My view is that all three leaders - Campbell, Brown, Cameron - exceeded expectations with their conference speeches this year but that at 60 minutes plus but they all went on for too long.

Cameron was under the most pressure - speaking at the end of his conference and behind in the polls as election fever goes critical. He increased the stress by deciding on an ad-libbed delivery.

Cameron said he would spell out what he believes, what he thinks is going wrong in Britain and what he would do about it.

He did that. He kept it cosy with lots of warm words: NHS, education, families etc. He dealt with his posh background with humour.

Some may find such a long speech delivered spontaneously a bit light compared to Brown.

But my guess is that the soundbites will play strongly, especially the election challenge and the frequent digs at Brown as cynical.

Tories I spoke to genuinely seemed to think that he had advanced their cause. One even said: "I really am looking forward to an election now."

Cameron also hit the spot with three out of four of Sky News' swing-voters in Redditch.

Comments

[Ronald Thompson, Cape Town SA 6 Oct 2007 17:19:28]

Hi E Welshman and Philip,you are spot on,the methods used in reporting and interviewing are dubious,leaving a lot to be desired, the news every 15 miutes is, in my estimation
smacks of a form of indoctrination enforcing the stations interpretation,rather than an unbiased reporting leaving the viewer to draw his or her own conclusions

[carol-ann liverpool 6 Oct 2007 12:58:30]

Bruce and Morning Post

I'm not going to do a Monty Python, LOL

Bet you two think young people are spoiled with their expensive trainers and satelite telly etc...
yeah, like progress shouldn't happen...sheesh..

RE CRIME AND YOUNG PEOPLE -

You are again perpertrating a myth loved of the Tories - that ALL young people are walking round with knives and guns.
The vast majority of young people in this country are law abiding, hard working and ambitious to get on in life-and young people, themselves, are more likely to be victims of violent crime than any other group.
It is the FEAR of crime due to myths that is higher than the actual fact.

Most youth crime is committed by a small number of young people repeatedly committing crime, although each crime that one person does is counted seperately in the crime figures.

If you look at crime figures you will find that for many years it has been the case that a high level of crime is committed by young men between teens up to 25 - after that, presumably because they settle into relationships, jobs, training e these young people go on to have succesful lives, leaving just a small minority to continue a life of crime.

Remember East End gangsters in the 60's? The Krays?

In 1950s, where I live, there were lots of knife
crimes and some gun crime and scores settled without the police ever knowing about it - as there was in many large cities at the time.

There has always been high crime levels in certain areas - as any insurance company will tell you.

[Bruce Hulmes / England 5 Oct 2007 15:59:46]

Effie.
On the subject of those nasty Tories closing pits, How many pits have been reopened under Labour?
How many ship yards have been reopened under Labour?
How many heavy engineering companies have been opened under Labour.
I await your answers

[The Morning Post 5 Oct 2007 15:13:03]

Dont remember any youth workers being around when i was a kid! Parents dispensed discipine at home, teachers at school and a clip around the ear by our local bobby sufficed in the streets. How times have changed!

[Trevor 5 Oct 2007 15:12:55]

Effie
Why not try ever so hard to get over the fact that Thatcher gave the bullying threatening miners, led by combed-over megalomanic Arthur Scargill, a damned good kicking and taught them not to try to hold the citizens of this country to ransom ever again.

THAT is what really rankles isn't it ? The miners were given a dose of their own medicine and didn't like it.

But do try to come up to date. It was a long time ago, even if your lot did lose the scrap and the British public won.

[Bruce Hulmes / England 5 Oct 2007 13:38:44]

Carol Ann.
Well under Labour the kids do not need youth workers(I take it you or your husband was a youth worker under the Tories)
they need armourers and made to measure body armour, how times changed under Blair.

[Bruce Hulmes / England 5 Oct 2007 13:35:47]

Carol Ann.
I am has happy as can be, I have no complaints in the way I took my life in my own hands have shaped it.
I am bitter on several fronts mostly for having to bring up other peoples families as well as my own. Watching politicians buying votes via the welfare system.
On my father he was bitter very similiar to you and several other Bloggers but he did work, hard manual work.
If perhaps if you had had a dream and the "go" to try and achieve it you may have been happier. You may not have succeeded but at least you would have tried, it is either the thought of failure that people are afraid of or to lazy to try, the latter is the most common amongst people with your attitude.

[Philip, Bristol 5 Oct 2007 12:10:16]

Morning Post

FOURTH YORKSHIREMAN: Right. I had to get up in the morning at ten o'clock at night half an hour before I went to bed, drink a cup of sulphuric acid, work twenty-nine hours a day down mill, and pay mill owner for permission to come to work, and when we got home, our Dad and our mother would kill us and dance about on our graves singing Hallelujah.

