Brown challenged to call election

In an unscripted, 67-minute bravura performance to his party conference, Mr Cameron told his audience: "Mr Brown, what's it going to be? You go ahead and call that election.

"Let the people pass judgment on 10 years of broken promises; let people decide who's really making the arguments about the future of our country. Let people decide who can make the changes that we need in our country. Call that election. We will fight - Britain will win."

He said the Tories had to learn from Labour mistakes in reform of the health service and the education system and wake up to a new world order that defied "old politics".

Mr Cameron gambled his election chances with the off-the-cuff speech to party activists telling them: "I want to make a speech about why I want to lead my country." He added: "It might be a bit messy but it will be me."

He repeated pledges to reform the tax system to reward marriage, put the police under the control of local mayors or commissioners and "fix" Britain's broken society.

Mr Cameron also pressed his case for a referendum on the EU reform treaty, saying: "Are we really saying to people, when it comes to how your country is governed you can't have a say? That is wrong."

He went on to attack Labour's new citizens' juries, dismissing the idea that they informed decisions and describing them as "glorified focus groups".

Mr Cameron cited a Government scheme asking voters to sum up Britishness in six words, saying he had six words himself for Mr Brown: "Stop wasting money on pointless gimmicks."

The Tory leader said Conservatives would abolish regional assemblies and give power back to councils "where it belongs". "These are the first modern Conservative changes for this new world of freedom," he told activists.