Cameron and Berlusconi
David Cameron is off to Italy today to meet the Italian Prime Minister, Silvio Berlusconi.
About time too, perhaps.
Consider this remarkable fact. For his book on the Conservative leader, Cameron on Cameron, Dylan Jones asked Cameron in an interview conducted in March 2008: "What sort of relationship do you have with Berlusconi, and what do you make of him as a politician?"
"None at all," was Cameron's reply, "and I've never met him."
It was an extraordinary response, especially given that Berlusconi has arguably been the most successful centre-right leader in Europe over the last 15 years - certainly in terms of winning elections - and surviving. And yet more than two years after becoming Conservative leader, David Cameron still had not met the Italian leader, and had no relationship with him.
Yet in the same interview, Cameron said his relations with Angela Merkel were "very good".
I'm Michael Crick, and I'm Newsnight's political editor. My guiding rule is that in any story there's usually something the politicians would prefer the world not to know. My job is to find that out. Follow me on
Comment number 1.
At 4th Aug 2010, DebtJuggler wrote:Burlesconi is the free-market anarchists' free market anarchist...him and Dave should get on like a house on fire!
Wasn't it one of Burlesconi's rags that scooped the 'priest's night out in a gay club pick-up joint' expose in Rome a couple of weeks ago?
Yet another anarchistic attack on the statist catholic religion!
When do the Rabbi's get exposed?
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Comment number 2.
At 5th Aug 2010, Isatou wrote:Surely responsible politicians steer clear of Berlusconi as far as possible. Let's face it , Michael, if Cameron was a Labour leader you would be praising him !
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Comment number 3.
At 5th Aug 2010, stevie wrote:This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules. Explain.
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Comment number 4.
At 5th Aug 2010, IPGABP1 wrote:Calamity Dave will probably be thanking Berlusconi for winning the war. I thought politically thick Tories were only found on blogs, it appears as though they may resident in Downing Street.Perhaps we were expecting too much from someone whose only experience of the real world was his period as a failed spin doctor. Will he be turning to 'Wallpaper' George for advice? If so, he should be careful, there appears to be no record of the Chancellor being engaged in gainfull employment,bag carrying for failed Tory politicians appears to have been his speciality.
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