FIRST YORKSHIREMAN: And you try and tell the young people of today that ..... they won't believe you.

Really sorry.... just couldn't resist....LOL

[ss 5 Oct 2007 11:50:38]

Effie,

What miners strike ten years ago. The one you keep harping on about happened 22 years ago. Tony Blair was in power ten years ago. Did he oversee a miners strike then? Please refresh my memory.

[The Morning Post 5 Oct 2007 03:35:14]

Bruce

Your story rang a bell. I came from a broken home. My mother had four children to raise with no support from our father. She worked two jobs she did not claim any benefit, if indeed there were any to claim in those days. The four of us went to school on a packet of Marie buscuits and a cup of tea, had a free school meal for lunch and then egg or sausage and mash for dinner, if we were lucky. I filled the holes in my shoes with cardboard for months on end summer and winter. We used candles for light at night and old clothes for bed clothes. I too left school at 15 with no qualifications and joined the forces. Subsequently i built a successful business whilst raising three children having never claimed a penny in benefits in my life. For all that i am a strong supporter of a social security safety net for those in need. However its become a way of life for many families under successive governments. The whole system needs a complete and thorough overall, starting with those child support payments to immigrant workers!

[Victor, NW Kent 4 Oct 2007 18:18:10]

Careful Gary! If Labour HQ sees you have written about Brown's speech like that they will stop your supply of little red books.

[Merv. Beszant, Dubai 4 Oct 2007 18:02:50]

Gary,
There's nothing wrong with constructive criticism, but I do think that Mr. Cameron's
'don't add up' comment was related to the mathmatical ability of many of the children that are leaving our schools!

[carol-ann liverpool 4 Oct 2007 17:51:42]

Bruce:
Well, Good for you that you have achieved so much, but it doesn't seem to have made you any happier or less bitter than your father was: which is sad, really.

[carol-ann liverpool 4 Oct 2007 17:45:08]

Effie

Another consequence of the poll tax was hidden:

The Youth Service, being non-statutory, was decimated in many areas as councils tried to balance the books and avoid capping.

It has never really recovered: thousands of Youth Workers were made redundant:
They were the people who had been holding in check the consequences of poverty and youth disaffection.

Youth Workes were the people who sought to educate young people in social skills and what is now called 'citizenship'
- to empower, to counsel, to seek answers to their problems through the democratic process

In that year, on one medium to large housing estate in the North, 25 young people under the age of 25 (23 boys and 2 girls) committed suicide: several more attempted suicide.

Suicide rates which, as a social fact, remained steady for many years began to rise dramatically, particularly among young men.
The suicide rate is now falling.

Too true, M Thatcher's fingerprints are on the axe that cracked Britain.

That is why I literally cheered, when Ed Balls and Gordon Brown set out their further plans for young people and new, modern, youth clubs.

[Gary Elsby stoke 4 Oct 2007 17:23:28]

What did I think of the speech?

Absolutely useless.

Useless policies that don't add up.

Gary

[Bruce Hulmes / England 4 Oct 2007 17:18:34]

Effie.
Exactly which planet are you from,planet envy by the sounds of it.
The cockle pickers were illegal immigrants ie criminals and heres some news for you they worked and died under Tony Blair not Thatcher.
And on the subject of dole etc you and one or two of your fellow travellers can answer me this. How come I left school at fifteen with no qualifications, zero nothing, left on the friday started work on the Monday and have been in work one way or the other ever since.
I am now running my own small business and have managed to get both my children through university and in to good proffesions. I had a father who sounded just like you bitter, the reason he and most other working class people never improved their lot, then as now is simple, they are waiting for some other person to create a garden of Eden. Mention taking a risk to better themselves and there is alway a ready answer, as to why it cannot be done.

Basically you want it on a plate, come on Effie own up be honest.

[John Charlton 4 Oct 2007 17:06:11]

Adam, all three leaders speeches exceeded expectations? Give me a break! Brown's was filled with empty promises and his delivery was atrocious (and let me point out that he's controlled the domestic agenda for 10 years so if he has the answers now, what has he been doing all this time?) Only Cameron's could be considered a good speech and addressed the problems of the country. Adam what's wrong with you? Or are you looking for a 'gong' from Gordon? I hear that his predecessor had a price list...keep up the good work and Gordon might give you a discount...

[Effie 4 Oct 2007 15:41:39]

sw 4 Oct 2007 14:08:53

can't believe that Effie is still fighting the Miners Strike. Please move on.

You tell that to the people on the blog who keep asking daft questions!
Nothing they can say or do will alter my opinion of Tories Ever!
10 YEARS ON DOES NOT HEAL THOSE SCARS, they are there as a constant reminder of Tory Britain!

[The Morning Post 4 Oct 2007 15:29:17]

Yet another fallacy! As with todays Council Tax the unemployed were not expected to pay the poll tax in full but got very generous discounts dependant upon independant circumstances.

