Why have the Tories given Daniel Hannan his first party job?
September 4, 2009 2:51 PM
By Toby Helm in The Guardian on-line
By Toby Helm in The Guardian on-line
Controversial MEP will speak on legal affairs for Conservatives in European parliament.
Much glee in the Labour camp at news that one D Hannan has just landed a party job as the legal affairs spokesman for the Tory MEPs.
All a bit odd - he has refused all such offers in the past, and his elevation follows his now-infamous attacks on the NHS (which led David Cameron to call him eccentric), and his admission yesterday that he wants the UK to pull out of the EU.
Andy Burnham, the health secretary - an increasingly dedicated Hannan-watcher - was quick off the mark today, suggesting that Cameron in fact agrees with Hannan on most things but can't say so. Hence the promotion.
This line of attack works well for Labour, which wants to paint the Tories as the same old Nasty Party.
"David Cameron is happy to deride Tory MEP Daniel Hannan in front of the cameras and claim that his views are not the true face of the Tory party," Burnham said.
"But privately, Cameron rewards Hannan for his attacks on the NHS with a plum job on his front bench in the European parliament. Will the real David Cameron please stand up?"
The reality is that Team Cameron is worried about Hannan and wants to bring him to heel, to stop him damaging the soft image the Cameroons have spent almost three years cultivating.
But if they think that giving Hannan responsibility for talking on legal affairs will shut him up, they have another think coming.