大象传媒

I have to say, that was one of the best speeches David Cameron has given to date. He set out his party's policies clearly and for the first time in ages sounded like he could be a real alternative.

The question is whether Mr Brown will now call an election. My hunch, after listening to Cameron's speech, is that he won't. If he does, he's taking a mighty big gamble.

Speaking for an hour. No notes. With just an occasional fluff. And his only misjudgement appeared to be the use of the P word. That's some high-wire act.
He's raised the bar. Other politicians must be quaking about having to follow suit.

Very impressive indeed, and seemingly very genuine - made Brown's whole demeanour, stance and cynical approach to politics look very shabby indeed.

If every elector watched the speech it might make a difference - but of course they won't. What a shame we just have soundbites these days.

Speaking for an hour. No notes. With just an occasional fluff. And his only misjudgement appeared to be the use of the P word. That's some high-wire act.
He's raised the bar. Other politicians must be quaking about having to follow suit.

I live in Northern Ireland and therefore cannot (meaningfully) vote for the tories in any forthcoming Westminster election but Cameron had me out of my chair. What a performance compared to the dour scotsman last week.

Up until today i had reservations that Mr Cameron was a centrist politician who didn't really stand for anything, while he didn't indeed lurch to the left or right, he did however do something that Brown could never do: give some real conservative meat for voters to get their teeth into and he offered an alternative to the New Labour promised land.

I hope he gets a bounce of this as he deserves it after what was for me one of the most memorable political speeches i have ever seen.

I think it was an excellent speech from a modern politician who could be a great PM. He contrasts well in comparison to Brown who uses the offices of State (Iraq Trip)to enhance the possibility of winning a GE.

Cameron is in touch and even knows what facebook is!!!

Hands down the best speech I've heard in a long time. Basic, simple and full of sound policies that had some thought behind them.
He stumbled on a few words, but that only served to highlight how Cameron didn't need a script to talk from the heart.

Now it's a question of waiting for the first poll...

I know the 大象传媒's coverage of the Conservative conference has been a bit sparse, but is this rather dismissive side note the best you can come up with?

Nick,
Great speech and delivery. For Gordon to rise to the challenge of bringing on the Election after that will be a big gamble. Gordon is a calculator, not a gambler.

Let's see the wekend polls. Will it be back to the trenches, ot over the top?

That was the most uninspiring speech I've heard from a party leader in a long time. Where was the passion? Where was the anger?

It was like watching a conversation at a fringe meeting, not a potential last big speech from a leader before a general election.

Cameron can do better than that - what went wrong today?

Brilliant!

He has won me over, a from the heart speech, he somehow gave the impression he was 'one of us' - not just a politician but a 'member of the public', with the same concerns as the rest of us. Only he [if elected] would have the power to do something about them - and I believe he would.

I was impressed by his technique too. I was bored of Brown's speech after 10 minutes (and so was he, I thought) whereas I hung on to Cameron's. It contained a lot of detail which confounded his image but also he remembered it all! I think the Tories have had a good week. Brown would be mad to call an election. They have the momentum. I live in a new marginal and the young black Tory candidate's 4th leaflet dropped through our letterbox today. We know his face and name. Labour haven't been round for 2 years.

David Cameron may have performed well but he doesn't have good policies, very similar to labour. So I may stick with the experienced politician and that is PRIME MINISTER, GORDON BROWN.

At last!!
A Down to earth speech, no waffle, no 6 o'clock news headline-grabbing sound-bite propaganda full of soon-to-be-broken promises; just a heart-felt speech which will appeal to the middle-of-the-road, middle class, middle Englanders, specially those who remember when it was safe to go out on foot after dark, those whose pensions have been stolen by this PM who would like us to forget that he has been at the financial forefront of this disastrous government for 10 years.
Bring on the election and let's see an end to this pathetic bunch of political opportunists, most of whom have never held down a "proper" job in their lives.

I take it then Nick that you'ill be voting Labour... This piece reminds me of the attacks on the Labour Party by the media during the Thatcher years. Where's the analysis and the balance? All we get is a thinly disguised personal attack on David Cameron - argument ad hominem. Disgraceful.

I've never voted before and have traditionally been inclined towards Labour. I really hope Gordon Brown announces an Autumn election as I will be able to exercise my right to vote - for the Conservatives.

The speech was very impressive. I think the irony will not be lost on the news groups whom have to cover this speech that second and third items on the news agenda appear to be another shooting in London and raids on people traffickers across the nation. He truly is forcing politicians to raise their game with his style of delivery.

Great speech , cleverly presented,
full of policy and conviction
complete contrast to wooden Brown
Will go down well in the country at large despite negative spinning from Pienaar and other media Labour luvvies

A speech without notes or autocues? Big deal. So the guy's got a good memory, but any notion that he's 'talking from the heart' just nonsense. He memorised the whole thing to make it 'look better' - isn't that just spin?!

Forget about cameron v brown, we aren't voting for a president and this isn't the x factor you noggins, it's not performances it's policies!! I voted for policies once with labour but didn't get them.

After Gordon has destroyed pensions and set me up for a fairly frugal retirement, the inheritance change to 1 million could help my family well into the future. They have my vote, but I have to confess they already had me with the scrapping of the identity card, because i like freedom.

It was that good, I thought how on earth is he doing it? Is the speech being fed into his ear by some clever techno-trickery and he's simply repeating it to the audience? But no. He'd maybe memorised some portions, but it came across exactly as he meant it - spontaneous, sincere, from the heart.

Nick,
Great speech and delivery. For Gordon to rise to the challenge of bringing on the Election after that will be a big gamble. Gordon is a calculator, not a gambler.

Let's see the wekend polls. Will it be back to the trenches, ot over the top?

That鈥檚 David Cameron unplugged Nick.
May I first and foremost congratulate the person or persons that worked on Cameron鈥檚 makeup for the cameras. Do you not think Cameron looked fresh Nick?
I was going to write in detail about Cameron鈥檚 speech Nick, but for the time being may I say that 99% of it was all wind, unsubstantiated claims and big fat lies, just like the case of Northern Rock. Just to mention one other lie, he says 50% of 11 year olds do not know how to read and write! BIG FAT LIE Nick!
It was also quite rich for Cameron to speak about unemployment, schools, NHS, nurses and doctors. Short memory I should say when 10 years ago we had to wait 2 years for a heart by-pass! No mention about our economy Nick, why ? because he would have another BIG question mark on his head to justify tax cuts.
I have six words for Cameron, Nick:

STOP LIEING THROUGHT YOUR TEATH CAMERON

The speech was not from the heart, but usual rhetoric from a group of people, trying to Americanise Britain. No thanks and not impressed Nick! Have a nice day Nick.

A speech without notes or autocues? Big deal. So the guy's got a good memory, but any notion that he's 'talking from the heart' is just nonsense. He memorised the whole thing to make it 'look better' - isn't that the sort of superficiality he was supposed to want rid of?!

DC definitely has my vote - this country has got progressively worse under Labour, and politics has suffered as a result of spin government. I have been taxed to the hilt with little or no impact on NHS, Education & Crime. We seem to have a real alternative now - can't wait for the election!!

Impressive but may be too slick too quick?

Nick,

Well that was impressive! I am sure that Gordon's team were listening closely. It may be true that not everyone will have watched the speech, but will Gordon want to go through an entire election campaign on equal coverage terms with such a communicator?

Gordon Brown is a calculator and not a gambler. I think that unless he is absolutely sure he will win, he will back off!

I expect that he will wait for the weekend polls and then decide to return to the trenches, or go over the top!

Nick, I was very disappointed at your cynical reaction to what I thought was a darn good speech. I've been watching and reading your blog and the comments generated for some time, poo-pooing all the "大象传媒 is biased" comments but you've just tipped me over the edge. What chance this country when the major media entity is politically as far to the left as you have just displayed? Shame on you and, more to the point, what do the Tories have to do to get you and your colleagues off their backs? Vote Labour?

Wow, the summer's over, as is Gordon Brown's honeymoon.

David Cameron's speech should mean we're back to serious politics where Brown's gimmicks won't wash anymore.

Things just got interesting again.

Regardless of his speech today to try and win over disillusioned voters, the fact remains that Tory policies are few and far between.

I'm sure I am not alone in believing that until he gives the electorate some definite policies upon which to base their vote, they will continue to refrain from doing so.

We want policies, not talk, Mr Cameron!

Found my thought process wondering as he spoke. he didn't keep my attention, and through boredom can't remember chunks of the speak.

A genuine tour de force by Cameron. If voters were exposed to real politicians, making real speeches like Cameron, there would be no contest - Cameron would defeat Brown with ease. Problem is that this is the age of the crafted sound-bite, rather than the extemporised speech. What a pity!

there really is no content to what he said. he is blairs heri but that is not what the public want. i wouldnt trust him witht the tv remote control never mind the country

That was quite a speech. It seemed very genuine, honest, sincere and from the ehart. And most of all, it touched all the points I have been wanting to hear from any of the three parties.
He may be posh and he may be privileged but if he can govern as well as he spoke today there's real hope. He ahs my vote.

I didn't agree with everything he said, and I wouldn't say I completely 'believe' in Mr. Cameron - he still looked slick to me.

However, the majority of his policies really did make sense. Even though some bits of his package don't appeal to me, it really did sound like the 'modern Conservative party' had put some thought into it, and I reckon the country would be a better place if they were put into practice.

When you contrast that with Brown's speech, which (I was surprised) *actually was* just a bunch of rehashed policies that had failed or been discarded already, I can say unreservedly that if a snap election is called, I'll be a Tory voter.

Sure, Cameron's slick, but at least he's got good policies.

With respect to Michael Read above (and the commentariat in general), what the damn does it matter if he can read a speech without notes? So what if Cameron's got a slightly better memory than Brown or Campbell. Big deal!

What's important is whether they've got a genuine sense of purpose and leadership. If they believe what they say. If they have a good idea of what the best sense of direction for this country is. If they can be trusted with the economy, the NHS, schools, the environment, law and order and public transport. I'm afraid Cameron doesn't cut the mustard at al. If the _best_ thing you can say about his conference speech was that he learned it off by heart...well, that says it all really.

Even the more conservative blogs seem to think it was a bit of a damp squib. It will be interesting to see what the papers make of this tomorrow morning.

What P word?

He can give a speech just using notes!!!! Wow lets make the man PM, no wait a minute he can't do much else apart from this party trick. OK speech in realty, but not much more than that.

Full credit to him for offering to leave the health service in the hands of professionals! Good idea, let Doctors be Doctors not administrators! If only they would do that with the education system and let teachers be teachers as well, then my ballot paper may just be blue not red this time round, if of course they keep their word and its not all just a well planned out propaganda campaign.

That was quite a speech. It seemed very genuine, honest, sincere and from the ehart. And most of all, it touched all the points I have been wanting to hear from any of the three parties.
He may be posh and he may be privileged but if he can govern as well as he spoke today there's real hope. He ahs my vote.