[Effie 4 Oct 2007 14:55:44]

ss 4 Oct 2007 12:55:18 Under Maggie Thatcher's I was paying £162 per annum Poll Tax and now pay £1380 per annum Council Tax.

I know that, but in Thatcher's time a lot of people were working for as little as 80p per hour, (that's if they could find any sort of work paying even that) they only get that now cockle picking illegally!

You cannot compare the wages then to now, plus the facts there are other benefits available now which could not be claimed then.
If you think trying to feed a family and paying her poll tax for two people out of one mans dole money is not stressful, there are a lot of women up and down this Country that could fill in the details, myself for starters!!!

[The Morning Post 4 Oct 2007 14:11:38]

No Scargill did not put four million on the dole, he merely ruined a whole industry and the lives of his union members who depended upon it!

[sw 4 Oct 2007 14:08:53]

I can't believe that Effie is still fighting the Miners Strike. Please move on. Your party won the past three elections and have been in power for 10 YEARS. That is the issue now. A lot of people don't know who Maggie Thatcher is and don't care. They are concerned with today's issues.

[The Morning Post 4 Oct 2007 14:08:09]

Philip

Not quite true! All unions are subject to the same legislation that Maggie introduced to curb trade union excesses and Labour promised to repeal when in power. Yet another lie!

[David Morris 4 Oct 2007 14:04:51]

Good grief Effie, so when Blair said "24 hours to save the NHS" he really meant 24 years?

Blaming everything on Thatcher ,17 years on, just doesn't wash any more. Sorry

[Effie 4 Oct 2007 13:49:35]

alan mcpartland dublin 4 Oct 2007 12:49:36

Hi Alan, because she did not get everything wrong, she sorted out the likes of Scargill which was long overdue and contrary to what a lot of idiots think a good many mining families detested him also.
She done for Labour what they had been trying to do for years but failed.
Only problem is Scargill for all his faults and there were many did NOT repeat NOT put 4 million people on the dole!

[Philip, Bristol 4 Oct 2007 12:58:14]

Madnurse said:

"The unions at this time were killing the country, someone had to sort out the problem Mrs Thatcher did this.
"

Almost right but not quite in my opinion. She didn't sort the health unions out properly which is part of the reason the NHS is in the current mess and she didn't sort the Post Office out. Now that's an interesting one considering Labour now have that problem.

Oh well....always a silver lining Pru...when the Tories get back at the next election it will be their problem.

Better hurry now......

[ss 4 Oct 2007 12:55:18]

Would someone please tell Effie that the world has moved on from the miners strike. Under Maggie Thatcher's I was paying £162 per annum Poll Tax and now pay £1380 per annum Council Tax. I am a single parent on an average wage and am certainly not better off under New Labour. Life is very stressful for everybody these days.

[alan mcpartland dublin 4 Oct 2007 12:49:36]

I would agree with much of what Effie wrote about Thatcher. I would like her to explain however why both Brown and Blair have at different times gone out of their way to praise her and in the case of Brown, lavish hospitality on her.

[Effie 4 Oct 2007 12:48:21]

Madnurse 4 Oct 2007 12:09:00

What took her 18 years to destroy is going to take 20 years if ever to put right.
As for the unions yes I agree with you on that, but only that!

[Dave, Northants 4 Oct 2007 12:37:31]

Ah yes because of Thatcher feral kids prowl our streets shooting innocent bystanders and Terrorists threaten our lives and our safety daily. Because of Thathcer the NHS has failed, The police are useless and the mail no longer arrives before lunch. Because of Thatcher we now live in an era or oppression and CCTV. Becasue of Thatcher the Human Rights act has robbed this country of its common sense. Because of Thatcher two PCSO's stood by while a kid drowned. Because of Thatcher my grass isn't as green as nextdoors and because of Thatcher summers are shorter and winters are longer.
Please get a clue. No one was as good for this country as Maggie (except maybe Churchill) and nothing has done more harm to it than 10 years of Labour

[The Morning Post 4 Oct 2007 12:36:54]

If my memory serves me correctly it was a certain Arthur Scargill who put mining families at each others throats and on a collision course with the government and law, having called a national strike without holding a ballot and having indulged in violent secondary picketing and intimidation of workers, some of whom lost their lives in the process! Had he balloted the miners, the majority, other than the most lawless militants in Arthur's barmy army, would have rejected strike action! He split families, ruined the mining industry and its union and split the country down the middle, all in the prosecution of his personal class war! As a result mines closed and miners lost their jobs and many their houses too! I doubt that those miners and their families who suffered under Scargill will have forgotton or forgiven him 20+ years later!

