Cameron on the ropes

By Natan Doron / @natandoron

David Cameron is for the first time in his brief tenure as Prime Minister, experiencing an absolute kicking from the public, media, opposition and even those in his own camp. Ed Miliband has had a quite different experience in the last 14 days. For the first time since assuming the Labour leadership, Miliband has been described as ‘Prime Ministerial’ by those who were amongst his strongest critics. These are encouraging signs.

Iain Dale – the prominent conservative commentator – used his blog last night to suggest that the News International scandal bringing Cameron’s government down is not unthinkable, which it would have been a month ago.

The Telegraph, a traditionally pro-Tory newspaper is even more worrying for Cameron. Its latest editorial is scathing:

“Ever since Mr Cameron made the fatal error of appointing Andy Coulson, the former News of the World editor, as his press spokesman, the waters of this murky affair have been lapping at his feet. They show no sign of receding. If anything, they are rising.”

Some on the right are trying to play down the scandal and keep things in perspective. ConservativeHome led on this front yesterday. There is much merit in this. We shouldn’t get carried away. Whatever lies ahead in this scandal however, Cameron will surely be damaged. The negativity in Tory circles is testament to that.

Ed Miliband still has a lot to do and a mountain to climb before he can attempt to construct the kind of electoral support base built during the New Labour era. But if and when that book is written, the phone hacking scandal could be seen as the moment that the country started listening.

Being a Prime Minister is all about leading, and Ed Miliband has done plenty of that over the last couple of weeks. The more he continues, the more people will be willing to follow.