Tonight:
5°c
Cameron: I'm the man with a plan
Joe Murphy, Political Editor1 Oct 2008
David Cameron donned the mantle of Margaret Thatcher this afternoon to demand a change of direction for Britain.
The Tory leader branded Gordon Brown a "risk" too great to keep in power and claimed he was ready to lead the nation. "I'm a man with a plan, not a miracle cure," he said, warning that there were "no overnight transformations" on offer.
Mr Cameron's keynote speech to the Conservative party's Birmingham conference saw him decisively postpone income tax cuts until the economy was in better shape. Debt must fall first and then tax handouts for the low paid would take priority.
He also announced a full review by the shadow cabinet of every spending plan, aiming to find savings in time for a first Tory budget in more than 12 years.
In a highly personal speech, Mr Cameron hit back at Mr Brown's jibe that he was a novice, insisting he had the "character and judgment" to be Prime Minister.
Turning the tables, he said Britain could not afford the "risk" of keeping Mr Brown in office, because Labour borrowing and overspending were to blame for the severity of the economic crisis. "The risk is sticking with what you've got and hoping things will turn out better," he said.
"When you've taken the wrong road, you don't just keep going," he added. "You change direction - and that is what we need to do."
But he acknowledged that the economic crisis gripping the country had made people question whether the Conservatives were capable of taking office.
"I know how worried people are," he said. "They want to know whether our politics, and let's be frank, whether our politicians, are up to it."
He admitted: "You cannot prove you're ready to be Prime Minister - and it would be arrogant to pretend you can. The best you can do is tell people who you are and the way you work; how you make decisions and then live with them."
He compared Mr Brown with James Callaghan - another Labour chancellor who became Prime Minister but who presided over the 1979 Winter of Discontent.
"He had plenty of experience - but thank God we changed him for Margaret Thatcher," he said.
Mr Cameron devoted long passages of a lengthy speech to his personal values, highlighting his role as a father of three children, married to a successful businesswoman, Sam. He joked: "I admire entrepreneurs. I should do - I go to bed with one every night."
There were few policy announcements in an address crafted to win people's trust more than make "short term headlines".
He bleakly warned that tight public finances would leave no room for giveaways. Hairdressers, call centre workers on overtime and self-employed electricians were singled out as the typical targets of tax reductions when they could be afforded.
To them, he said: "I know it's your money. I know you want some of it back. And I want to give it to you. But we will only cut taxes once it's responsible to do so."
He empathised with families worried about losing their homes and jobs in the downturn.
"These are times of great anxiety," he said. "We understand the gravity of the situation our country is in."
After a unique conference record of making a speech every day in an effort to show he was on top of the economic situation, Mr Cameron went on: "The test of a political party is whether it can rise to the challenge of what the country requires and what the times demand. I believe we have passed that test this week."
Mr Cameron singled out the two Cabinet ministers seen as likely Labour successors to Mr Brown - Foreign Secretary David Miliband and Health Secretary Alan Johnson.
He accused Mr Miliband of "one of the most arrogant things I've heard a politician say" - when the minister said that without a strong government "you end up on your own".
He embarrassed Mr Johnson by reading out the minister's letter replying in bureaucrat-speak to a complaint that a woman died after receiving poor treatment in the NHS.
Reader views (14)
Gary# Maybe you hadn't realised that academies are a Blair initiative. Lord Adonis is a Labour minister and academies are already being established across the country. David Cameron has not only tried to claim the idea as his own, he is already in the process of trying to convince Lord Adonis to join the Tories so he can continue to pick his brains. Cameron has never had an original thought in his life. His claim in his speech that the European Commission had accepted his idea on the way forward re financial regulations is risible. He suffers from delusions of grandeur. He needs to achieve something notable before he attempts to put the world to rights, and it will have to be a greater achievement than advising Norman Lamont on how he should deal with the ERM debacle, after all look what that 'plan' cost us. Leave the planning to the grownups, Mr Cameron. You've got a lot to learn.
