Morning:
14°c
- Commentary: They look like a government in waiting
- Scandal: Tory held over champagne
- Policy: Hague hints at switching focus from EU to China
- Tories: New policies under the microscope
- Fashion: Samantha mixes high street with designer
- Son: 'Ivan's death led me to wonder if I really wanted to do this'
- Welfare: 'Taxes poorest 96p for every £1 they earn'
- Sketch: Party is at that magical Blairy place where it applauds anything
- Samantha: Sam’s style hits the spot
David Cameron made his pitch to be Prime Minister today with a vision of a fairer, greener and safer Britain.
He asked Britons to be “believers” that he was ready to lead the country. In a value-laden speech against the backdrop of the economic slump he admitted there “aren't many reasons to be cheerful”.
“But,” he went on, “there are reasons to believe.”
The Tory leader hushed the conference hall by talking of the death of his son Ivan, aged six, in February, when “the world stopped turning”, and said he had been sustained by his wife Samantha, who watched the speech from the front row and kissed him on stage at the end.
Mr Cameron set out his core hopes in rhetoric that echoed Martin Luther King's “I have a dream” speech.
He said: “I see a country where more children grow up with security and love because family life comes first. I see a country where you choose the most important things in life — the school your child goes to and the healthcare you get.
“I see a country where communities govern themselves, organising local services, independent of Whitehall, a great handing-back of power to people.
“I see a country with entrepreneurs everywhere, bringing their ideas to life — and life to our great towns and cities. I see a country where it's not just about the quantity of money, but the quality of life; where we lead the world in saving our planet.
“I see a country where you're not so afraid to walk home alone, where you're safe in the knowledge that right and wrong is restored to law and order.
“I see a country where the poorest children go to the best schools not the worst, where birth is never a barrier.”
It was Mr Cameron's most personal speech, designed to showcase his values and temperament rather than policies.
In a significant announcement he backed a surge of troops to go to Afghanistan and drew long applause when he said that former Army chief Sir Richard Dannatt could become a Tory minister.
He was also boosted by rock star Bono who appeared in a video before the speech — and left the stage to the Monkees hit, I'm A Believer.
The key recurring theme was that “big government” was to blame for a broken economy, broken society and the collapse of trust in politics. The word family was repeated 18 times during the speech.
Earlier, Mr Cameron said he wanted his speech to answer the questions “why now, why me?”
Mr Cameron left no doubt that he is in command of his party, winning a three-minute standing ovation that ended when he left the auditorium with Samantha.
There was unprecedented interest in his speech, with a record 2,000 journalists accredited to the conference.
“I am not a complicated person,” he said. “I love this country and the things it stands for. That the state is your servant, never your master. Common sense and decency. The British sense of community.” Unusually, he praised a string of Labour policies, including devolution, the minimum wage and civil partnerships. But he said Labour had “failed” on poverty, crime, education and sink estates.
“Don't you dare lecture us about poverty — you have failed,” he said.
There was “a dark side” to modern Britain, he said, arguing that its roots lay in the decline of social responsibility.
Referring to his own comfortable upbringing, he added: “I know how lucky I've been to have the chances I had. I want every child to have the chances I had. That is why I'm standing here.”
Over-mighty central government was the cause of the worst problems and not the solution, he argued.
“We will need to confront Britain's culture of irresponsibility and that will be hard to take for many people.
“Don't they see? It is more government that got us into this mess.”
He praised shadow treasurer George Osborne's speech setting out plans for massive cutbacks as “magnificent” and asked voters to reward honesty.
He said: “We could have come to Manchester this week and played it safe. But that's not what this party is about … and it's certainly not what I'm about.”
On the war in Afghanistan, Mr Cameron said: “If we win the election the first and gravest responsibility I will face is for our troops in Afghanistan and their families at home.”
He added: “Frankly, time is short. We cannot spend another eight years taking ground only to give it back again.
“So our method should be clear ...send more soldiers to train more Afghans to deliver the security we need. Then we can bring our troops home.”
Reader views (42)
If the economic problems are all Gordon Brown's fault then why are all the other nations suffering in the same mess.
- Steve Johnson, Stoke-On-Trent
Dave left out the most important issue of all -- whether he intends to let the British people have a vote on retaining the U.K. as a sovereign country. He talked about 'big changes' coming. Did he mean that we finally get a vote on whether our country is to be the U.K. or the E.U.?
- Phil Jones, London UK
Make your vote count! Vote One. Keith Price. Labour.