For the first time I could see why Cameron is the Tory leader. He spoke well and was very credible, an unusual trait in a politician. I might even think about going back to the Tories!

I'd be more impressed if there was real substance rather than rhetoric. Cameron needed to do this just to wake up the Tory Cronies who have started to back-stab over recent weeks. Unfortunatley DC brings nothing new - he's just an untested/unproven TB at best ... and, in reality, possibily much worse.
Don't get carried away with impressive public speaking btw ... you have to get something from all that time at public school and being able to talk for one hour doesn't mean you will make a good PM, or eben a good leader!!

I was so impressed!

I'm sure he'll be very good on just-a-minute - if he ever needs to find work. we already know politicians can talk! it's what else they can do - or can't do - that counts.

even facebook doesn't like him?

"Politics you can believe in".

That is some slogan.

One small problem, it is being uttered by somebody belonging to an established political party, which means there is no escape from the long history of 'politicians you simply cannot believe in'.

One day, 'politics you can believe in' will actually be a true statement but that would almost certainly involve casting aside established political parties and utilising technology to provide a more-or-less direct connection between those making political decisions and those affected by such.

In England, that day seems a long way off.

no notes or auto q? don't make me laugh - just more proof of a cynical attempt at spin. This guy is blair mark II for god's sake don't be fooled

So we have a contrast in styles...

One man, under pressure, steps out from behind the lectern, and speaks for over an hour from the heart, without notes ... not an easy thing to do at the best of times, but under such pressure, where your career depends on it - and to do it with such aplomb.

The other man, when under pressure tends to disappear altogether, he hesitates, and snipes from the shadows.

Who would the country trust in a crises?

I don't think there is a comparison.

A good effort. Totally appropriate use of the "P" word. No harm in it at all.

Good he didn't need the autocue.

Not a barnstormer but I'd imagine Cameron would say that is typical of the "Old Politics".

A calm, measured speech.

What kind of a blog is this? There was no commentary whatever on what he actually said, whether his aims and aspirations are likely to chime with the electorate, any reaction from independent observers, nothing. Just a snidey little snipe from the side about style. And we wonder why the public is disengaged by politics.

As a non-Tory, I was pretty impressed by his speech. Didn't agree with a lot of it, and I don't want him running the country, but he has shown himself to be a very serious challenger to Brown.

Full credit to him for offering to leave the health service in the hands of professionals! Good idea, let Doctors be Doctors not administrators! If only they would do that with the education system and let teachers be teachers as well, then my ballot paper may just be blue not red this time round, if of course they keep their word and its not all just a well planned out propaganda campaign.

That was quite a speech. It seemed very genuine, honest, sincere and from the ehart. And most of all, it touched all the points I have been wanting to hear from any of the three parties.
He may be posh and he may be privileged but if he can govern as well as he spoke today there's real hope. He ahs my vote.

Full credit to him for offering to leave the health service in the hands of professionals! Good idea, let Doctors be Doctors not administrators! If only they would do that with the education system and let teachers be teachers as well, then my ballot paper may just be blue not red this time round, if of course they keep their word and its not all just a well planned out propaganda campaign.

No prompter, blah, blah, blah, just hours spent with advisers trying to make it look natural...you can bet this was market tested to hell. Remember, DC's only proper job was in PR and he was widely recognised as a master of the art.

How easily people are fooled...

David Cameron's easy, non belligerent tone was pitched to near perfection for so crucial an occasion, and, I believe, his speech will raise both his and his party's profile high enough to warrant the distinct possibility of a narrow victory should Gordon Brown cut and run into a November General Election.

A very good speech from Mr. Cameron!
Remember however, that today this Opposition leader was a man fighting for his political life!
Unfortunately for Mr. Cameron, his opponent is no ordinary man but a remarkable politician who has steered the U.K. economy through one of the most prosperous periods in its history without pleasing either the Right, or the Left!
His apparent dour indifference to criticism has always been a great frustration for the Opposition, who have rarely got the better of him!
This Prime Minister is undoubtedly a ruthless individual with a political nous, and hide like an elephant to match, and it will take more than fine speeches to remove him from the apex of his power?

The Conservatives will not only have an uphill struggle to dislodge New Labour (who've bought thousands of votes by expanding the public sector- with our money) but they've got to take on the 大象传媒. Last week the 大象传媒 let the New Labour conference go through with barely a criticism, and comments from the opposition parties seemed in short supply - funny that. This week however, I've heard the 大象传媒 News use sleight of hand to question (not report) the Conservative Party conference. In one main news piece today, about Cameron's forthcoming speech, mention of two conservative councillors resigning was attached to the item - why? What was it's context or relevance to the item being 'reported'. Was it to plant the idea that the Conservatives are in trouble? Are the 大象传媒 still kow towing to New Labour after the Kelly fiasco, when they effectively caved in to Government pressure although as we now know the 'offending' news item was 'on the money'.

Seems like he did a good job. The points Cameron made did make good common sense to me. Especially the points about policing and I think the points made on immigration were well put - not racist or insular in anyway - just making the point that immigration whilst beneficial for the economy needs to be controlled at the same time.
If he made the speech without autocues then that is very impressive and shows some confidence and ability.
I haven't actually bothered to vote before but I will vote for Cameron if an election is called because I think he is looking at common sense ideas to improve great britain.

At least and at last a politician who sounds like he really believes in what he is saying rather than saying what he thinks is necessary to prolong his position at the trough of taxpayers' money. Oh for a political party with a strictly commonsense agenda rather than one based on prejudice and dogma - the first one to convince me that this is their agenda has my vote, next month or whenever.

So we have a contrast in leadership...

One man, under pressure, steps out from behind the lectern, and speaks for over an hour from the heart, without notes ... not an easy thing to do at the best of times, but under such pressure, where your career depends on it - and to do it with such aplomb.

The other man, when under pressure tends to disappear altogether, he hesitates, and snipes from the shadows.

Who would the country trust in a crises?

I don't think there is a comparison.

HE TRIED BUT WAS NOT CONVINCING ENOUGH.

I deliver presentations as part of my role at work and know how difficult they are to do. I have not seen or heard the speech, but if it true that he has presented for over an hour with no autocue in front of an audience that large and with that level of pressure then you must take your hat off to him.

Im sorry im not impressed an hour long speech delivered with no autocue is different but not impressive. Neither was his argument. Yes Labour have been poor and lost momentum but im not convinced i can vote for a party who are just punting different gimmicks. The Tories were miffed because of Brown's announcment in Iraq. If Cameron had half the chance he would do exactly the same. It will be the party that moves away from media gimmicks and towards real believable and achievable policies that will get my vote.

As Mr Kinnock once said "we're alright" "we're alright"

Looks like the Tories havent really got any new ideas - they are all presentation without the substance

I'd be more impressed if there was real substance rather than rhetoric. Cameron needed to do this just to wake up the Tory Cronies who have started to back-stab over recent weeks. Unfortunatley DC brings nothing new - he's just an untested/unproven TB at best ... and, in reality, possibily much worse.
Don't get carried away with impressive public speaking btw ... you have to get something from all that time at public school and being able to talk for one hour doesn't mean you will make a good PM, or eben a good leader!!

An excellent speech - delivered in a very organised and attractive way - moreover without notes.

I think Cameron has ideas of broadening participation of the electorate in politics by making it more accessible and relevant. Hopefully the Internet will play a major part.

I believe this speech will motivate people to vote Conservative. All eyes are now on Brown...

As a "floating" Tory (that is one who has twice voted for Tony Blair but whose instincts are Tory) I made a point of sitting down to watch the whole speech.

Like many people I was a bit DC-sceptic and needed persuading that Cameron had the qualities and capability to go beyond Opposition and actually govern.

There is no template; its an intangible mix - part conviction, part intellect, part ego, part empathy, part ruthlessness, part sincerity.

I admit I was impressed. I liked the style, the delivery and most importantly the message. He is young and will make some mistakes, all politicians do and this is not a crime - its what's learnt that matters.

When and if the election is called, my vote will no longer be floating; he earned that vote back today.

My oh my we certainly need a change...with the government trampling all over every sector of the populace with hob nailed boots, we need a change. And this Cameron chappy might just be the one to re - float the notions of common sense, consideration and community.

But as to whether now is the time to go to the polls, I dunno. All I do know is that the incumbents are a hollow, brittle skeleton of political cynicism with anything genuine and original long since decayed.

Cameron鈥檚 speech was so mediocre. Sure, it鈥檚 talented that he can memorise about an hours talking, but does this qualify him to run our country?

In my view, he would make a feeble leader, albeit one with a good memory. A snap election is probably the last thing Cameron really wants.

I caught the opening few moments of the Tory Party speech; interesting that Dave Cameron's favourite Conference was one back under the Thatcher years and his best friend in politics is the former Thatcherite 'golden boy' of modern Conservatism William Hague.

Noticed there was the token acknowledgment of the first ever Muslim shadow minister in the party, Sayeeda Warsi, and reference to the Conservative Party's commitment to a greener future.

It's a shame that, as someone not yet thirty, I will always remember the Conservative Party as the one whose record on the environment was dreadful during their last term (committed to road building, remember 'Roads to Prosperity'?), and who, for many years, cared little for the diversity of ethnic backgrounds it now so cherishes.

Nice of Dave to acknowledge the growth of female MPs and candidates in the party as well. Of course, his Eton background means that he is really used to seeing equality for men and women right across the board.

But the biggest laugh was when he made his comments about the NHS - notice the uncomfortable looks on the faces in the audience?! You've got to hand it to Dave though; any fool can tell the truth, but it requires a man of some sense to know how to lie well.

If I were cmapaign manager, Iid put this speech on CD and distribute it in all marginals. What a contrast to Brown!

As a "floating" Tory (that is one who has twice voted for Tony Blair but whose instincts are Tory) I made a point of sitting down to watch the whole speech.

Like many people I was a bit DC-sceptic and needed persuading that Cameron had the qualities and capability to go beyond Opposition and actually govern.

There is no template; its an intangible mix - part conviction, part intellect, part ego, part empathy, part ruthlessness, part sincerity.

I admit I was impressed. I liked the style, the delivery and most importantly the message. He is young and will make some mistakes, all politicians do and this is not a crime - its what's learnt that matters.

When and if the election is called, my vote will no longer be floating; he earned that vote back today.

I'm still waiting for a politician to give a speech so unscripted that the Today programme doesn't say: "Later today, David Cameron/Gordon Brown will say that ...". What's the point in listening when they've already sent the headlines to the media the night before?

This might be a bit of a derail but something clicked today as I listened to the key points from the speech.

If Gordon Brown has not been able to influence Labour politics over the past ten years, in the position he has been in, then he does not deserve to lead this country.

And if he has been able to influence labour policy over the last 10 years then much of this mess we find ourselves in is his fault and he does not deserve to lead this country.