[Madnurse 4 Oct 2007 12:09:00]

Effie:

You stated that Mrs Thatcher started the broken society during her office, I dispute this. The unions at this time were killing the country, someone had to sort out the problem Mrs Thatcher did this.

However, it doesn't matter who started it, the quetion is, why have Labour with such a large majority over the last ten or so years, not solved it?

[Bruce Hulmes / England 4 Oct 2007 11:43:34]

Effie.
Still trying to blame the Thatcher government. Well the New Labour of all the talents have had nearly 11 years to put things right, so why did they just compound the situation?.
Labour have one aim every one dependant on the state not for the benefit of the workers but to retain power.
That is why the only industry they punp tax payers money into is the public sector, Resently visited our local
hospital and it was clear where the additional money Brown says Labour have pumped into the NHS as gone.There is an army of people walking around with files and bits of paper in their hands, all just passing each other too and throw.
And then we have all the non jobs campaigners for this and that, people sat in some office writing official forms in sixteen lanquangues, people ensuring we look both ways when we cross the road and the best, only a Labour government could come up with employing people to watch a child drown and paying them over sixteen thousand per year in the process.
But these non job people will like you keep supporting a corrupt and lying party who actually care not one iota for the workers,Billionaires yes workers no.
Long live socialism and the losers who accept it.

[Effie 4 Oct 2007 11:43:25]

Conservatives are yet again duped by David Cameron the young pretender;
Peter, Fife 4 Oct 2007 11:15:11

I do not think they are fooled Peter. This is an exercise in damage limitation a belt and braces job to appear united in Case Brown does the unthinkable and calls an election.
If the truth is know I bet those in the Press and Media think the same but cannot voice their true opinions.
Nobody will be more relieved than the Tories if he does not

[Peter, Fife 4 Oct 2007 11:15:11]

What I find astounding is that based on a few fiscally challenged bribes and a stage monologue, Conservatives are yet again duped by David Cameron the young pretender; it would appear that more than David Cameron are shallow.

[John Delaney Torquay 4 Oct 2007 11:00:16]

carol-ann liverpool

Carol I totally agree with what you say about that poor child but he didn't tell you that the care worker is probably paid privatley.

We dont need himm to tell us about his family we all have problems but we dont blab on about it.

[Victor, NW Kent 4 Oct 2007 10:59:52]

I had to sit well back from the monitor to read Effie's last post- even at distance the spittle was hitting me.

Effie, is of course, a class warrior whose hatreds are fed by ancient feuds, slights and disputes. Even supposing that a half of what she said is true there is no reason to accept the decay of society as a done thing, immutable and irreparable.

Mind you, Effie is open-minded enough to recognise the existence of the problem. New Labour has not even vaguely attempted to tackle this except by putting new labels on things and working to increase the degrading level of dependency for the lower working, or non-working,classes. So now someone has arisen who wants to try.

I am working class myself and I witnessed a denial of liberties in South Africa. However, it may be hard for some to understand the dignity of having a job, of being a useful member of society, of being a role model to your own children. This is denied to cradle-to-grave benefit claimants.

What I saw in South Africa was ever-increasing state surveillance, political corruption, wholesale nepotism, house arrest and detention without trial. To my absolute horror I see everyone of those today in Britain. We are walking not into a Socialist state but a National Socialist state.

[Philip, Bristol 4 Oct 2007 10:07:50]

I have read it all now. Labour supporters STILL blaming the last Thatcher government. Now we know they are in trouble when that old chestnut come out.

I blame Queen Victoria myself.

[Effie 4 Oct 2007 09:51:09]

I thought today "the boy done good".

Posted by: Trevor 3 Oct 2007 20:21:58

Yes Trevor, that is today, now he has given Brown a lot of red meat this week.

What are his policies going to be two weeks from now when Brown starts really analysing them and tearing them into shreds?
His agenda would please you it is right wing and he has had to revert to that just to shore up his core support.
More Redwood than Goldsmith.
Incidentally, I did notice that Cameron's friend Rebbekah Wade from the "Sun" turned her fire on Davis. As Davis has in effect been demoted, how long is he going to last now this week is over and the sticking plaster has held?

[Merv. Beszant, Dubai 4 Oct 2007 09:34:04]

Gary,
I think you'll find that Blair
will have taken all the war buttons with him when he left office, as he probably feels that he and Bush are the world leaders in war button pressing!

[Philip, Bristol 4 Oct 2007 09:34:01]

E Welshman said

"Adam,

If a general election is called, those swing-voters and others will be targetted relentlessly by you and Kay Burley to get them to change their minds to Labour"

That's a fact. Not content with asking Herr Peter Hitchen to comment on Dave's speech we were then treated to a mind numbing video of Diana's last day presented by the fragrant Ms Burley. Was I the only one who nodded off? We had just had incredible speech by Dave and the only spoiler Sky can think of is to watch 10 year old CCTV footage. You couldn’t make it up. Give the Beeb their due (not often I do that) but they stuck with the future not the past.