- Mike Tally, London UK.
great speech surely anthing must be better than the prospect of yet another 5 year of rule by labour lunatics!I am now in my declining years and very much look forward to being governed by people who do not have the inward feel that they must line their own pockets before realising that their duty as elected members are to look after the common people who elected them in the first place,I do believe as always have that the tory party does have the tendacity to look after the state as a whole and not a single section of society,I do feel that David Cameron has the ability to take on the tremendous tasks that confront this beloved country of englishmen and indeed all of us wou are proud to call ourselves british
- Rw Tugwell, smalfield g.b
So this script writer for, was it 4 or 5 failed party leaders, has a dream?. Bring 'em on - this country deserves a Tory Government. Invest now in cardboard boxes and the spaces under the bridges. Come and join those of us who lost our jobs, our homes, our self respect and in some cases our lives. Remember the 90's when Lamont apologised for us being " a weapon in the fight against inflation " and when Dopey John Major discovered how many billions it was costing to keep us unemployed or on attendance allowance he vowed to get us scrounging scumbags back to wotk. Nothing changes as you will find out. Bring 'em on 'cos I want you to join me and the millions of others who never got over the other dreamers.
- Scrounging Scumbag, Cornwall
Hello London,
I heard what Mr Cameron had to say, but how can you put Britain back in the black by throwing thousands out of work?. The Tories were good at boom and bust for 18 long years and destroyed many families.... fact. We all go through Pain in our lives and have to deal with it but we we don't put it across the airwaves.
It is one year on since the Chancellor bailed out the banks with our money, if Labour had not done so and the banks failed thousands of people would of lost there savings and the Tories did not want to go down Labours path, it was the same with the MINIMUM WAGE .... Fact.
Many people sitting in the hall today recieve many of the things Labour have given like child tax credits, pension credits, bus passes, minimum wage, free museums and swimming, HEATING ALLOWANCE,car scrappage scheme, and yet although they don't like Labour they would not give it back ,they make me sick.
Go on then next year vote yourself out of a job, find £8.000 for health care, let your leader take off you tax credits, return to the boom and bust years of rapid unemployment, while all the front bench sit there millionaires ..... once again ....fact.
Yes we are in a mess but throwing thousands out of work will not work you still have to pay benefits.
- John L., Scarborough N.YKS. England. U.K.
If anyone does not think that it is time for change,
go and live on the moon. At least Cameron was able
to evoke some passion. Blair and Brown are liars we all know that. Lets see what the Cameroons can do!
- Macdangler, Wimbledon SW19
Hello London,
I heard what Mr Cameron had to say, but how can you put Britain back in the black by throwing thousands out of work?. The Tories were good at boom and bust for 18 long years and destroyed many families.... fact. We all go through Pain in our lives and have to deal with it but we we don't put it across the airwaves.
It is one year on since the Chancellor bailed out the banks with our money, if Labour had not done so and the banks failed thousands of people would of lost there savings and the Tories did not want to go down Labours path, it was the same with the MINIMUM WAGE .... Fact.
Many people sitting in the hall today recieve many of the things Labour have given like child tax credits, pension credits, bus passes, minimum wage, free museums and swimming, HEATING ALLOWANCE,car scrappage scheme, and yet although they don't like Labour they would not give it back ,they make me sick.
Go on then next year vote yourself out of a job, find £8.000 for health care, let your leader take off you tax credits, return to the boom and bust years of rapid unemployment, while all the front bench sit there millionaires ..... once again ....fact.
Yes we are in a mess but throwing thousands out of work will not work you still have to pay benefits.
- John L., Scarborough N.YKS. England. U.K.
I thought the speech was pitched just right. Cameron has the ability to give a Churchilian speech and whip the audience up if he wished to, he didn't he spelled out the details covering most peopl's concerns. He didn't get flustered, he didn't sweat or look discomforted like the one in Brighton, and for those who rabbit on about Inheritance tax, fact, Cameron mentioned this first just before the talk of the "election that wasn't" some months ago. Fact, 3 days later and before Brown had cancelled any possibiliy of an election, Brown himself increased IT from £250,000 to £600,000. So Keith Price, it's OK for your friend the Labourite to raise it by £350,000 as an election/political ploy but it's not alright for the Tories to raise it another £400,000 for reasons of social fairness. Forgive me, typical of the deceit and duplicity of New Labour. This will be their undoing at the election, the people saw through lies at Crewe and Nantwich you and your mates make note of the drubbing they got there.
- Mike Clift, Worcester, UK
This was a very good speech, very well delivered, and I can readily see why Labour supporters are attacking it in an abusive and non-constructive way. It was much the best of the three party leader conference speeches and showed that Mr Cameron has a vision of Britain's future that is inclusive of all people, not just the rich. How Labour people have the gall to accuse others of only benefiting the wealthy escapes me. Theirs is a party which has, over the last 12 years , done little else but suck up to the rich and famous - Mittal, Murdoch, Rothschild, etc - whilst making millions for themselves. Blair, Mandelson, Campbell - they will never want for anything, but their deluded voters should realise by now that they have been left well behind and out of consideration. Wake up.