As I watched Cameron today I realised that this was a man who has only been able to subtly affect policy decision and that it was a shame. He is a confident man with fresh ideas that many older Prime ministers cannot understand. I realised today that despite his time at Eton he's got far more idea of what people in this country want then a person who is in Brown's situation and has been for many years.

How can a man past his prime, be Prime Minister?

My oh my we certainly need a change...with the government trampling all over every sector of the populace with hob nailed boots, we need a change. And this Cameron chappy might just be the one to re - float the notions of common sense, consideration and community.

But as to whether now is the time to go to the polls, I dunno. All I do know is that the incumbents are a hollow, brittle skeleton of political cynicism with anything genuine and original long since decayed.

In order to keep a government on it's toes right up to election day it would make sense for the opposition to call the election within the last year.
Brown has been doing his utmost to distance himself from Blair, but the electorate will remember he was next door at no 11 and he introduced all the stealth taxes.
Cameron seems much more able and I for one will welcome a change of government.
I am one of the 40 odd per cent that have been completely disregarded over recent years and have not voted as a consequence.
To date, nobody has been offering anything that appeals to me.
Cameron, at least can see my position and hopefully will deal with it.

Cameron鈥檚 speech was so mediocre. Sure, it鈥檚 talented that he can memorise about an hours talking, but does this qualify him to run our country?

In my view, he would make a feeble leader, albeit one with a good memory. A snap election is probably the last thing Cameron really wants.

Labour has made a mess of it???

Up here in Stoke, where life bagan, all of our Victorian Hospitals are being demolished as I write and all of our Schools are going the same way.

In their palce will rise a couple of space age 21st century hospitals without waiting lists and brand new schools ready for the clamour of ever increasing academic achievement.

The Tories in response reckon our NHS is a cess pit and the kids have fiddled qualifications.

Dream on Dave and the Dave hating Tories. You have nothing in your bag other than a little light relief for the mega rich who's dying wish is to take their pennies to their graves instead of paying a bit of inheitence tax towards the building sites above.

Gary
LONG LIVE THE LABOUR PARTY!!

As Mr Kinnock once said "we're alright" "we're alright"

Looks like the Tories havent really got any new ideas - they are all presentation without the substance

I thought it was a fantastic speech and am truly impressed that the Conservatives seem to be pushing policies that address concerns you hear people talking about on a regular basis. Especially in relation to inheritance tax.

For the detractors, especially Post 9 from Albert, I sincerely hope that having rubbished Cameron's claims around literacy - the appalling spelling mistakes that followed were ironic. If not, Albert is certainly in that 50% bracket..

Who would trust Cameron with the economy? Remember Black Wednesday on 16 September 1992? The Chancellor was Norman Lamont and his Special Adviser was David Cameron!

Lets hope this address sways the critical press to side with the Tories!

Cameron鈥檚 speech was so mediocre. Sure, it鈥檚 talented that he can memorise about an hours talking, but does this qualify him to run our country? He would make a feeble leader, albeit one with a good memory. A snap election is probably the last thing Cameron really wants.

Unconvincing, can麓t see this being a speech that will make much of a dint in Labour麓s leads in the polls.

Of course it was lapped up by the usual misfits that attend the Tory conference. Can麓t those who run the party hire in some normal looking people?

The Old Etonian convinces no-one when he pitches himself as the man to protect pensioners, to reinvigorate the manufacturing industry (dismantled and sold off by Thatcher) or bring about real changes to the NHS. Same old cliches and platitudes but the loudest cheer seemed to come when he talked about veto-ing the European Constitution.

One of the most important announcements in the news this week was the raising of the national minimum wage. A policy that was fought tooth and nail by Cameron, Hague and co at the time and that says more than anything about the core values of this party.

Unscripted-so what. Uninspired more like.

How many people writing these posts are Tory party faithful from Blackpool ?

Fantastic to listen to an inspirational speaker.

Well done Dave....a LD voter now a definite Conservative again.

Gordon watch out you are going to get into the history books ...the shortest serving UK PM in history.

Very, very good. Well outlined, coherent policies, and exceptional delivery. At long last we seem to have a real alternative.

Having watched that I think that Gordon Brown won't call a snap election, because if the conferences are anything to go by there would only be one winner - Cameron.

Unconvincing, can麓t see this being a speech that will make much of a dint in Labour麓s leads in the polls.

Of course it was lapped up by the usual misfits that attend the Tory conference. Can麓t those who run the party hire in some normal looking people?

The Old Etonian convinces no-one when he pitches himself as the man to protect pensioners, to reinvigorate the manufacturing industry (dismantled and sold off by Thatcher) or bring about real changes to the NHS. Same old cliches and platitudes but the loudest cheer seemed to come when he talked about veto-ing the European Constitution.

One of the most important announcements in the news this week was the raising of the national minimum wage. A policy that was fought tooth and nail by Cameron, Hague and co at the time and that says more than anything about the core values of this party.

Unscripted-so what. Uninspired more like.

Fantastic to listen to an inspirational leader.

Well done Dave....a LD voter now a definite Conservative again.

Gordon watch out you are going to get into the history books ...the shortest serving UK PM in history.

At last someone has realised that democracy is being undermined in this country as more & more decisions are taken by non-elected bodies (e.g. the "regions") and the state is interferring too much in peoples lives. Rolling back the state is vital to our ability to compete economically in the future and to the quality of our services at home. A fresh breeze is blowing in politics and I am glad of it.

I did not hear the Cameron speech, so cannot comment on it. I was half-expecting Team Brown to trump it by belatedly announcing the Tory defections they have been enticingly dangling before you 大象传媒 political correspondents all week. What happened to them? Did they get cold feet, or did the sight of Gordon Brown in Iraq cynically using our brave and professional servicemen and women for political advantage as he did Margaret Thatcher give them second thoughts?

The fact is, no rat with an ha'p'orth of sense will abandon one water-logged hulk for another. The only political vessel sufficiently ship-shape to withstand the buffeting and storms of an imminent general election campaign is the Saucy Salmond, in my view.

Nick
You summarised Brown's speech " Though there was plenty to cheer and to inspire his own party - pledges to increase the minimum wage, extend maternity pay and student grants - this seemed to be a speech designed to appeal to the Tory press, and to unsettle the Tory party. "

And Cameron's
" The Tories spent this week spelling out and selling their policies. Today their leader tried to spell out and to sell who he is and what he would do. Forty three million voters may soon have a chance to decide if this is - as he claims - politics you can believe in. "

What an interesting contrast...

I'm not going to give an opinion, just state facts.
Cameron is saying what we need to hear.
Brown said he would not give the nurses their below infation increase in one dose "as I don't want the stable economy changed"
That, after giving himself an obscene rise, adding 2p tax to petrol, and refuses to do anything about the "fat cat" bonuses at all!

Fantastic to listen to an inspirational speaker.

Well done Dave....a LD voter now a definite Conservative again.

Gordon watch out you are going to get into the history books ...the shortest serving UK PM in history.

Very, very good. Well outlined, coherent policies, and exceptional delivery. At long last we seem to have a real alternative.

Having watched that I think that Gordon Brown won't call a snap election, because if the conferences are anything to go by there would only be one winner - Cameron.

Fantastic to listen to an inspirational leader.

Well done Dave....a LD voter now a definite Conservative again.

Gordon watch out you are going to get into the history books ...the shortest serving UK PM in history.

For such a biased left wing 大象传媒, I am surprised that you have even devoted any time to this at all.

If labour win the next election, I am emigrating. I just can't take watching this country go down the pan any longer.

Excellent speech! True the delivering on the promises is the key to future success but his analysis of where things have gone wrong was extremely impressive especially as he had only a few notes as back-up! As a long time Labour supporter I was utterly sickened by Gordon Brown's opportunistic visit to Iraq yesterday especially as Labour has unwittingly undermined the Army over the last 5 years or so and yes I will be voting Conservative if Gordon has the bottle to call an election!

I hope he is aware that historically Electorates punish parties that unnecessarily call elections but hey Gordon maybe you will be lucky!!!!

There is also the little matter about George Osbourne - would you really want that guy in charge of the country's funds? Heaven forbid if these clowns ever get elected...

A very persuasive and well delivered speech. I fell for Blair and now I'm going Cameron. Okay, so I never learn but I am fed up with Brown's arrogance, his 10 years of back stabbing and small mindedness and it's the other lots turn at the trough. If it wasn't for a certain press baron Brown would never be so high in the polls. How he's distanced himself from the last 10 years of his own domestic policies I just don't know.

It was a nothing speech as far as an election was concerned. He was selling his approach - not policies - to his own party, not the electorate, appealing to conservatives base instincts on issues like law and order (just where are they going to house all these prisoners they are not going to release?), social security, national health and immigration. The hard sell, immigration, no politician can afford to be openly anti-immigration and Cameron decided to 'welcome immigration' to notably subdued applause from this assembled guests.

This man is not confident of leading his party, how can he lead the country?

Now that was one impressive piece of political delivery, and with some finely balanced content to match. I think he managed to balance the ideas of 'new', 'change' and 'challenge' against some reassurance of continuity with a recognisably conservative policy tradition. I've no doubt David Cameron was absolutely right to opt for a style of delivery in complete contrast to that used by 'the Great Leader' (to borrow Andrew Neil's phrase) in his conference speech. After all, who would want to suck on another bag of sweets which look so enticing but dissolve to nothing the moment you put them in your mouth?

Labour should be worried tonight. This was a turning point for the Conservatives. Not only did Cameron show he is fit to govern, he did it in a way that avoided ya-boo politics. It was also nice to see him endorse his Cabinet team all through his speech - they came across as a real team. After today I don't think anyone will be questioning whether they are fit to govern, only WHEN they will govern.

While the tory faithful at Blackpool were enraptured by their leader's speech sans autocue and notes, it appears that Dave didn't do his homework as well as he might have.
Re his apparent stringent plans for dealing with immigrants. He might find his quest in this aspect more difficult to accomplish than he imagines. The UK, like any other country in Europe, is bound by rules covered by the treaty of Maastricht (signatory for the UK, one Margaret Hilda
Thatcher).
Vis a vis withdrawing benefits from those who refuse to undertake a job they could do (and these would likely be people with a rather negative outlook on things) there might be every chance that with no income. they would resort to crime.
I think a lot of people watching this speech could pick him up over several points.
And the speech overall ? A gutsy try in its way, but I'm sticking with Gordon.

Excellent speech, shame about that awful song!

While the tory faithful at Blackpool were enraptured by their leader's speech sans autocue and notes, it appears that Dave didn't do his homework as well as he might have.
Re his apparent stringent plans for dealing with immigrants. He might find his quest in this aspect more difficult to accomplish than he imagines. The UK, like any other country in Europe, is bound by rules covered by the treaty of Maastricht (signatory for the UK, one Margaret Hilda
Thatcher).
Vis a vis withdrawing benefits from those who refuse to undertake a job they could do (and these would likely be people with a rather negative outlook on things) there might be every chance that with no income. they would resort to crime.
I think a lot of people watching this speech could pick him up over several points.
And the speech overall ? A gutsy try in its way, but I'm sticking with Gordon.

