The Tories v. Big Business

As detailed at length in Matthew Parris's column in The Times today, David Davis, the man I voted for Conservative leader last time out*, has had a busy week. He has categorically stated that an incoming Conservative regime would reverse all ID card legislation and end the private sector contracts with those companies that have been chosen to provide the cards. Yes, the Tories finally have a policy. No doubt young "Hug A Husky" Cameron is enraged, but it is comforting to see that the Tories are still occasionally worth listening to and that the arrogant claims of Nu Labour that the ID cards scheme could never be reversed will be challenged by any future Conservative administration.

But it is the direct conflict with the private sector that intrigues me. It is tempting to see this as further evidence of the total transformation of British politics in the wake of Blair stripping the Labour party of any left wing ideology. The Tories, traditionally the party of big business, are now taking on the big businesses favoured by the traditionally anti-private sector Labour party. Hell, you could almost see this as the Conservative party taking the ground traditionally held by the Labour party - a post Blair lurch to the left.

However the truth is that Davis is just doing what the Conservative Party should do. The ID cards scheme is simply a bad idea. Unnecessary, illiberal and doomed to be an expensive failure. Davis is simply stating that a Conservative government would reverse this ridiculous scheme, and is making the companies involved in it aware of the fact that their ID card cash cow may not prove to be as profitable as it first appeared. Davis is simply stating that the Tories will end a hideously expensive and totally pointless piece of legislation. He is doing what the Tories should do.

He is speaking sense.

*Although I would imagine he has slightly more impressive claims to fame.