Unlike Labour who, says Cameron, can barely "bring themselves to say the word 'cut'", he's all about the tough choices. Last week, he announced that he's going to slash ministerial salaries and MPs' perks. Wow! What a tough choice! People will hate that but it's got to be done! That's the kind of non-crowd-pleasing statesmanship that will save the nation.
He admits it'll only be a "pinprick compared to the total amounts of money" that the government will need to save, but what a courageous place to start.
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The solution is to tighten expenses rules but pay MPs more, but that's a difficult argument to win and politicians would have to be brighter to do it, particularly after they've all been caught pilfering House of Commons toiletries.
Ultimately, it's not in Cameron's interests. He doesn't need the money – many Tories don't. Lower pay and cutting things like each MP's communications allowance, which they'll then have to find from political funds, will always tend to benefit the right wing, the advocates of the rich. What sounds like selfless parsimony for those who aspire to govern translates as voicelessness for people without private wealth or contacts in big business. It turns out he's not stupid.