Letters From A Tory Daily views on British politics and the Conservative Party from a centre-right thinker who writes letters on his blog to politicians, journalists and many others.

Dear Andy Coulson,

Obviously your work in the Conservative Party is never going to grab the headlines because your best strategy is to support David Cameron behind the scenes.  Even though you started your job a few months back, the benefits of your experience and expertise are really starting to show.

After a very rocky period in mid 2007, you have given David Cameron and the Conservatives a new lease of life.  Cameron has become much more aggressive in the media towards his critics and political opponents, in addition to spelling out his views with more certainty and conviction than ever before.  The improving poll results for the Conservatives is testament to how the public are starting to take him more seriously.  I’m sure you have had a role to play in this, knowing how savage the media become when they sense weakness.

The absence of the Quality of Life policy group from the headlines this morning must have been part of your game as well.  Within the last few days, their proposals for taxing people out of supermarket parking and banning plasma screens have been universally slated (and rightly so, they were worthless proposals), leading you to take evasive action.  You have to look extremely hard in today’s papers to find a significant mention of the proposals, such was the effectiveness of your damage limitation.  Even the BBC didn’t take on the Conservatives this time.  Instead the newspapers have focussed on taxing airlines and highly polluting cars (assuming that they mentioned the story at all), which are more realistic and more palatable to the voters.

I think this whole situation was uncomfortable for you and David Cameron, but you saved the party from considerable embarrassment and for that I am extremely grateful.

Your sincerely,

A.Tory