[Steve Poole in Dorset 4 Oct 2007 09:28:23]

That's remember people, who was the man who was directly involved with the decision making and Norman Lamont's advisor throughout Conservative rule and being chancellor that brought about "Black Monday" that alomost destroyed this country, yes you guest it (Come on down David Cameron) and exit stage right!

[Effie 4 Oct 2007 09:00:35]

Family breakdown has occurred and is accelerating.

Yes Victor and the rot set in with Thatcher.
People had to uproot their homes breaking up close knit families just to travel country-wide for work.
Then she set about the TOTAL destruction of the Mining villages and the devastation she created is still a scar on some of these villages today
In some families she had father's against sons, some of them to this day still not speaking to one another.
She created havoc in the textile industry in the Midlands and they have never recovered, jobs going abroad.
Don't you dare blame this government for this. She caused the break up of family units with her top down economics, tax rebates for the rich at the expense of the poor, the damnable Poll tax which only affected the poorer people, the only good thing that came out of that was it eventually brought that fiendish woman down and the Tories have never been trusted or recovered from since (thank God long may it continue).
She drove Mothers out to work just to feed kids who would more than likely had stayed at home to bring them up. Most woman would rather be at home with their children if given a choice but those days are gone and it is a female's right to choose what she wishes to do.
I am not saying that women are incapable of doing both they are, but a good many have not got a clue.
The simple reason being, their Mother's before them, were driven out to work so a lot of parenting skills have been lost. They had to go as a matter of neccessity not choice, just to feed hungry little bellies and keep clothes on their back and shoes on their feet. Their Fathers could not get work, there just were not the jobs even for those willing to uproot and travel. People were on the scrap heap at 50 years old.
Do not Dare blame this government for that.
Bear in mind we lived here through it, you once said you spent a lot of time working. abroad in S.Africa.
We are now reaping what your Idol Thatcher has sown the seeds of destruction and was the biggest contributer to today's ills. We are now reaping the crop.
Thatcher's legacy to the Country.
"A BROKEN SOCIETY"!!!

[Norman Farthing 4 Oct 2007 08:56:32]

Having been a party member (up to the time when DC was elected leader), I now find that DC has at last presented a Tory face for the first time in his 2 years as leader. I was pleasantly surprised and equally pleasantly impressed- all he has to do now is get in and do it!

[Philip, Bristol 4 Oct 2007 08:21:02]

Excellent speech. Pru has got to be really worried now. As obviously one or two on this blog are. He has marched them up the hill…now…..whoops…what do I do now? Knowing Pru he will go and hide somewhere.

I admit it is a bit strange after 10 years to have someone say they are speaking from the heart and maybe….just maybe… meaning it. It’s alien to a lot of voters.

I have to laugh at the WW111 jibe. Considering the mess this government have made on defence and an ethos which allows our troops to be used as a cynical PR stunt by a coward of a PM.

One thing is a fact. We can suspect Cameron is lying as much as Labour does, we can think that the Tories are going to be as bad as this current bunch of losers…but we KNOW that Labour lie, cheat and corrupt. So the choice is….carry on as we are, know that we will give away our sovereignty to the EU, be overwhelmed by immigration and continue to be taxed with public services that are collapsing. OR, take a chance, have a referendum to stop the takeover of our country, help people who have contributed money for their retirement over 30 years whose pension schemes have been decimated and treat our troops with the dignity they deserve.

And now to something I don’t laugh at. As the father of a daughter with cerebral palsy (she is 27 years old now) I totally object to some disability rights campaigner being “furious and disgusted” over Cameron mentioning his disabled child. Why don’t we lock them all up in Bedlam and forget they existed shall we? Now I don’t normally take all this too seriously but with disabled kids you have hit a personal nerve. If that is what a “disability rights campaigner” thinks God help them.

Oh I forgot…I am supposed to laugh about it aren’t I. LOL…not.

[The Morning Post 4 Oct 2007 04:07:51]

A good speech well delivered but one swallow does not make a summer! Now lets hear some meaningful policy statements on matters important to the British people like fair taxation, law & order, supervised immigration, modernisation of public services and the total withdrawal of all British troops from Afganistan NOW. As i predicted a long time ago, its fast turning into a disaster with no clearly defined strategy or end game and the death toll keeps growing!

[jane, Lincs 4 Oct 2007 02:06:48]

Has the world gone totally mad!! Everyone who still has the ability to think beyond the end of their nose must be able to see what new labour is doing to the country. To hell with the statemanship of David Cameron v George Brown lets get someone in power who isn't a control freak. If Gordon Brown continues Blair's policy of regulation and targets based on quick fix results I suggest we all read or re read George Orwell's 1984 to get a taste of what life will be like in the not too distant future.
I for one believe that either Cameron or Campbell would at least introduce policies that didn't replace the term "civil servant" with that of "State police". They would, I hope, remember who pays the salaries.

