VICTORY BELONGS TO THE THIRDMOST:

Clegg has given Cameron his Clause 4 moment (David Lammy, 19 May 2010, Spectator)

The Tories won the most seats not just because we looked tired and stale as a government. It was because under Cameron, the Conservative party stopped falling for New Labour’s triangulation trap. Taking their cue from Bill Clinton, New Labour strategists made the decision to close down debate on certain issues, like crime, by moving to the right.

This tactic allowed the Labour leadership to focus political debate elsewhere. Four elections in a row were fought on ‘investment versus cuts’ in health, education and childcare. From the Labour benches I watched the Tories fall for the same trick over and over again. Their response was to move further to the right, hoping to remain distinctive. They looked less mainstream and moderate with every stroke.

Cameron understood this trap. Instead of becoming ever more shrill on issues like crime and civil liberties, Cameron sought to claim the progressive ground that the government had vacated. Labour found itself mocking the idea that children need love to steer them away from crime. We ended up defending a swath of authoritarian positions.