Cameron hails 'progressive' future

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A Tory administration would share the same "progressive" goals as Labour or the Liberal Democrats - equality of opportunity and a fairer, greener, safer society - but would differ profoundly in the means by which it seeks to achieve them, he said.

The current economic crisis should "hammer the final nail into the coffin" of Labour's big government philosophy, said the Conservative leader.

The Government's response to recession has created the risk that "the money will run out", forcing a 1970s-style IMF bail-out and emergency cuts in public services, he warned.

He declined to predict when national bankruptcy could occur, but warned it could come "very soon" and said that no responsible Government would risk allowing it to happen.

In contrast to Labour's "path of fiscal irresponsibility", a Tory administration would seek to achieve progressive goals through the conservative means of decentralisation of power; strengthening civic institutions and the family; building a "new economy" which encourages social mobility and unleashes green growth; and ensuring Government lives within its means.

The Tory leader's comments came at the launch of a "progressive conservatism project" launched by the thinktank Demos, which is independent but has previously been closely linked to New Labour.

Labour Cabinet Office minister Liam Byrne said: "It's hard to take David Cameron's so-called progressive conservatism seriously when even his own shadow cabinet are warning him not to be a 'right wing nationalist'.

"Being progressive means taking action to give people real help through the global downturn. As Gordon Brown responded with his campaign of real help now, Mr Cameron has gone the opposite way.

"The Tories would cut £200 million from Sure Starts, £4.5 billion from building schools for the future, reject plans to give half of kids the chance to go to university and slice work training opportunities for a million people a year. The facts show the Conservatives want the least progressive thing of all: major cuts to vital public services at a time when people need them the most."