I did not hear the Cameron speech, so cannot comment on it. I was half-expecting Team Brown to trump it by belatedly announcing the Tory defections they have been enticingly dangling before the 大象传媒's political correspondents all week. What happened to them? Did they get cold feet, or did the sight of Gordon Brown in Iraq cynically using our brave and professional servicemen and women for political advantage as he did Margaret Thatcher give them second thoughts?

The fact is, no rat with an ha'p'orth of sense will abandon one water-logged hulk for another. The only political vessel sufficiently ship-shape to withstand the buffeting and storms of an imminent general election campaign is the Saucy Salmond, in my view.

Cameron pressed all the right buttons for the middle classes and elderly i.e. 90% of the voters that do actually vote.

After such a confident speech its unlikely Brown will "cut and run." Labour votes maybe more efficiently spread than Tories, but that also makes them easier to turn over.

All in all, once Cameron is in power a lot of this " freedom to the individual" guff will be forgotten in the drive to cling onto power.

I personally hope for a hung parliament and therefore a deal with the Lib Dems giving us all proportional representation. Then the two dinosaur parties will be seen for what they are...out of touch, corrupt and with party membership tumbling. Dump the lot of them!

Having given up my Tory party membership a while back, this was just what I needed!
Very impressed, although it saddens me that the Bliarite/ Brownite elements of the media (most of them) will do their best to knock Cameron and a good speech.
I DO hope we can soon see an end to the incompetence and spin of the last depressing ten years.

David and Goliath I'd say and we all know how that ended

Cameron pressed all the right buttons for the middle classes and elderly i.e. 90% of the voters that do actually vote.

After such a confident speech its unlikely Brown will "cut and run." Labour votes maybe more efficiently spread than Tories, but that also makes them easier to turn over.

All in all, once Cameron is in power a lot of this " freedom to the individual" guff will be forgotten in the drive to cling onto power.

I personally hope for a hung parliament and therefore a deal with the Lib Dems giving us all proportional representation. Then the two dinosaur parties will be seen for what they are...out of touch, corrupt and with party membership tumbling. Dump the lot of them!

It would be so refreshing if the 大象传媒 and all its minions could report the news instead of giving their opinions. Their treatment of Mr Cameron is sneering. His speech was very thoughtful, full of ideas and vision, contrast that to Mr Brown; well there is no comparison. Brown is a fake.

It all started even before the Conservative conference. With not a Conservative speaker in sight, News 24 put on a journalist (from north of the border, so obviously not a Conservative herself!) to tell us what she thought the Conservatives would be saying. Then, dreary old Ed Balls was wheeled out yet again to say why all their policy ideas would be rubbish!

And so it has gone on, all week. Abbreviated reporting, aggressive, hostile interviewing, (and never an uninterrupted answer allowed,) cynical and negative presentation -- unlike the full coverage, the easy ride, almost no questions asked, given to the LibDem and Labour conferences. Now also, sadly, from the usually-to-be-respected Mr Robinson, a put-down about an old DC speech, presumably because today's remarkable performance defied negative comment.

Fair's fair -- the Conservatives have made a decent job of working out some policies for the future, and if there's any justice they will be the next government. They deserve a hearing. Difficult though it will be for them to swallow, it's time all the Beeb lefties took a back seat and let the rest of us (including Nick, on his better days!) get on with the serious business of talking politics. If we want people to bother to vote, the cynicism, spin and bias have to go and the 'hustings' have to acquire a meaning again.

My god is this the only way forward? I am surprised how many people are praising this speech. It's all fine talking about how wrong things are but there was no definitive approach to resolving any of the issues.

It's no wonder so many people have given up on politics, it doesn't really matter who you vote for they are as bad as each other it just boils down to what colour you prefer..Blue or Red.

I really hate how they go to town on telling us what we want to hear but fail everytime on delivering their pledges.

It really is all about winning the election not serving the people.

I GIVE UP!

It's about time we had a change of the guard. As an ex-pat it's hard to watch as our Government sells out to the USA and doesn't appear to have the political stamina to say NO enough is enough. Bring our troops home from the hell hole in Iraq and back to what they should be doing protecting our country. DC's speech is just what the country needs it's time to give someone else a chance and stop the decline of society in the UK. It's time to stop spending billions in other countries with wars and give back to our own and make it great again. Labor will not do this they have had the time and squandered it. It's time to vote on who you believe will do the best job for you and not vote for one party or another because your family has some kind of loyalty to them, that's hogwash look at the USA, people vote here for one party just because that's the way they've been brought up to vote and look at the mess they have going on it's a farce. Vote with your head and get our country back. IT'S TIME FOR CHANGE AND ENGLAND DESERVES IT.

I find it worrying the number of people professing to have decided their future voting intentions on the basis of one speech, especially one lacking in costed policies.

I am as disillusioned with the Labour government as the next man, but the idea that the country is worse now than it was back in '97 is simply ludicrous. Doesn't anyone remember the waiting lists in hospitals then? That there was no minimum wage? Appalling levels of support for young families / new parents? Of course, I would hope that things could be better than they are 鈥� Iraq in particular, but the Tories would have taken us in even more enthusiastically that TB did 鈥� and certainly money has not been spent as well as it might, but imagine what state the country would have been in if the Tories had been in power for the past 10 years?

[Shudder]

Given the clapping for the attacks on Europe and immigrants this week, nothing's changed...

It is not actually that difficult to speak for an hour without notes - as I have done it myself. It was a good Daily Mail button-pusher: hang 'em and flog 'em, hate the EU, bigger Army (not that it can fill its ranks at the moment), tax changes (okay, house price supports), but nothing that really tells us how he is going to do it.

Yes, I thought it was an impressive speech - much as I used to like Blair's speeches. However, when I hear "local decision-making", but know the reality of living ina Tory district, where thinbgs are imposed on me by Tories elected in the district HQ town, I can see the reality.

Having given up my Tory party membership a while back, this was just what I needed!
Very impressed, although it saddens me that the Bliarite/ Brownite elements of the media (most of them) will do their best to knock Cameron and a good speech.
I DO hope we can soon see an end to the incompetence and spin of the last depressing ten years.

Instead of the carefully worded, spin-doctor vetted, sound-bite filled speeches of Blair of Brown, we have a man speaking his mind. The very antithesis of spin.


Before today I thought Cameron was just another Blair. This speech has changed my mind.

Good speech. All DC needs to do now is promise lower taxes, keep the pressure on for a EU referendum and jetison the environmental clap-trap and he's got my vote.

I find it worrying the number of people professing to have decided their future voting intentions on the basis of one speech, especially one lacking in costed policies.

I am as disillusioned with the Labour government as the next man, but the idea that the country is worse now than it was back in '97 is simply ludicrous. Doesn't anyone remember the waiting lists in hospitals then? That there was no minimum wage? Appalling levels of support for young families / new parents? Of course, I would hope that things could be better than they are 鈥� Iraq in particular, but the Tories would have taken us in even more enthusiastically that TB did 鈥� and certainly money has not been spent as well as it might, but imagine what state the country would have been in if the Tories had been in power for the past 10 years?

[Shudder]

Given the clapping for the attacks on Europe and immigrants this week, nothing's changed...

Cameron pressed all the right buttons for the middle classes and elderly i.e. 90% of the voters that do actually vote.

After such a confident speech its unlikely Brown will "cut and run." Labour votes maybe more efficiently spread than Tories, but that also makes them easier to turn over.

All in all, once Cameron is in power a lot of this " freedom to the individual" guff will be forgotten in the drive to cling onto power.

I personally hope for a hung parliament and therefore a deal with the Lib Dems giving us all proportional representation. Then the two dinosaur parties will be seen for what they are...out of touch, corrupt and with party membership tumbling. Dump the lot of them!

I think people may be missing the point. He is a good public speaker but that doesn't necessarily make you a good Prime Minister.

Damned if you do, damned if you don't. The media were quick to jump on Brown when he gave his first speech from behind an autocue. Now Cameron gives a speech mostly from memory and he's getting slammed for it? Such a crazy world we live in.

At last! a first rate speech identifying each problem in turn and promulgating a well reasoned solution. As a contrast to the dull plagiarisms droned out by Gordon Brown it was invigorating. Also, a perfect riposte to the disgusting exploitation of brave men attempted by Brown yesterday. The British people will not forgive that piece of spin in a hurry - even Blair would not have tried that one.

There is a spring in the Conservative step tonight and a feeling that the centre-right is on the move again!

That speech was one the most inspiring and optimistic I have ever watched. It was sensible but passionate, simple but policy driven and a complete contrast with the cynicalism of Gordon Brown.

We had mention of funded tax cuts (yes, funded! no matter what spurious claims Ed Balls wishes to effuse in desperation), it had charisma, style and SUBSTANCE. No one-liners about Britishness and idle rhetoric. It was fresh and warming.

If more politicians were like David Cameron then the voter turnout at the next election would easily rise over 80%.

Having never voted before (due to apathy) I will, for the first time, be voting; for the Conservatives.

At last! a first rate speech identifying each problem in turn and promulgating a well reasoned solution. As a contrast to the dull plagiarisms droned out by Gordon Brown it was invigorating. Also, a perfect riposte to the disgusting exploitation of brave men attempted by Brown yesterday. The British people will not forgive that piece of spin in a hurry - even Blair would not have tried that one.

There is a spring in the Conservative step tonight and a feeling that the centre-right is on the move again!

A total contrast to Browns cynical spun announcement yesterday. I鈥檓 convinced that everything he said was from the heart, moving from the podium is a real forte of his as far as I can see. This speech really showed that the Conservatives have an in touch leader who really solidifies my own personal support for the policies revealed in the past couple of days.

I don鈥檛 think Brown can call an election now. If he does he could seriously be throwing his name into the hat as one of the great Prime ministerial failures, and make Cameron famous for one of the greatest political comebacks in British History.

At last - a refreshing speech made by a politician without the chest beating rehetoric!!

Quite frankly David Cameron makes David Brown look old and plodding - and not just physically.

Perhaps now the 大象传媒 may be fairer with its comments and not write off the party as it seems to have done recently because of honeymoon opinion polls.

Totally agree with previous entry from Simon. Cameron does not convince me. Well presented as it was and plausible as he is, he does not win the auguement that Labour has failed; it has not. Things can always be better and their are new challenges of course but he did not convince me that a. things are in such a mess that there must be a change in leadership, or b. that he is the one to take over. He is up against a political heavyweight in Brown and I wonder whether he has the political shrewdness to survive.What about the economy? What about the minimum wage? What will the Tories do to our position in europe?

