Cameron Performs

by Graham Davies

David Cameron needs the adrenalin surge of a live audience to present at his best. His budget reply yesterday was his most compellingly combative performance for some time.

Admittedly, he doesn't do indignation well. It always comes across as rehearsed pantomime. But he now has a knack for memorising and delivering one-liner gags so sharply that they do not sound rehearsed. Which of course means that have been. Rather alot.

He has now become a political presentation all-rounder. Despite the recent Gay Times video problem, he has real charm in a one-to-one interview. The Faithful now adore his gee-up set pieces. And now he can even get Opposition MPs laughing at his jokes in the House of Commons.

These are 3 very different skills in very different settings, and he is at the top of the game in all of them. This is the political presentation equivalent of playing for England at tennis, squash and badminton...all at he same time.

I would love to finish this piece off with a nice double entendre about rackets, but I can't give you one.