- James Elliott, Eastborne UK
The Conservatives - Labour and vice versa that is how British people vote.
Just wait until all the British public realise that the Tories are in favour of Bankers and their bonuses and supports the rich and the rich only, whilst those of us on a lower salary will be made to pay extra.
Everyone will return to Labour again, not consider the Lib - Dems or the Green party or any other party for that matter.
- Anon, London
Could the cycle of poverty, crime and sink estates have something to do with Thatcher turning her back on a generation by declaring "there is no such thing as society"? Surely these people needed help from the State more than most? Instead they and their children have been left with no hope, no aspirations, and no morals. Thanks Maggie.
True, this Labour Govt should have done better, which is why electing Tony Blair Light is not the answer.
It's easy enough to say what you need to say to get elected. There's no doubt that it will take a humungous screw-up to stop Cameron getting elected, but it will take a man of more substance than him, and possibly more substance than the sellotaped-together factions within his party will be able to muster.
If he gets into power, then I truly hope he's up to it. It is our future and that of our children that is at stake. He needs to do better than the current Government, and bleating about things not being his fault won't cut-it.
Finally, I don't ever remember Brown stooping low enough to use his own baby's sad death in a conference speech. Whoever wrote the speech and persuaded him to use it should be shot. He's miles ahead in the polls so why?
- Fresh, London
Hey guys, what's wrong with drinking Champagne?
- Stephen C, London
Good competent speach telling it as it is. This country has a budget deficit of 175 billion a year but to give it meaning I think of it as every man, woman and child in this country each spending £3,000 per annum more than they earn through the Governmemt. We are all going to get poorer but that's better than being bust which is where we're currently heading.
- Stephen C, London
A few months ago we were all saying how we distrust all politicians and would have no faith in them, please let us remember how much is spin and hype and how much is really going to be carried forward and benefit us all, and that is applicable to all parties. It is very easy to promise the earth but far harder to bring the promises into practice. I think we are all in for a tightening of the old money belt and maybe that could be a good thing.
- Dave, isle of wight
Nobody knows what debt we shall have come the general election with Brown giving aid away all the while. It is time to look after your own country. Mr Cameron could not say anything any better than he did because of the mess we are in. Somebody has to bring authority back to this country. If Labour get back in power there will be no future for the young to work, hard working people will be paying hirer taxes and all those on benefits will be laughing I can sit and get paid doing nothing.
- Frances, Leics
Quote above "Does his vision include getting rid of the one million illegals in this country, reversing Labour's open door immigration policy"
I could be wrong, but I certainly have not heard any of the political parties address the issue of immigration. They all have a yellow steak running down the middle of their backs & Brown is the worst. His policies on immigration, without a public mandate, has changed the demographic face of the country.
- Mike, kent
He missed the most important thing of all,no mention of reinstating Fox Hunting.
- James Hilliary Tomkinson, Hereford
I don't want to rain on the party but I seem to remember the Tory governments from 1979 to 1997 closing hundreds of coal mines and destroying communities, giving us the Big Bang and starting a hero worship of finance rather than manufacturing, that saw inner city riots and the flogging off of public services (don't forget the disaster of privatising the railways).
Now we see proposals for thousands of low paid public sector workers to pay for the greed and stupidity of the bankers. Hmmm, something not quite right there.
So, forgive me if I am not convinced that Cameron's nice words have no substance to back them up, but lots of nasty surprises.
- Rob, watford1st
Has anyone seen the YouGov poll on Google following GOs speech yesterday? Conservative 40(-3), Labour 31(+2) LibDems 19(+2). Interesting.
- Val Daniels, Mijas Costa, Spain
Pass the sick bucket please.
Same old same old. Tories will go "hooray", the rest of us will go "boo". It was ever thus. It makes no difference, he's just Blair: Mark 2... and who wants more of that?
And not a single mention of Europe? What a cop out.
- Richard, London UK
No questions that the tories will win the next election, elected by those who are waiting for the media to tell them what to think. Cameron has a dream: Those born with privileges shall enjoy them for generations to come. Those who don't shall be stupid enough to vote for those who owned the factories their grandfathers were toiling in.
- John, London, UK
Did he mention mass uncontrolled immigration and doubling up of future birthrate ? Did he mention a referendum on Europe and this country will abide by it ?
My vote will go to UKIP
- Grim Reaper, Hell
Keith Price - refresher... I know it was only yesterday or the day before, but inheritance taxation was put on the back burner for "three years" according to reports from this site. Hardly "his main economic proposal", eh?
And the 'champers' quip? No doubt you applauded that attempt to sting Osbourne by the Daily Mirror - but the sting was conceived AS A RESULT of the much publicised instructions from DC to ease up on the "champers" at the conference gatherings (for the most part because of people like you making more of it than merited).