Seems to methat many of the posters on this blog are just as 'tribal' as the two main parties.

Just as well that most English folk, especially the 40% who routinely except themselves from the sham that passes for a 'General Election', think outside the box and yearn for 'something else'.

Maybe the English will get it one day.

Tory voter? Absolutely no way as long as this man leads the conservatives. Abolish the Human Rights Act and turn the UK into the next police state. I for one believe absolutely in our right not to be arbitrarily dictated to by a power focused conservative party. What's next David? Allow innocents to be detained without trial for 90 days? Once a very devout conservative I will not be retuning to the fold.

David Cameron today, talked about many of the things that have been bothering me, and convinced me to not only vote, but believe he is serious about what he's saying, and will try his utmost to deliver. The idea of school headmasters, police officers and doctors more able to do their jobs without interference from the government are tantalizing.
Most tempting of all, is a Britain we can be proud of, one which is safer - both in the schools and on the streets.
I think he has his head screwed on, realising that we don't need "pointless gimmicks", but wiser public spending.
But do the sums for the non doms add up?

I find it hilarious to read Labour supporters complaining here that Cameron relies too much on spin and PR, panders to populist policies and lacks substance. Isn't that the very brand of politics Labour voters have imposed on the country since 1997? It's like Stalinist Russia in here: New Labour are erasing from history the very man who rescued them from certain death and gave them three election wins!

And I'm willing to bet that if the Conservatives do win the next election, David Cameron will resist the temptation to invite a bunch of self-absorbed, talentless, drug-addled celebrities and popstars to the home of Her Majesty's Prime Minister for regular parties, discussions and "summits"....

Oh and Nick, it's getting very, very tiring. Just apply to be a Labour candidate and be done with it.

Nick, you amaze me! The tories have spent the week ripping up their nice-guy compassionate conservative presentations, and exposing a thinly veiled re-incarnation of the scape-goating, molesting, haughty, arrogant, provocative victimiser that we all know well. Nothing new about a Public School prig I am afraid - but you have forgotten TB already. So we have swept the board of all the nonsense about being sensitive andconsiderate and the bare-bones is pretty ugly: Persecute Claimants! Obstruct Planners! Budget for the return of the Plutocracy! Harass single Parents! Pay homage to the Landed Aristocrats! Deprive thre Ill! Need I go on? We are just waiting to see who they will get back to basics with this time round.

Ieuan Wyn Jones has been delivering his speeches at Plaid Cymru conferences without a script or autocue for a couple of years now (come to think of it, Nick, I haven't seen you at one of those gatherings for a while!), so this is rather old hat really...

Seems to me that many of the posters on this blog are just as 'tribal' as the two main parties.

Just as well that most English folk, especially the 40% who routinely except themselves from the sham that passes for a 'General Election', think outside the conventional political box and yearn for 'something else'.

Maybe the English will get a new form of politics one day.

normal looking people? um, i noticed some very attractive young women in the crowd. dunno if u missed them. cameron offered more inspiration than could ever come from gordon brown's heavy chops

i will prefer to stay with the old train.i dont think the tories will change anything.good speech anyway

People do realise this is politics right? I'm slightly confused as to everybody being wooed over by his 'heartfelt' speech. Didn't everybody love Tony for exactly the same kind of thing? But I'd imagine this is wholly different...

Nick, you amaze me! The tories have spent the week ripping up their nice-guy compassionate conservative presentations, and exposing a thinly veiled re-incarnation of the scape-goating, molesting, haughty, arrogant, provocative victimiser that we all know well. Nothing new about a Public School prig I am afraid - but you have forgotten TB already. So we have swept the board of all the nonsense about being sensitive andconsiderate and the bare-bones is pretty ugly: Persecute Claimants! Obstruct Planners! Budget for the return of the Plutocracy! Harass single Parents! Pay homage to the Landed Aristocrats! Deprive thre Ill! Need I go on? We are just waiting to see who they will get back to basics with this time round.

I was completely blown away. It was almost as if he had read my mind.

The most important thing to me was that he said we don't have to put up with the way things are.

He was right about how people have just given up; believing that nothing they do can make a difference.

I was inspired.

Whether the election is this year or next year, he's got my vote.

I thought it was rather amusing to see the side that accused the other side of making lots of grandstand promises, without the detail of how they would do it, spend a good hour doing exactly the same on their 'number one priority' the NHS. Or at least that was their number one priority - until tax lowering got a better hit in the media.

On Monday, Andrew Lansley promised in the opening of his speech to save up to 100 lives from cancer a day. How will he do it? Errm - he'll develop a Cancer Strategy and he'll evaluate new drugs a bit quicker. That's cleared that up then. And how will he decide which drugs to test? What will his strategy consist of? No clues as yet.

Then David Cameron says he'll get GPs to be fundholders and commission out of hours care. I bet the NHS can't wait for yet another restructure of PCTs. And hang on - isn't the NHS already getting GPs to do practice based commissioning of services? And as 9 out of 10 GPs didn't want to do out of hours care when given the choice in the first place - this seems like another well thought out, practical idea. Went down well with the GPs as well.

And just for the record, I don't think the Govt ever did say that District General Hospitals were over, they were saying that the days of the district general hospital trying to do every type of service were over - a very different thing.

Will David Cameron explain what he will do to improve the NHS? He is quite clear he will not change how distric general hospitals currently work. So can he please tell us his alternative?

These are not well thought out new policies - they are ill researched and poorly constructed variations on a tune that the present Govt is already playing. Rather lame for your 'number one priority' David, notes or no notes.

I was completely blown away. It was almost as if he had read my mind.

The most important thing to me was that he said we don't have to put up with the way things are.

He was right about how people have just given up, believing that nothing they do can make a difference.

I was inspired.

Whether the election is this year or next year, he's got my vote.

My boss can talk for an hour at a staff meeting without any notes - it's very impressive and Cameron did a good job of it - but one decent party trick isn't really the stuff of leadership is it? A couple of tax cuts are all very nice (and old Tory), but again, not really the stuff of inspired leadership. They are just as transparent, if not more-so, as Gordon's use of the armed forces was.

Flippin eck, who are these people who can be mailing in here making comments at 4:45 and 5:05 and the like? Not working people, that's for sure - unless they're all coincidentally on nights this week. I've only just finished sorting the kids out. (Het, you don't think they were sort of set up do you?)

However, re: off the cuff speach etc.

Grauniad Newdspaper this a.m.
Mr Cameron will also try to claim the political centre ground. "There has been a lot of talk about lurching so let me make it clear: no lurch to the right, no lurch to the left ..."

Text-Of-Off-The-cuff-Speach (from Conservative Party Home Page):
And you know there has been quite a lot of talk of lurching and I can't tell you we are not going to be lurching to the left, we are not going to be lurching to the right.

G: "... the carefully calculated pitch to the 4% of voters in the middle who might switch this-way or that, a dog whistle here, a dog whistle there."

T-O-O-T-S: Boy has this guy got a plan. It's to appeal to that 4% of people in marginal seats. With a dog whistle on immigration there and a word about crime here ...

How come the Grauniad knew before 7 a.m. the text of Cameron's off-the-cuff speach to be delivered in the afternoon?

Looking at the conference as a whole, it seems obvious to me the Tories have given up trying to win and they're settling for keeping the core vote again - tax relief for the 6% who pay inheritence tax (with no credibly costed way to pay for - so the other 94% of us'll end up forking out. Tax cuts, but still meeting Labour's spending for 3 or 4 years - so obviously increased government borrowing then.

Just like William Hague (but without the baseball cap)Cameron when he became leader set out his stall for a new Conservatism - easy to ridicule, I know, with the huskies and 'hug-a-hoody' but obviously trying to take the party in a new direction and change it's image from The Nasty Party - and now, at the first whiff of election grapeshot, it's back to law'n order, immigration, cuts ... same old panic.

If Brown doesn't call an election now , (and it would be pure opportunism if he did - no need for one at all) then will Cameron drop all this stuff and go back to the Plan A do you think?

Good speech DC, but the event of the day that will really stick in my mind is IDS showing real passion and anger about Brown's cynical show in Iraq. He made Balls look like a bumbling apologist and as IDS resisted the urge to smack him, I resisted the urge to throw something at the set as Balls kept muttering 'rubbish'.IDS certainly left him floundering for anything sensible to say, and on this showing I look forward to hearing more from the 'quiet man' if Brown has the guts to go for an early election.

Can't believe the reaction to this over-rehearsed, awkward,insincere, unconvincing nonsense. All Cameron's done is confirm to everyone what an actor he is- learning lines off by heart does not make a jot of difference. He still comes across as a reluctant intern who hasn't got a clue what he should tell the electorate he actually believes in. Wishy-washy, insipid, half-baked. The sooner this fraud goes back to PR the better.

mmm - impressive speech but remember 1997; shabby cities, slam door trains, not so much spin but sleazzzze everywhere (how many ex Labour ministers are convicted felons?), utter, utter incompetence & economic mismanagement. I like Camerson - I don't like his foot soldiers; they simply don't convince me they believe what they're saying on anything except tax cuts; Tax cuts are fine but the sums still don't add up; the party is still facing multiple directions to please all it's diverse constituents. You still look like posh well meaning losers to me.

NICK

Good speech-for the party faithful!

Forcibly reminded of Tony Blair at HIS best, in conferences in OPPOSTION! Unfortunately,Mr Cameron's declared intention to be the heir to Blair will ensure his defeat at the next election.

The PM's grasping of heir to Mrs Thatcher might, however, be a very clever gesture in contrast. People are beginning to see her virtues in retrospect, and it's a timely claim to inheritance!

Mr Cameron still looks like he's wandered into a 6th form debating society, however sincere or not he is. I really can't see people voting for him on that basis alone.

The problem Gordon has is that the economic situation is about to turn ugly - he has to go now or the no "Boom and Bust" will really come home to roost

Gary,

Congratulations on your new hospital.

Perhaps the reason why you're getting it is that you are in a Labour controlled area and the Government is spending much more money in Labour controlled areas whilst cutting back on services in Conservative areas.

It is this blatant favouring of their own voters rather than trying to benefit the whole of the country that is one of the reason why they are totally unfit to govern.

Ieuan Wyn Jones has been delivering his speeches at Plaid Cymru conferences without a script or autocue for a couple of years now (come to think of it, Nick, I haven't seen you at one of those gatherings for a while!), so this is rather old hat really...

"As Mr Kinnock once said "we're alright" "we're alright"

Looks like the Tories havent really got any new ideas - they are all presentation without the substance"

I seem to remember that Mr. Kinnock was far from alright shortly after saying that!

I liked DC's speech. I thought it was very measured and defined a set of values that can underpin more specific manifesto policies.

"How many people writing these posts are Tory party faithful from Blackpool ?"

About as many of the pro-Brown posts which were written by the New-New Labour faithful. Like you.