[E Welshman 4 Oct 2007 00:49:36]

Gary Elsby,

You need to go into a darkened room with ear-phones and a blindfold, and listen to a recording of David Cameron's speech (twice would be even better). I promise you will come out a different person.

I hope Liam Fox doesn't hit that button because his constituency is not too far away from me !

[trisha london 4 Oct 2007 00:46:40]

ive looked at blogs ie bbc etc re cameron/election, over whelming support for cameron/tories, i do believe your poll and media in general may be a tad fixed, lets hope the election isn't,

[kerrie furlong 3 Oct 2007 23:29:41]

I as a floating voter was hoping he would say something that would at least persuade me to think about voting for the Conservatives.However,he still sounds like a car salesman.I cannot put my finger on it but there is something slimey about him.He's like Blair but worse.When he started going on about his rich upringing and Eton schooling,I couldn't understand why he brought it up.Was he trying to rub other peoples noses in it.In short I thought it was quite poor and re-enforced the view that he is Blair-lite.This is one floating voter he has turned off.

[Roberta Love 3 Oct 2007 23:12:12]

If 4000 people from the UK are going to 'Camps' in Muslim Countries, as per David Cameron's speech - why are we not recinding their passports so they cannot return to the UK?

[Richard Wilmslow 3 Oct 2007 22:35:06]

Well to me his speech was all about traditonal Tory philosphy - we won't interfere in your lives because we don't want to spend the money or take the responsibility.

If your're ill, the family will help, if your're old, the family will help and if you're the child of an incompetent parent, the family is best dear!

So in good old Tory fashion, if you have no family nearby -
Don't be old, Don't get ill and if you have an incompetent parent or two well thats just tough because you're not our responsibility!

Oh and dont let you're spouse die or run off from you because you will then be one of those nasy single parent families and we'll take your tax credits off you to give to the millionaires so they don't pay any inheritence tax!

It will play good to the Tories for sure - but the rest of us? I dont think so really do you?

[David E. Jones, Maidenhead, Berks. 3 Oct 2007 21:12:04]

David Cameron has ability, conviction and vision. He is the future, Brown and Labour are the past. Brown would lose his safe majority if he called an election now.

[Neil Turner Watford Northants 3 Oct 2007 21:07:13]

I've voted Tory for the best part of 30 years now, but was very disillusioned with Cameron's "New Tory" vision rolled out 2 years ago. I vowed not vote for them, because I didn't like the commitement to same sex marriages, his reticence on standing up the the EU, or the lack of tax cuts.

I have to say now though, that it looks better. I'm particularly impressed with the offer of a vote on the EU Constitution (which I would vote against), his commitment to (traditional ?) families, and his exposure of Gordon Brown's cycnical spin operation in Iraq yesterday.

[Trevor 3 Oct 2007 20:21:58]

AS a wavering Tory as a result of Dave's lacklustre leadership and his attempts to reformat the Conservative Party in his own image, I have not been at all impressed with him ever since he was elected.
And I have not been at all shy of often saying so.
But - credit where it's due -- I thought today "the boy done good".

[E Welshman 3 Oct 2007 20:08:14]

Adam,

If a general election is called, those swing-voters and others will be targetted relentlessly by you and Kay Burley to get them to change their minds to Labour, as you did in a northern constituency (the name escapes me) in the run up to the last election.

David Cameron will not only be fighting Grabber Gordon, he will be fighting Sky and the BBC as well.

[Neil, London 3 Oct 2007 19:53:15]

On balance I thought Cameron's speech was better and delivered more confidently than Brown's was. I particulary liked what he said about crime, immigration and a referendum. I voted for Blair in 1997 but feel very let down by Labour. I am not sayng the Conservatives are the answer to everything, but I do believe that Cameron has a greater understanding of the public's concerns that Brown does. Labour has made the most almighty mess of dealing with law and order and immigration. They have broken their promise about giving us a referendum which the overwhelming majority of the British people want. I also think the idea of future referendums regarding the EU is an excellent idea which will be very popular with the public. And the sooner the Human Rights act is scrapped, along with ID cards and Home Packs the better of we'll be. Definately TIME FOR CHANGE.

[Steve, Poole in Dorset 3 Oct 2007 19:12:02]

We have personally emailed David Cameron, just as we have many times over these past two years in trying to gain his attention in addressing the discrimination toward us from within his Conservative Controlled Poole Borough Council...

We are watching your speech this afternoon and although your making yourself sound positive, you have and remain too be completely negative toward those in the community that you expect to put you in-to 10 Downing Street and become the next Prime Minister.

