Cameron's TED talk

David Cameron spoke at TED recently, and while it wasn't unpublicised, coverage in traditional and new media was slimmer than it might have been because publication of the video was delayed. The video is now out and available to watch. For all the political hiccups and the difficulties over the past few weeks, this I think does sum up what Cameron sees in politics: using information technology to give individual citizens real control over their use of public services and genuine choices, and forcing government into greater openness and accountability.

Does this mean that he is consistent? No, his centralising control of the Tories suggests not.
Does it mean that he has the rest of his party with him? Not all of them, no, although he will get support in this from some unlikely quarters.
Does it mean, assuming a Conservative win, that his ideas will survive a first encounter with the enemy (aka the Civil Service)? No, I expect that the civil servants will immediately start breaking up projects into £24,999 chunks, and power can have a dehumanising effect on even the most liberal of ministers.

However, for all that I do think that Cameron 'gets' the idea of how information technology can change things. They say that if you can fake sincerity you have it made, but he was speaking without notes, and appears to have quite a clear view of where we have come from and where he thinks we ought to be going.

If the Tories get into government, I will still be a member of the loyal opposition. I can only give half a cheer for the Tory 'libertarian paternalism' Cameron references in his talk: the half a cheer is because Labour believes we should have no choice, while the Tories want to structure our choices, which is only half a glass. Nevertheless, I think that it is fair to say that, most often, they will need opposing because they have drifted from the agenda Cameron set out in this talk.

It's fourteen minutes, and it is recommended watching for anyone who is interested in the interface between technology and politics. (I've been having problems getting this to play, so here's a link just in case.)

(Thanks: James Forsyth at Spectator Coffee House.)