I remember when the tories were in power. They promised the earth but it came to no avail and imflation was rampant and so was unemployment. Remember that it was new labour that brought stability to the country. And the lower paid was given a minimum wage that The tories briught this country to its knees need I say anymore/

Look, we all know this is just a game of poker.

David Cameron is sitting there looking nervously over the table and sees that Gordon Brown has the King Queen and Jack of hearts with the other two cards face down, while he has two jacks and a 10 with his two hidden cards being a pair of kings.

With his best poker face he's betting that Gordon Brown has nothing in the unseen cards while he has only two pair.

Sadly for Cameron he really doesn鈥檛 know if Gordon has a Royal Flush, which would make his two pair look a bit silly.

But the stakes are high. A chance to sit in government. So he's never going to back down is he?

So, he's just up his bet and is paying to see Brown's cards. Is he a fool or a brave man. Time will tell.

The cost, however, could be too high if Gordon wasn't bluffing after all!!

Last thing. Beware the man who says he can fix everything, because invariable he is able to fix nothing.

I listened to the Lib Dems speech; it sounded like a man defending his age, I have no problem with them but they're not for me.

I listened to 10 minutes of Gordon Brown; it sounded like the same old, a continuation from Blair; spin-spin-spin. I find the Labour party smug and arrogant, they come across as a party who've been in power to long.

David Cameron; finally a speech that we could all understand, after it I felt more optimistic about politics than I have been for a long time.

How Refreshing to see a genuine speach with no help from the autocue or notes.was very inmpresive.I have never voted conservative but on the basis of what David Cameron said today he will get my vote. Its time to get rid of the Party which is so Manipulative and Contolling

Well yes, he pulled off a slick speech. I was very impressed (apparently along with everyone else) by his ability to talk for so long without notes etc etc.

However, so what? Post #88 got it spot on with: "Sure, it鈥檚 talented that he can memorise about an hours talking, but does this qualify him to run our country?".

Policies are what counts and no-one can give a truly meaningful account of why they should run the country in just over an hour, hence this speech counts for very little.

It is more of a confident speech by any leader for decades.Give him credit for a different approach to presentation of leader of a party and from the heart.Whether the public is ready for a change for the sake of change or in need of a younger PM is something not easy to predict.

Does anyone remember the upshot of the closing speech in 1992 by the then Labour leader Neil Kinnock? It was triumphalist and presumptuous of the electorate's voting intentions at best and he deserved to lose.

Kinnock indeed lost. What did the UK get having played safe and voted Major back in? Five more years of Conservative government, sleaze, Cash for Questions. Need I go on?

In that period PB (Pre-Blair) what happened on the Left of politics? John Smith died (RIP), Blair and Brown made a deal over a pizza, Labour repealed Clause IV and they remodelled the Labour Party as a centrist "New Labour" party and won a landslide majority of 179 in May 1997.

Now, if Gordon makes the right decision on Tuesday night and tells "Maam" at the Palace that it is going to be November 1st, then two things will happen...

1. Labour will, (unexpectedly), lose badly as no one south of the border wants to be governed by a dour Scot who stole all their money through stealth taxation on everything except Income Tax. No matter how ahead in the polls he is, there is a whispered reality for many south of the border, "We didn't vote for him and we don't want him".

2. Labour will win again and Brown will not be the shortest serving Prime Minister ever and the UK will not get another chance to vote until May 3rd 2012.

Now presuming that number 2 occurs, (highly likely even without MORI telling us on Sunday morning!) in that period of time between then (2012) and now, what will happen?

1. Brown will watch the economy falter until late 2008 when it will pick up again and allow him to fulfil the budget commitments he has already laid down even before Alistair Darling even got his old job!

2. Everyone will think Brown is boring and old, but he'll have "done his utmost / outmost?!" and delivered the best public services for a century since he became a member of Blair's cabinet fifteen years previously.

3. The Treasury will try their best to pay off as much as possible of the PSBR, (hiking up the rate of National Insurance at least twice in the process to cover it) and balance the books before 2012 and the economy will look rosy again come the subsequent election, but everyone will feel over taxed and will be very ungrateful about the aforementioned wonderful public services.

4. The Conservative Party (unless they become monumentally stupid) will stick with David Cameron who by 2012 will only be 45 and will still be an appropriate age (with flashy hair unlike William Hague), to look a youthful prospect against the new prospective Labour Prime Minister David Miliband. Having retired Gordon to Glen-wherever by then!

And where will we be then? Same as we are now. Same as we were in 1997. We'll be in the UK, moaning about the weather and about two choices of political leader (sorry Menzies mate, but its just not happening or the future Lib Dem leader Mr. Chris Huhne for that matter) and whether their policies are the same or different or whether there's "clear blue water" between them and so on.

A change is as good as a rest, but then again Gordon Brown, for whatever mistakes he has made, did inherit the UK economy in an improving period of stability thanks to Ken Clarke and it would have been a bit of a shambles if Gordon had managed to mess things up any worse than they are now. And he has worked really hard, so maybe we should give him a chance...

My conclusions? Vote Brown? Vote Cameron? I don't care. Just vote. Postal, Proxy, in person? Take the dog for a walk. Tie it up outside the Polling Station and then if your preferred choice of political party and leader doesn't get in, then at least you won't have any right to moan about it and you can then, (without any guilt!), freely shout at all the people who do moan about the state of the nation until 2012, who probably won't have voted anyway!

Then all of you will happily go down to the Polling Station in your droves on May 3rd 2012 having been thoroughly disgusted with the boredom of a 15 year long Labour government, (especially the last five years of it) and vote in David Cameron and a Conservative government, probably bettering Blair's 179 majority in 1997 and destroying the SNP north of the border just for good measure!

This time round? I'll be voting Conservative because I always have. Although, this time its just for fun, as I don't live in a marginal, I now live in a Labour area of strength and maybe miracles sometimes happen, although I only get Lib Dem leaflets through my front door and no one Labour or Conservative have yet knocked on my front door to canvass me for my vote yet and I've lived here for over a year!

However, having grown up in Macclesfield under Sir Nicholas Winterton, I know the value of a Conservative vote is never squandered at local or national level by those constituency MP's who have actually earned it, despite how unique they can sometimes be!
We have looked on and scorned George Bush and Tony Blair as warmongering swine, but if they have sought, (through their misguided actions) to create freedom and a form of westernised democracy in those two nations emerging from brutal dictatorships, then why don't we start to respect the value of the democracy in which we live as free men and women and actually get out and vote?

About 85% of the French population voted in the elections for the new President Nicolas Sarkozy in May this year. Not all of them voted for him. Indeed, the split was similar to Bush鈥檚 two elections with a 53% / 47% split across the country. So not everyone will be happy, but at least they will suffer in the knowledge that they tried to get Segol猫ne Royal elected instead! Sarkozy has promised tough decisions to make France great again and he will be considered a swine, but they chose him. In the future he will be replaced, even if he's done a good job because that's the way democracy works at its most simplistic level. It allows a population the right to choose by whom they are governed.

So, go into a Polling Station next month and into the little booth and mark an 鈥淴鈥� on the paper for the people you want to represent you at local and national level. Even Baldrick could manage that! It is about the only chance in many of our lifetimes, where we the plebs of the world can hire and fire someone for our own ends and amusement. Remember Michael Portillo鈥檚 face in 1997? Think how many people laughed at the TV if they鈥檇 voted for Stephen Twigg that night?! You can play with the future of your local area, your country and someone鈥檚 five figure salary job. Can鈥檛 imagine anything more amusing for doing something as simple as filling out a lottery ticket?!

Give both of the leaders of the main political parties a chance by getting out and voting for them on November 1st or whenever.

Stop watching Jeremy Kyle and switch off the PS3. Update your MySpace, Bebo or Facebook page later and get out and vote!

FYI - I liked Cameron's speech. Much better than that "Beware of the Quiet Man" rubbish or the Angel of Death looking over the nation with the two of them respectively boring and / or scaring us half to death.

PS. Give Cameron a chance. Either now or (Conservative Party listen please!) in 2012. He will win - soon.

The speech - it lacked punch and to be honest I started to nod off like some of his conference audience!
Out of the three main party leader's conference key note speeches Dave's effort ranked 3rd place. He will have to do much better than this if he is to stand a chance of winning.

It's interesting to see how many people are blaming past Tory failings on Cameron with one breath, yet distancing Brown from the failings of the Labour party with the next. Surely this is wholly inconsistent? Brown has a lot to answer for; Cameron on the other hand would seem to have a lot to offer.

On that note, I do wonder if those who are focusing on the presentation and belittling the content actually watched the speech, which did set out a whole swathe of policies quite clearly.

Personally I thought it was a great speech. It's just a shame that most of the country won't have seen it and will continue to believe everything the press wants them to believe...

I am surprised by all the people who said how great this speech is.

Admittedly I read it and didn't watch it or listen to it, but I can sum it up ...

"Blah, blah, blah"

I didn't see or hear Cameron's speech, but am intrigued to know why Team Brown did not trump it with the announcement of those Tory defections they had promised to coincide with the conference.

Did the Tory defectors get cold feet, or did the sight of Gordon Brown in Iraq cynically using our brave and professional servicemen and women for political advantage - as he used Margaret Thatcher - give them second thoughts?

Nick - you really disappoint me. I had thought better of you than that. All last week - indeed for many weeks now you have boosted and praised Brown to the skies.All you can come up with is to diss Cameron as a "nice clean cut young man". Talk about doing Brown's work for him.I had thought you were made of better stuff than that - I honestly did.
I haven't voted Tory since 1992 - after listening to Cameron - and the Conference this week - I will vote for them now.

It's interesting to see how many people are blaming past Tory failings on Cameron with one breath, yet distancing Brown from the failings of the Labour party with the next. Surely this is wholly inconsistent? Brown has a lot to answer for; Cameron on the other hand would seem to have a lot to offer.

On that note, I do wonder if those who are focusing on the presentation and belittling the content actually watched the speech, which did set out a whole swathe of policies quite clearly.

Personally I thought it was a great speech. It's just a shame that most of the country won't have seen it and will continue to believe everything the press wants them to believe...

Haha, looks like a case of "damned if you do and damned if you don't". Cameron speaks without an autocue or notes, obviously he learnt it all by rote and its spin. But if he *did* use rememberance tools, well obviously a scriptwriter wrote it for him to read, more spin! No win there. ;)

The speech was pretty good, and, like it or not, its delivery was impressive. The problem is that the Tories were hoping for another year to iron out the kinks in their policies (and for everyone to get bored of Brown and wake up to the fact that he's Blair minus the charisma). They won't get that chance now, and the electorate will be asked to take a gamble on whether the Tories are fit to govern. This is precisely what Brown wants, as he knows it's unlikely that Labour can win a majority on anything other than voter apathy and the hope that Brown is somehow different to his overbearing predecessor (much the same way that John Major won the 1992 election on the back of the electorate not trusting Kinnock and hoping that Major would be different from Thatcher).

