They thought it was all over

By Jason Moore ONE thing I believe we can learn in Europe from the U.S. is their televised “presidential-style-debates.” After a week which saw open warfare in the Labour Party it was quite refreshing to turn to the opposition whose two leadership contenders came face-to-face in a televised showdown on Thursday night on Question Time. In the red corner was David Cameron and in the blue corner, David Davis. Odds on favourite to come out on top was Cameron, the suave “youngster” who had enjoyed a brief career in television before becoming an MP. After his speech to the Party faithful in Blackpool I suspected a Chelsea v. Southampton score-line. At one stage I even pondered missing the contest, thinking that I would catch the highlights later on. But how wrong can you be and this is the beauty of these TV debates. Cameron, using football terminology was effectively hammered by Davis, who showed in a most polite manner that his younger rival still has plenty to learn. Cameron, the sultan of Tory spin looked on edge and slightly out of his depth. The underdog came out on top. If it was the country who had to decide on a new leader of the Tory Party I suspect that Cameron would win easily. But it is not...it is the 300'000 Conservative Party members and Davis had all the right answers for your standard Tory voter. Tax cuts, bring back hunting, law and order and less control from Brussels was the Davis message while Cameron insisted that he still hadn't decided on his policies. He was going to have a long hard think...before he announced them. Television maybe a new media but it was interesting to see that it was the older wireless man who exploited it to his advantage.