You have praised and supported a "Mr John Brooks" in addressing the loss of his much earned pension which is very much worthwhile. You have however, ignored "Mr Steve Brooks" for the last two years of his communications to you and those within your Conservative Controlled Council as "Ward" Councillors. We have requested many times over in cries for help from the horrors of personal attack, hatred crimes, damage to property, attempted break-in's & discriminations toward us. Yet, you have chosen to ignore every communication we have made to you and that of your "Ward" Councillors, leaving us to fend for ourselves and obtain no direct support in addressing such horrors. We have been forced to go outside of our community in order to obtain such support and still we remain in fear for our lives that are taking there toll on our health dramatically as a disabled man who has no real ability to defend himself from such hatred crimes that you and your party have clearly decided that such concerns as these are "NOT MATTERS FOR YOU TO INVOLVE YOURSELVES WITH" even though this is a council controlled by your party and whilst all such crimes against us have been caused, they have all been within Conservative Controlled "Wards". We have even gained support from a councillor who is outside of our "Ward" and has made his displeasures known to your councillors but still they, like yourself, have remained in silence. It's reasons like this that clearly tell us and possibly others within this country, that you and your party remain to offer empty words and total ignorance to those that you consider to be "Second Class Citizens" who don't share the inner circle of upper class snobbery and therefore of no real importance to your concerns. Well it's people like ourselves who have the last word and it won't be empty in it's decision to keep such upper class snobs out of office and out from taking control and keeping us quiet from what you should really be doing to help this country and the people in it!

[Ben (Northampton) 3 Oct 2007 18:53:06]

A fantastic speech.

David Cameron really is a great "new age" politician. He manages to fuse modern issues such as the Environment within a freedom based, conservative framework. His policies on tax, the environment and welfare are quite brilliant in their simplicity, especially since he is supposed to be a man of no substance.

I also really appreciate the fact he can talk about new internet technologies such as MySpace and Facebook. It shows that he understands the younger generation, the single most important group of voters for our country's future.

Well done DC.

[David Morris 3 Oct 2007 18:41:42]

Since our resident Liverpool novellist only managed half a chapter I suspect the speech was actually much better than claimed.

Whether this was a good speech or not will be decided on whether your man dissolves parliament next week or not. end of story.

[Northernhousewife 3 Oct 2007 18:40:52]

A great speech from an honourable and serious man. A lot better than the cheap Brown spin in Iraq where newspaper journos were banned and his rehashed US speech. DC bravely exposed himself. Brown hides .Voters..to use a US phrase ....go figure.

[E. Greenacre, Grimsby 3 Oct 2007 18:35:45]

We are led to believe from the press that what the country wanted to hear was a clear exposition from David Cameron on what he was about.
After this speech, I think they now have a good idea. They wanted to know if David Cameron was just a lightweight, or a serious politician. The breadth of subjects covered and the detail in the speech answered this. It was an excellent speech and I think it has enhanced his chances being elected Prime Minster. A lot of people would like a change but were unsure about David Cameron. I think this, and other policies announced at the conference, may very well swing the balance in his favour with a lot of conservative, or undecided voters. Of course the irony is that it has probably swung the balance against Gordon Brown calling a snap election. Damm.

[Amul Naik South Norwood 3 Oct 2007 18:34:04]

What a great speach the best I have seen since Margaret Thacher & Hesaltine.
Just the kind of leader the country needs.
He has got my vote.

[Northernhousewife 3 Oct 2007 18:26:44]

Winston Churchill delivered his speeches without notes.
He said alot. That should be a good thing. The talk at the office and on chatty tv shows is the disappointment with G Brown not actually saying anything and being too slick.As an elction wears on this will be a disadvantage. The more people see of D.C the more they like him. The reverse is true of G.B

[Peter, Fife 3 Oct 2007 18:25:33]

If we are looking for an individual who can stand on a stage and talk for an hour with only a few notes with a few seemingly strange pregnant pauses then David Cameron is your man; unfortunately for the United Kingdom he is auditioning for the job of Prime Minister not an individual to recite one of Shakespeare’s monologues.

We cannot assess an individual’s suitability to run the most important office of state based on a stage performance; whilst such performances are clearly satisfactory to delude those who gathered in Blackpool two years ago for at least four months, I honestly feel that the honeymoon for this speech will be much shorter.

Much of the speech was littered with old Conservative promises rephrased to make them seem different; Gordon Brown may wait to see if there is a ‘bounce’ or wait to see how long it takes for the Conservatives to become disenchanted again with their leader.

The only certainty is that if Gordon Browns calls a General Election the Conservatives will claim they are driving the agenda, if he doesn’t they will claim he is fearful of their leader, party and their policies; the weakness in such a claim is that politics and running the UK is ever so slightly more complex than a playground wheeze.

