Skipper

Despite all the low points of the last ten years, I remain a Labour voter, simply because I think the alternative-in the absence of any achievably perfect government- would be much, much worse. And Labour has done many good things. It does not mean, however, that if you are part of a team seeking to defeat the other side, that you cannot see how that side might improve its game. It is for this reason that I find myself agreeing with Iain Dale- smug uberblogger dying to become an MP- in his short article in the Guardian yesterday(can't find a link). He argues that his team need more strikers upfront, naming 'Clarkey' and 'DD' as his favoured picks. I think he's dead right.

In the dying days of last year we learnt that Cameron's imminent reshuffle might see the old bruiser ex-Chancellor back in the fold; over half party members expressed this view in a Conservative Home poll over Christmas; 72% wanted Davis to return. Dale argues his old boss(he was chief of staff for DD when he stood for the leadership) should be brought back.

Cameron has been a successful, though given the circumstances underachieving, leader of the Opposition so far but he has a major disadvantage: that plum in the mouth and obvious preference for those of the same ilk. British voters are not so prejudiced that they would not accept an old Etonian as prime minister, but the neon lit identity Cameron cannot help have beaming out of his person does not help one little bit. Having Clarke and Davis back-one blokeish ex grammar school, the other ex council estate- in the front line would help neutralise this perception and sharpen the Tories' teeth by some measure.