- Val Daniels, Mijas Costa. Spain, 02/10/2008 10:04
Report abuse
Yes, I am glad Mr Cameron says that he does have a plan if the Conservatives win the next Election, and that there will be NO 'Magic Quick Fix' for the current ills of the UK. What we don't need is a repeat of Mr Bliars series of 'Big Ideas' and like Baldrick - 'Cunning Plans' that usually meant more taxes, more bureaucracy and more Labour bull!
- Uncle Vanya, Chelmsford England, 02/10/2008 00:12
Report abuse
He's a man with a plan, he just doesn't want to tell us what it is . . .
- Richard, London, 01/10/2008 23:13
Report abuse
"We need to make sure ALL schools are up to scratch"
What a Utopian dream! Realworld is not like that. I have spent the last 40 years in education service. After the leftists closed the grammar schools, comprehensives which replaced them with very few exceptions, particularly in the inner cities swallowed government money in millions and still became sink schools. As a governor I have seen schools sinking into abyss with kids who can't /won't learn. The other day I witnessed
a discouraging sight of a teacher begging a squad of secondary school girls who were visiting a university to behave while she was reduced to tears. Blair's 'Education, Education and Education' was a cynical slogan as he happily sent his sons to seletive schools.
I was convinced by Cameron and if the country elects Brown and his deputy Harriet Harman who also sent her kids to selective grammar school while preaching to others, this country will still be importing skilled people for the next 50 years.
- Gary Smith, LONDON, 01/10/2008 21:12
Report abuse
Thank goodness someone has a plan! The country and the economy can't cope with any more of Gordon Brown's "dither, dither, panic" approach to government. Roll on the election.
- Ian, London, 01/10/2008 17:28
Report abuse
The most worrying thing in the Tory 'plan' is their apparent determination to muck around with schools yet again. I don't want a minority of the best schools to be independent/Academies. It seems to me the Tories are on a loser with this - the majority of people will not be able to send their kids to these fantastic schools, and will vote accordingly. We need to make sure ALL schools are up to scratch.
- Terry Gilbert, Norfolk, 01/10/2008 17:20
Report abuse
That'll be Plan B then...
- Nick, London, 01/10/2008 17:01
Report abuse
Same old Tories same old stories, sorry Cam you won't be getting my vote.
- Alex Lisinge, Putney London, 01/10/2008 16:33
Report abuse
We need spiritual leaders not politicians. Greed will always rule because there are always those who think we are here only the once and will screw anybody to enjoy it.
But I did like my daughters birthday card she got the other day... it said
We are only here to fart around dont let anybody tell you otherwise.
- Tony Gray, East Grinstead, 01/10/2008 16:04
Report abuse
Oh please!! Thank goodness l have the Lewes Pound in my purse.
- Ann, Lewes. East Sussex, 01/10/2008 16:03
Report abuse
He must know something we don't or is it just blind optimism!
- Pete, London, 01/10/2008 15:52
Report abuse
I recall the song 'things will only get better' when Bliar was voted in - (nothing to do with me, I didn't vote Labour once, let alone three times). Doubt Cameron will be any different. He's just like a Tory Tony Blair! This country is in a right old state, totally irrepairable now unless someone stays in power for at least 20 years to sort it out. Last one to leave switch the lights off please.
- Sue, Orpington, Kent, 01/10/2008 15:29
Report abuse
I remember Labour saying that "Things can only get better" in 1997.
It was rubbish in 1997 and it is rubbish in 2009.
Is this the best that the Tories can come up with in 11 years?
- Pat Guide, Chelmsford, England, 01/10/2008 14:32
Report abuse
So Tory MPs are hard done by working 60 to 80 hours a week for 60K plus expenses. Well they could always switch to Teaching and work the same hours for 20K. I realise most Tory MP's worked as journalists or researchers before getting elected but I fear that they are totally out of touch with reality.
- Tom Brown, Brentford, 01/10/2008 13:40
Report abuse
