of a bullying style, and the filling of important party posts with those indebted to the PM.

Montgomerie also has his suggested solutions (somewhat predictably): placate Tory backbenchers and soothe their disappointments, reduce the sedative influence of Nick Clegg and his LibDems on long-held Tory ambitions, be not so gung-ho with social reforms that will (they believe) inevitably bring electoral punishment. Above all, Montgomerie wants to see Baroness Warsi replaced with a more traditional style party chairman...

Altogether, the article is essential reading for those about to embark on a detailed examination of the Prime Minister and Cabinet / Executive, particularly in regard to the issue of how powerful the PM is, as well as the intangible notion of personal style. Read it in full!