Inside Politics: It's not just the weather that is heating up as the election draws closer

A HEALTHY pink glow has appeared on the faces of many election candidates after canvassing from street to street in this week’s spring sunshine.

David Cameron GETTY

Prime Minister David Cameron at a Conservative rally in Wadebridge,Cornwall

Yet the warm weather has not bred a feeling of sunny optimism in any of the main contenders.

With the parties set to unveil their election manifestos over the next few days, the campaign has already descended into a grim war of attrition.

Opinion polls continue to forecast a dead heat, and the parties have responded with a round of name calling, abuse and accusations that their opponents are being relentlessly negative.

David Cameron was doing his best to appear upbeat when I spent the day on his election battle bus on Thursday.

As the bright-blue coach ploughed on through the rolling green countryside of the East Midlands and Yorkshire, the Prime Minister was keen to trumpet his positive message about the economic prosperity in the nation’s grasp if his party stays in office.

He insisted voters were in the mood for “strong, accountable government” despite polls suggesting the election is heading for another hung parliament.

“The country wants a majority government,” he told me.

And he denied suggestions that he is banking on another coalition deal to get him back into Downing Street.

“I’ve done coalition, I’ve got the T-shirt; I don’t want to do it again.

I never really wanted the T-shirt in the first place, frankly,” he said.

I’ve done coalition, I’ve got the T-shirt; I don’t want to do it again. I never really wanted the T-shirt in the first place, frankly

David Cameron

He argued that Britain was “on the brink of something special”, with more jobs, tax cuts and prosperity to be won if the Tories can govern alone.

In opposition, Mr Cameron famously said: “Let sunshine win the day” and still seeks to radiate an aura of fuzzy hopefulness about the future.

Yet not all his colleagues want to sound the same cheery tune.

Defence Secretary Michael Fallon ignited a furious reaction from Labour by branding Ed Miliband a “backstabber” for ousting his elder brother David in the race for the Labour leadership.

I understand the personalised attack was a deliberate attempt by Tory strategists to blot out debate about Labour’s plan to hike taxes on overseas-based tycoons.

While the policy itself was muddled and likely to end up costing the Treasury revenue, senior Tories feared that public discussion of the issue of the wealthy getting away with tax dodging could only play into Labour hands.

Far better, they calculated, to trigger a noisy spat about negative campaign tactics.

Labour walked into the ambush, with Mr Miliband bleating about the Tories stooping into the “gutter”.

Labour chiefs were frustrated by the Tory tactics.

“We made some progress on tax issue but the Tories have succeeded in muddying the waters,” said one Labour aide.

Mr Miliband’s team have demonstrated their own fondness for negative campaigning by accusing the Tories of peddling untruths and snuggling in the pockets of the super-rich.

Next week’s manifesto launches will steer the election debate back to policies to an extent – but not for long.

A day on the election trail gives a glimpse into how fastidiously-controlled campaigning has become.

Mr Cameron’s battle bus takes him to remote locations some distance from city centres to speak to crowds of bussed-in supporters or audiences of employees in their workplaces.

Despite his regimented and gruelling schedule, Mr Cameron insists he is relishing the chance to tour the country and put his arguments across.

“It’s a long campaign, but I am enjoying it,” he told me.

His aides are not expecting a sudden breakthrough in this drawn out electoral battle.

“We are not expecting one tide-turning moment when a big policy announcement suddenly transforms the polls.

Modern elections just aren’t like that,” said one Tory insider.

“It is about steadily hammering out our message day after day.

It might not excite people but it is what works.”

It looks likely that the war of attrition will continue right up to May 7.

Mr Cameron may want sunshine to win the day, but it may take a gruelling slog through the mud for the victor to emerge.

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