If Brown doesn't call an election in the next month, expect to see most of the policies announced by the Tories crop up in the Labour manifesto when Brown goes to the electorate next year. ;)

We can only hope that our so-called leader has the nerve to take on David Cameron's challenge to call an early election. A refreshing change to hear a speech from the heart with body language to match. At last some passion rather than pastiche. How much longer will we have to wait before this cynical government has the nerve to face reality and let the country decide?

For goodness sake - Cameron has been practicing that speech for months - he has remembered the basics and developed the sidelines.

Cameron and Osbourne running the country and economy - God help us, I'll stick with what I know.

A leopard don't change its spots - oh, thats right Cameron was Lamonts advisor in 1992!!!!!!

I've noticed how everyone praises Cameron on his speeches, and if this country was powered and run by speeches, then all of our problems would be solved by now.

But it's not. Everyone knows the phrase -Actions Speak Louder Than Words-. What he says, and what he does are two different things.

And notice how he praises Thatcher for releasing criminals, talking about freedom, but has constantly critised Gordon Brown for doing the same thing. I don't know what kind of freedom he is talking about.

People say he has well-thought policies, but where is the plan for making these policies work? Where will he get the funding for all these wonderful things his party can apparently do?

Has no considered that there might be a price attached? Do taxes ring a bell?

Does the audience have to always clap roughly every 30 seconds as if on automatic cue as well?

To quote the fact that he's prepared to 'talk' about the environment as an example of his strength, just highlights his weakness to me. All his "excellent education" appears to have equipped him to do, is to speak with confidence on issues, even though his knowledge is flakey. Although, he is right in one regard "We will fight and GB will win".
Pete - Mold

I am surprised at the comments, but then the postings are probably as well managed by the Tory machine as David Cameron's speech. I give presentations, and like many professionals rely on practice and planning beforehand, not autocues or notes. It was clearly rehearsed, though I thought the delivery to smooth to sound natural. As for content, it was full of gently delivered soundbites padded out with relatively lightweight policies which can be easily forgotten later.

I will say this, the conference showed the Tories have a genuinely inspirational leader. The trouble is his name is William Hague.

speaking for an hour without notes... my god an incredible achievement, reminded me of every single lecturer and school teacher i had who managed to do the same day in and day out. remarkable and automatically qualifies him to be prime minister.

As a further point to my previous comment, I love how the conservative voters have a perchant against the 大象传媒 for having political bias

Maybe the conservatives have an anti-大象传媒 bias simply because they feel that when the 大象传媒 poses questions and facts to show the truth, that it'll show the conservatives in a bad light. Maybe the conservatives need a dose of their own medicine?

All these slates are all despite the fact that a blog is supposed to represent a viewpoint (which usually is bias - hence viewpoint), the blog is does by a person (Nick) who is a part of, but does not necessary share, the views of the 大象传媒, which is also quite clearly stated in the disclaimer.

Consider this - if it was, as so many pro-conservative voters put it, 'obviously bias', then why is the speech even up here at all? Why have pro-conservative comments even been allowed?

If your thought is 'so the 大象传媒 can make itself look like it isn't bias' then you have put the 大象传媒 into a catch-22 situation - If it doesn't do it, it's bias, and if it does, it's a show and it's bias anyway.

This is all despite the fact that the pro-conservatives attack the 大象传媒 for attacking New Labour back in the Thatcher years! Some Bias!

Cameron certainly proved that he can deliver under pressure, but what made me smile was the reaction of my 24yr daughter who was clapping as he spoke, and shouting yes, yes, her normal reaction to politics is to walk out of the room, cameron has certainly got 2 votes here, and high possibility of more now my daughter has heard a message she can relate to.

That was the best speech delivered by any politician in my lifetime (and my first vote at 18 was for cunning old Harold Wilson - who wound me around his little finger).

Nick I enjoy your 'take' on politicians - always good for a laugh - but you do seem to have been a little too kind to Brown this last few months. I admired the way you stood up to John Read at the local by-election results - whilst your colleagues were fawning all over him. So why this gloves-on treatment of Brown. Please don't let down your fan-base!

Very few comments here on policy, instead its full of attacks on individuals and personal insults.

Look around the country, for sale boards everywhere, repossessions up, Citizens Advice and other debt agencies swamped by people in trouble. Pensioners losing their homes, and future pensioners seeing their investments being decimated by Brown's raid into pension funds.

The country is crying out for relief from this control conscious government, that's eroding our personal freedoms.

And all people talk about is how he didn't use an auto-cue. Is that politics today ?

Sound and fury, signifying nothing.

Pretty standard stuff. I admit that I relish Gordon's lack of charisma - you need someone with a good head between their shoulders right now, not some parrot.

Let's remember - all that glitters is not gold !! Oh yes, he can deliver a decent speech, 'inspire' his faithful troops - but in my opinion there was little substance to the 'performance' or to the 'policies' enunciated.

Gary,

Congratulations on your new hospital.

Perhaps the reason why you're getting it is that you are in a Labour controlled area and the Government is spending much more money in Labour controlled areas whilst cutting back on services in Conservative areas.

It is this blatant favouring of their own voters rather than trying to benefit the whole of the country that is one of the reason why they are totally unfit to govern.

I did not hear the Cameron speech, so cannot comment on it. I was half-expecting Team Brown to trump it by belatedly announcing the Tory defections they have been enticingly dangling before political correspondents.

What happened to those Tory defectors, if any? Did they get cold feet, did the sight of Gordon Brown in Iraq cynically using our brave and professional servicemen and women for political advantage as he did Margaret Thatcher give them second thoughts?

Post-conference, political correspondents might have asked Team Brown the question.

Simon @ 06:15

The NuLabour experiment is at an end. The Government has failed and enough people know it. Time for normal service to be resumed and sanity to be restored.

It's over, chummy.

Enjoyed DC's speech,ticked all the right boxes and since it was delivered,without a script,implied "I'm as smart as GB.
So why not now a television debate between DC and GB.
Why not a special Any Questions with DD as the invigilator.Make it an hour long,no notes,no preset questions.An audience selected by an independent polling organisation and they ask the questions.
Let's do it.

You can measure the quality of one man's speach by the reaction of his enemies. On that basis, I think David Cameron did well yesterday.

People will complain about the 'non-autocue' approach, but the reality is that David orated the way it used to be done. Personally, I think it was a good move, a direct growl in Brown's direction.

The polls will be interesting, but don't write the Conservatives off even after the first set. If they can start a slow swing, who knows how fast the ball will be rolling come election day.

1997 - Education, Education, Education.
2007 - Conservatives, Conservatives, Conservatives.

Excellent speech, with some well thought through policies which have some real rationality behind them.
Well Done Dave! Wish i could vote for you, unfortunatly, i had to skip school to watch your riveting speech. If only my 18th could be sooner.

David Cameron spoke about 11 year olds being unable to read or write properly.

Albert commented that he had 6 words for David Cameron:

STOP LIEING THROUGHT YOUR TEATH CAMERON

Enough said - 3 spelling mistakes in 6 words

I thought it was an amazing speech and he really seems to understand what we want unlike labour and will deliever 10 years of pension failure and couples need more benifits then they get its true. I just had one problem the cutting of civils servents where are the army going to get there stuff from hopefully he wont do it as soon as he joins he needs to be in power to see how useful they can be

Simon #93 seems to think that Margaret Thatcher sold of our industry. He obviously doesn't understand what he is talking about. Industry that was privately owned was never sold by the government. However, under G Brown's watch, the number of British companies with British owners is rapidly decreasing (perhaps caused by Climate Change?). This is a trend he has allowed to flourish through the tax benefits he encouraged (Private Equity anyone). In Scotland, foreign ownership has been seen to result in one key trend - when the going gets tough, it is the business away from the centre that is cut back. Will the overseas owners be willing to embrace local job losses when they can close down parts of their business in outlying UK towns / cities? At the very least, all those top level posts that keep the housing market alive in and around London may be lost. We are in a global market, however, even within this, certain countries try to make sure that they are in control of their economic well being, not subject to the whims and economic wherever the owners of the business happen to be based.

By the sound of it, Simon neither worries nor cares about this growing problem for UK plc. Similarly, if the Conservatives request that G Brown holds the referendum that he promised, then that must be wrong, because it was David Cameron who made the request. If instead, Mr Cameron said that we need to surrender our sovereignty, our currency, and our industry to the EU, I assume that Simon would then be seeking a referendum as soon as possible.

Aside from this, Simon, you are clearly open minded and willing to embrace change.

Well, lets's be honest, David (C) does seem like an awfully nice chap, and he certainly seems able to perform on stage. To say it was unscripted would be as folly as saying a stand up comic is unscripted!

One does wonder that if David handnt been brought up a Tory would he have been more at home as liberal or even a Blairite Labour person. He is young, his would be chancellor is also quite young in looks and more importantly, in mind. Too inexperienced and too niave to run the country at this point in time and unfortunately, still surrounded by people who are quite right wing.

I know it seems strange to say it, but the Conservatives missed a chance with Poritillo. He had mellowed with time and is almost left leaning these days. More importantly, he has stature. I actually am not a fan of conservative ways as whole, but their prejudices shine through in their choice of leaders.

Lets get thsi vote over and done with then let's bring in second preference voting so teh people can have a more representative say in who reresents them. Dare I say more inclusive poletics?!

#25 - based on my wife's marking of homework from the Primary 7 class she's just inherited, it seems DC was being generous to the kids. Standards were woeful.

I'll vote for anyone who replaces state control with trust in relevant professionals, so comments on the NHS are a start. I could be convinced, but need more solid proposals of how it also works in education and other areas of public sector operation.

I was impressed by the speech and the clear description of future policies.

Id also like to add that this conference showed me for the first time that the Conservatives have enough talent to form a cabinet . Each speaker added weight to the conference and showed that there is an opposition at long last .

Hardly Martin Luther King was it? The nicely honed presentational skills you expect from a PR professional but frankly very short on substance. Cameron intended that we see the 'realhim.' No worries there Dave, we did.

Nick, whilst generally I have in the past looked forward to your commentaries, you seem so determined to downplay anything which is good about DC and the Tories it鈥檚 no wonder thinking readers/ viewers believe you鈥檙e reporting is biased against them. I watched Cameron鈥檚 whole speech yesterday. It鈥檚 content asa well as presentation was very good indeed and very revealing on policy in sharp contrast to Brown who always relies on sound bights, set phrases and a staged performance in speeches and interviews. No wonder when Brown/ Labour has been so underhand e.g. stealth taxes, dodgy dossiers etc.; he/ it has to vet and control to ensure no revealing slip-ups!
You hint Cameron is untried and therefore untrustworthy compared with Brown. Cameron鈥檚 overall performance more than deserves the benefit of any doubt and, in fairness, the opportunity to be PM. You surely know it but seem afraid, like Labour, will not admit it. 大象传媒鈥檚 10 o鈥檆lock news coverage was heavily slanted against Cameron presenting doubting comments from a selected panel of people from, I think, Dartford. It could easily have set up a contrasting positive response from anywhere in the country but avoided doing so. I believe all of this is due to either Government influence (via Director General) and in your case, your own bias. All of this is in sharp contrast to Sky News at 10 o鈥檆lock which at least attempted to give credit where credit is due, which is what I鈥檇 like to see you doing. Maybe, just maybe (to quote one of your own phrases) I am wrong i.e. this is all subterfuge on your part, and you鈥檒l be voting Tory in the next GE!!