Question - does one limp after shooting oneself in BOTH feet?
Oh, and a hint for credibility - stop copy&pasting your comments. You're already well known for parroting the party line. Endlessly repeating your own (exactly the same) words suggests/reinforces the view of a certain lack of imagination - although I'd guess you'd find some rationalization for that too, wouldn't you.
- Rogan, Irving
I am fed up with all this Green Rubbish-Maybe it would be better to concentrate on home first.Only two days ago Brown gave away another £1bn per annum to the Queen of Jordan's charity-How about making political comments relating to this ridiculous generosity with taxpayers money or is Gord giving this from his future earnings?
I am sure the IMF was not happy.
MPs for goodness sake get into the real world.
- Harvey Lawrence, London UK
Gormless Brown has been dreaming for the past 12 years - now he has woken up he is faced with a nightmare economic situation in the UK, whereby he is forced to borrow over £500,000,000.00 EVERY DAY just to keep the public sector afloat.
Some "prudence" all right!!
- Reuben Camara, Morecambe Compound, EUSSR
Does any sane person really believe that this Labour Government has not let us all down!
- Michael, Liphook Hampshire
Very impressive indeed.
What a contrast with Brown.
- Tim, Taunton
Does his vision include getting rid of the one million illegals in this country, reversing Labour's open door immigration policy and a wholesale shake-up of the benefits system.
If not, it should do!
- Mark, South-East London
What vision ?The Tory leader's vision is one of much greater wealth dor him on a personal level, now that inheritance tax is his main economic proposal. After all that champers, though, maybe his vision is not too good generally. One day he might get to grasp basic Keynesian economics and then realise, far too late, that his tax and cut policies will send our country's delicate economy into a genuine deoression. Let's hope the voters realise that his vision is his real weakness
- Keith Price, Luton England
i had a dream once that a politicos stopped behaving like party animals, discovered common sense, a real sense
of purpose, rather than a self serving pursuit of personal wealth and vain glory. remembered that they were elected to serve the people they represented and did so.
thought seriously about going to war, to what end, who the real victims were and why, was it the only way to achieve justice, equality, security and harmony; and as all wars end with negotiation, couldn't we just skip the killing and destruction and get straight to the end game.
then i awoke to the nightmare we regard as daily reality
and saw that all politicos have feet of clay and with very few exceptions have always been and sadly seem destined to always be much of the problem and less of the solution.
- M.O'Brien, london.uk
I never thought I would see the day that a Tory leader's speech would be compared to Martin Luther King's 'I have a dream' address. Has the world gone mad?
- Billy Bilal, Islington, UK
It is not your policies or manifesto that matters, its character and judgment.
Bizarre statement, but he has to say this because he has no policies!
Once the economy improves, the Tory lead will dissolve. Thatcher's legacy and the bitter memories it provokes will insure they will not govern for a while longer.
- Darren, london
What a great disappointment that was. This speech was hyped up by all and sundry but he just doesn't have the chutzpah needed to carry it off. He is what he is, a PR man. What he is not is an orator. Even the Tory faithful looked as if they were waiting for something to hasppen. The only time they got excited was when they applauded our armed forces; the applause was obviously timed to last longer than the ovation given to the troops by the Labour faithful last week and then the hand went up to stop the clapping - so predictable. Sorry, but he didn't ring my chimes.
- Val Daniels, Mijas Costa, Spain
Keith Price - Are you Alistair Campbell in disguise? A definite Labour plant. You have objected to every single Tory party point that contradicts labour.
Quite ridiculous!
- Simon Talker, Sevenoaks, Kent
Nice to see Dave opposes 'big government' and wants 'a great handing back of power to people'.
When's the referendum on whether we want to be ruled by Europe, please?
- Jools, London
I don't know where you were educated Keith but you should consider some extra English lessons.
If you also believe inheritance tax is his main economic proposal after everything that has been said then you haven't been listening and are simply trolling.
It was a good speech outlining in my view exactly what is wrong with this country today. Whether he is elected and whether if elected he can deliver is another question but he certainly has the right ideas in my opinion.
- Dr Who, London
Stop dreaming.
- Dom, London
Sounds like another blair to me.
Anything to get in power at westminister.
- Martin, sheffield
I had a dream too,where there were no politicians on the face of the earth,and I agree,its nice to dream.
- Dave, london
Keith Price. Keep on worshipping Gordo and Mandy. The world has moved in case you have not noticed. By te way it was WWII which fixed the US economy not Keynsian Roosevet policies. Students study this at GCSE level.
- Gary, London
The Tory leader's vision is one of much freater wealth dor him on a personal level, now that inheritance tax is his main economic proposal. After all that champers, though, maybe his vision is not too good generally
- Keith Price, Luton England
