Rope-A-Dope

I watch PMQs. I watch it because I'm interested - not so much these days because anything is ever achieved in it by the gathered, undertalented quorum of our very costly elected political representatives, all whipped into a total complacency, but because, these days, it tells me both where the issue-wind is blowing and how the Tories could be doing a hell of a lot better.

However, I'm just not going to get into this thing now - I'm too tired and I have to be reasonably compus mentus for toil tomorrow.

I have to say this, though: if there is any advice to offer overpaid, overrated (on the strength of recent outings) "Team Cameron", it's this: STARVE BROWN of his favorite themes. It's not rocket science, after all. In any debate, especially PMQs, starve Brown of his stock answers; starve him of any chance to 'tractor-stat'; starve him of the chance to repeat his delusional narrative. Whatever it takes.

Whatever, indeed, it takes, including taking a few short-term hits. I think in the Rumble in the Jungle it was called 'Rope-a-Dope". If he has the guts and the desire, then Cameron must play the same game as Ali: let Brown, his fairly powerful but pretty dumb opposition, pound and pound away until he's forgotten why he's doing it, is exhausted and is ripe for the real knock-out blow (that nobody likes him, nobody believes him and nobody wants him)- no matter what.

Cameron must let the one-eyed Scots fraud hang himself, even if it means that he experiences a little pain by playing the rational, thoughtful, vulnerable - even sympathetic - professional for a few months.

While the electorate needs a bloody good reason to vote Labour again, all it needs is a small excuse and easy permission to vote Tory. Cameron should be focusing on that.

I just hope that middleweight Cameron has, somewhere, the policy excuse and the will to grant that permission to the people of Britain.

Right now, I have my doubts that he's good for either. The past week has been that bad, hasn't it?