[John, Kefalonia, Greece 3 Oct 2007 18:02:05]

I know David Cameron is still a little wet behind the ears, but he is getting there. His speech was spot on, concerning many issues in the UK today.

One point that he made, what has changed in the country since Blair stepped down? Not alot from what I can see from over here. You still have the following.

Out of control levels of Crime.
Nhs funding, staffing, super bugs.
Immigration over load.
War War and more War.
Terroism.
Prisons full to the brim.
High income tax.
Your hard work paying for people to sit around having a easy life on benefits.

The list go's on and on.

Will Cameron make it better, I think he can, he is no wonder cure for this country. At least the Conservatives can't make it any worst than it is now.

Remember when we all voted for Blair back in 97? Their theme tune was things can only get better. Oh My!

[ANDY , BRISTOL 3 Oct 2007 17:34:17]

I hope that Mr Cameron's speech is not overshadowed by the constant Diana obsession, the future is more important than the past, and think that the labour Government has had its day. Not voted Tory before, I think I will next time.

[tony.guildford 3 Oct 2007 17:33:53]

to speak without autocue and lectern for an hour was quite a feat adn generally bereft of spin .
he went into the reasons why we are in a mess and showed he had thought of ways how to solve them. he came across well . i was impressed

[Gary Elsby stoke-on-trent 3 Oct 2007 17:24:32]

Dave is all smiles and presentation.

When it comes to actual decisions he sets on Boris the bufoon to run London and a Labour supporter, Tony Lit to run for election.

To top all that he has Liam Fox chomping at the bit to get his hands on the button marked WW111.

Well, as it happens I can top that. |He has George 'backstabber' Osborne walking around with 'next PM' written all over him.

Don't get me started on the author and part time shadow secretary, William '29 pints' Hague.

It's all over before it begins for the Tories. Long may Dave rally conferences that rate him less than Labour do.

Gary

[Purps, 3 Oct 2007 17:20:54]

Although I would have preferred him to be a lot harder on Brown the Stalinist;
they should have set the platform up with a pulpit on the far left of the stage with an effigy of the one eyed brown monster giving a sermon.

He should have had a backdrop with rolling headlines of Nu-Labour cock-ups and made more of the fact that while Blair was going on international adventures Brown was at home ruining the country .

He should have also said his first act as prime minister would be to hold a referendum on the union with Scotland giving the English people the chance to ditch Scotland and Wales

His final remarks to conference should have been to tell his party to go out and save the good people from the UK from the prospect of a one-party authoritarian state. Tell them they probably had another two years to campaign as Brown being a ditherer and control freak would not dare to give up the trappings of being prime minister so early..

Very well done David. I liked the joke on Born Mouth

[Victor, NW Kent 3 Oct 2007 17:19:25]

Well, the NHS and education are in a constant roiling mess. Family breakdown has occurred and is accelerating. These seem to be issues worth addressing and Cameron, at least, can talk about them without guilt.

Cynical is when Brown, the architect of NuLabs social engineering stands up and says that "we are going to clean hospitals up" or "we are going to ensure that every child gets a good education". Those are the promises of 1997 unfulfilled in 2007.

[Madnurse 3 Oct 2007 17:17:09]

I agree the speech was a bit too long, but I think he held the attention of his audience throughout.
As a former party member, I thought he did at least sound a little more like a Conservative this time.
Some good ideas, some daft ones. At the end of the day only one poll counts and that is the one on the day Mr Brown chooses to go to the country. At the end of his speech, I honestly thought for a moment he was going to do the Dirty Harry bit: Are you feeling lucky Gordon? Go ahead punk, make my day! Now that would have been theatre.

[carol-ann liverpool 3 Oct 2007 17:16:57]

Immediate reaction?

It was a good speech, meant to touch all the right buttons and looked rather cleverly presented - however:

-it was too long

-too detailed (too much info, already!)

-too slick

- too much like an American -style pyramid selling enterprise.

The sick bucket bits?

Said at the end he wouldn't give us a 'sob-story '- went to Eaton, magistrate mother but proud of it etc
But, earlier when talking about the NHS, he talked about his disabled child yet again:

(doesn't he think that child has an equal right to privacy as his other children?)

My husband, a disability rights campaigner, was furious and disgusted with that bit.

Dave said: 'I believe..' so often that we thought he was ging to break out into a chorus of the old Frank Ifield tune:( 'I believe for every drop of rain that falls, a flower grows...)

Got a couple of song titles in there off the iPod
e.g. You Can Get It If You Really Want...?

He aimed his speech at every possible group and you could pick them off one by one:

I was almost waiting for him to say he was going to cut the cost of dog food and budgie seed!

"You've left out the pets, we chorused"! What about the plants and flowers! LOL

Has he pulled it off? Time will tell...

Now, let us read between the lines.....