Suddenly, Brown and "New" Labour seem very old hat. Even the usual "Tory tax-cut irresponsibility" protests sound hackneyed and unconvincing.

Well Nick, You and a number of others seem to have been won over by a distinctly clever bit of P.R. without much real substance. David Cameron is like the young boy who climbs onto the engine footplate and is allowed to blow the whistle and pull a lever or two and then tells his mates that he "can drive the train"!

Roy Hattersley summed it up perfectly I think when he said:

Gordon Brown is even better at spin than Tony Blair

I am one of those 40% who has given up on voting and nothing I heard today is going to change that, no script no autocue, big deal, a speech from the heart, give me a break, more cherry picking at single incidents, but no ideas except the same old rehashed rubbish, freedom and opportunity, reaching out to ethnic groups,we will save the nhs, improve the enviroment, solve crime and put the great back in britain.
I've heard it all before and I will hear it all again, when you give me a politicion that actually answers the question thats put to him, or a politicion that actually does what he believes in, in other words an honest man and then I may have faith in this so called democracy that we live in.
But another man spouting the same old rhetoric and the same old promises.
One other thing why are we obsessed with helping business out, when we give them tax cuts they invest abroad or give themselves massive pay rises or bonuses, when we deregulate they use it as an excuse to abuse their workforces. why do we have to follow the american model, it doesn't work, its a failed experiment that leads to poverty on a wide scale in the richest nation in the world.
They talk about saving the enviroment and make piecemeal changes without any real change in the places that matter, where is the investment in alternative energy sources, instead we get token recycling and keep britain tidy when cars still pour toxins into the air and business ignores the problem in the name of competition.
Its all a game that we play while we slide closer to the abyss and whoever dies with the most toys wins, and while we have this seemingly never ending line of men in suits who lie to us about the utopia they will bring about if only we would vote for them things will never change and I for one refuse to play any more.
We treat elections as if they were football teams playing in some strange cup where the winner gets to hand out money to their own special interest groups while pretending that they really care about the "ordinary man"
Its time for a new type of politics, not adversariel but cooperative where instead of calling each other names and hanging on to their own particular dogma politicions sit down and try to solve the problems.
Won't happen in my lifetime and so I abdicate resposibility

it wasn't a great speech cos it was a different type of speech as nick said more like a chat. its funny how the radio and tv networks weren't too happy with it striaght after, then hours later it grows on them and DC gets a patt on the back all round

Suddenly, Brown and "New" Labour seem very old hat. Even the usual "Tory tax-cut irresponsibility" protests now sound hackneyed and unconvincing.

Well Nick, You and a number of others seem to have been won over by a distinctly clever bit of P.R. without much real substance. David Cameron is like the young boy who climbs onto the engine footplate and is allowed to blow the whistle and pull a lever or two and then tells his mates that he "can drive the train"!

I think it was great speech although not much different to the things he has been saying for the last two years. I genuinely like David Cameron, I am neither Tory nor Labour, I don't think anyone has to be these days such is the minimal difference between parties. The point for me is that the government needs change now and if the tory's can inspire voters and talk sense as they have been for the last two years then I think they are worth a shot. I am not only impressed with DC but I checked out his cabinet properly during the conference (thank you 大象传媒 Parliament!) and I believe that they are a bunch of very clever diverse British people most could represent the country with common sense and guile. Opps...that speech must have worked! And Labour? Put simply I think Brown is a bit cocky by playing with us all over the snap election, we have enough to worry about with Northern Rock and debt...'getting on with the job"..its a joke.

Fantastic speech, brilliantly delivered. Cameron has proved to me for the first time that the Conservatives are a new and fresh alternative, the labour government has failed to fulfil its promises and Gordon Brown has had major involvement in this failure.

I only wish the 大象传媒 had covered this properly and not reduced it to soundbites: 20 seconds on the headlines, 45 minutes on Sky News, I had to go to the Conservative Party Website to get the whole thing. It has really been an indication of where the 大象传媒 priorities lie and considering it is a company owned by licence payers I feel it is manipulating voters, look at the coverage granted to Brown!

The criticism that Cameron's speech was too light on policies surprises me also. Just because Brown is waving about the thought of an election does not mean the Tories should rush through policy decisions, the policy reviews they have been carrying out appear to be thorough which to mean indicates they want to ensure they are delivering the best policies for the country not for their party. I cannot understand why their taking their time for proper deliberation should be a point for criticism, surely it is the sign of a party who want to work with and for the people not tell them what they should want.

As a lib dem voter, disillutioned with Labour and disappointed with the Lib Dems I will certainly be voting Conservative if an election is called for November!

I haven't heard the speech (I am at work and I have no access to multi-media facilities), but the impression I get is that Nick Robinson didn't think all that much of it. No mention in the blog of any of the policies laid-out, just a barely disguised dismissal of the only alternative the electorate has to the current Prime Minister. We know how much the 大象传媒 as an entity loves New Labour, I just wish there was some balance from its experts.

I thought the speach was very good and will defo vote for David in the next election. I feel that the conservatives are aiming to the likes of me (middle class hard working with/without children) I feel that his policy on families is very good as it is true that thousands of familys are claiming benefits as living seperatly but actually together (this is benefit Fraud and is costing us millions) Labour can only keep promosing the same things that were promised 10 years ago (eduaction, education education and NHS!!) We have not seen many changes as yet so what makes this PM different. anyway MR Brown has made this county a mess with massive debts and nothing much to show for it

Who cares what Cameron is like. Gordon Brown is and was the instigator of every financial decision made for New Labour AND Tony Blair the front man! Who is he kidding otherwise?? He alone sold off Billions of our Gold reserves, raided our pensions and bribed companies to do it with pension holidays. He has rubber stamped the ridiculous immigration swamping of our OUR overstretched resources, giving benefits to everyone (including our workshys)who has never paid in. He has financed and backed the decision to go to War then not even give the funding to protect our armed forces and cut them to boot! Let's just get this bunch of lying hypocrital worms voted out. Conservatives would never have sold this Country down the river like this fool and his cronies!

To Gary (Comment 82)

Whilst you can't ignore the massive rebuilding of health and education establishments, we must remember that most of them are funded by disatrous PFI/PPP time-bubbles. These contracts tie schools and hospitals to paying the constructors millions of pounds of our money over 30+ years, and they attach other conditions such as paying the constructors for cleaning and maintenance. The buildings will not even be public property! The Tories and Labour both believe the private, profit-seeking sector should be given taxpayers' money to build and run PUBLIC services, at our expense. Good management, efficiency and best business practice can be brought in WITHOUT paying private companies! So when you say 'long live labour', do you mean the ultra pro-free market do-gooders mortgaging public services out to private companies for the next few generations?

Cameron's speech, by the way, was impressive in parts, but I found him way too anti-Europe, too pro-Thatcher and offering redistribution of wealth in the direction of the upper-middle classes. Hasn't got my vote yet.

I'm impressed that he spoke without an autocue. Sure, as comment #20 so rightly points out, it doesn't mean he didn't have advisers heavily involved in his speech. But it does show that he is at least making an effort to connect more directly with the electorate, and I think that's where politicians have been going so badly wrong for the last few years. This is an improvement.

If there were actually any substance in his speech, I might even have been tempted to vote Tory.

I was once a Liberal Democrat voting member of the Great British public, and while never a Labour voter, I always kept my ears open to what the Labour government was saying. I'm now squarely behind Mr. Cameron - Great speech with plenty of vision. We got a good idea of what sort of man Mr. Cameron is and with his reference to his colleagues I just think which would I prefer? Davis/Smith - Davis, Hague/Milliband - Hague (definately) and the quality that people like Dame Neville-Jones would bring to a Cabinet table far exceeds that of the Brown big tent.

An excellent speech. Glad to see that DC has at least put paid to some of the attacks from within his own party and Tories have been reminded of why he was voted in as leader in rhe first place. Can you imagine IDS or Michael Howard having the same kind of credibility?

I never thought I'd ever entertain the idea of voting Tory at the next election, but provided they keep to the agenda that was set out yesterday, they will have my support for the first time - and I've been voting for nearly 40 years! Banning ID cards is enough reason - but the philosophy and approach expressed by Cameron yesterday - support for families and freedom to educate, police and provide healthcare without centralised interference - reflect a refeshing change from old politics and a basis for 'New Tory'.

Yes I like it. Well said David!

Most journalists write about how the speech was delivered-without script,autocue- and marvel and praise the presentation rather than the content of the speech. Perhaps his message would have come across better had he actually read his speech.

The bit that I was waiting to hear-that of a man that actually wanted to GOVERN this Country, was missing, for here was yet another would be leader wanting the EU to govern in his stead. There is therefore no point in voting for any of the three major Parties. For thrity odd years I have stupidly voted for parties that want to "lEAD in 'Europe'", or 'be at its heart' I am not voting (and certainly am fed up of paying their wages for NOT doing the job)for Zombies that can only obey orders.

More biased left wing 大象传媒 coverage.

Sigh.

Politically, Brown can't just "win" an election. Neither can Cameron. If Cameron were to say have a large swing in his direction, it would still have to be large to give him a credible majority. Otherwise the tories will not stick with him. I don't support the tories, and I think there policies and ideas have been hustled out of them too quickly, but Cameron is trying to take them away from a conservatism that has failed for the last 15 years, and oversaw social turmoil and the growth of greed in the 80's. I don't mean go to the centre ground necessarily, but just offer a fresh approach to what they offer. I believe centre-left, invest and growth economics is better than cutting taxes, but it doesn't mean that the tories have to sell-out on their right wing beliefs.
Cameron is going somewhere where a lot of tories can't follow. He will need a big majority - i.e, a massive swing, to run an effective government, otherwise he will have a tough time.
It is unlikely he will win anyway, despite a good performance on Wednesday. The tories are still in it, but frankly Brown is "the master of puppets". He hints an election and everybody chucks out policies too early. He is playing games with the tories and the Lib Dems, after all, he is an effective politician and in my opinion a good PM.
Cameron is putting up a valiant effort, but when you are leading a very weak tory party with little direction or drive, with a imcompetent cabinet, you are fighting an uphill battle. That 4% is a lot to catch up in the polls.