U-turns are now David Cameron’s trademark – whether they happen or not

Earlier this morning the BBC were reporting that the government had approached energy companies asking them to “hold” energy prices until after the election. Quite what the difference between “holding” and “freezing” energy bills is I’m not quite sure, but the government couldn’t possibly be planning to “freeze” energy bills – not after the way in which Cameron has lambasted Miliband for his “con”. Not just a “con” though, because Cameron also suggested the plan was “Marxist”. So surely there’s no way that the Tories could possible be backing a Marxist con – whatever energy companies might be saying (why they or the BBC would lie about this isn’t clear).

A “Treasury source” was later dispatched to tell the BBC that the story was “total bollocks”, presumably after a few rather heated and panicked morning meetings at Tory HQ and Downing Street. If the original BBC story was correct, that means the Tories are now u-turning on their u-turns on their u-turns. That’s a 540 degree spin. Which would be impressive really, if it wasn’t such a spectacular mess.

But whether or not the Tories actually are planning a u-turn on their opposition to a price freeze isn’t what’s most interesting here. What’s clear from this morning’s reporting, the immediate reactions to it and the tardy response from the Tories is that such a u-turn (trying to do quietly in private something that you’ve vehemently opposed in public) is exactly the sort of thing everyone thinks that Cameron and Osborne might do. Already this week we’ve seen u-turns on payday lending and plain packs. Another u-turn would have been the spectacular culmination of a volte-face hat-trick.

Whether they happen or not, u-turns are now David Cameron’s trademark. The lad is most certainly for turning. The Prime Minister “travels light” ideologically. He doesn’t really seem to believe in anything, besides what can get him through to the next day.  Or to use the language of his own MPs “If the PM can casually drop something that was so central to his identity, he can drop anything”.

Or do anything. Or say anything.

As a rule it’s always best to be extremely wary when people like that are our leaders – because as the great American statesman Alexander Hamilton once said “Those who stand for nothing fall for anything”. And the depths of what Cameron can say, or do, or fall for to try and win an election are very much unknown.