Where are the Tories this summer?

While we all worry about who is charge of our beloved country while Brown takes a “few days off” and Mandy mixes with the rich and not so famous, just where are the Tories this summer.  The party seems to have forgotten we are just months away from an election.

Scanning the Sunday papers – there is little worth reading – this article in the Sunday Telegraph stands out.  It details Tory proposals that VAT may well be increased to 20% if they win power.  All we get from a Tory spokesman is a flat denial that this is being considered:

There are no plans for a VAT increase and there have been no discussions about it.

All very well and an obvious reaction.  Whether the sorry has any legs remains to be seen, but taxes will have to go up whoever wins the election.

So far this silly season the Tories have virtually disappeared.  Is this wise?  Surely, the Tories should be maintaining the initiative over the summer rather than let Labour make all the headlines, even they are rather concentrated on the silliness of who is in charge.  The Tories should be showing leadership and demonstrate that that they can run the country effectively during the vacuum of the summer.

The danger is that the Tories will lose momentum in the build up to the all important conference season.  While Labour cock up the rota of who fills in for Brown and when, Cameron and Co should be out there highlighting their policies.  They shouldn't be assuming that Labour will self-destruct, because it may not happen.

The Tories need to up their game over the next few weeks and not allow Labour to steal the headlines with the silly stories about who is minding the shop while Brown is away.