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Cameron urges Welsh Tories to become "insurgent force"

Hello from Birmingham, where the prime minister has been rallying the Welsh party faithful.

David Cameron told a private reception at the party conference that he wanted Welsh Tories to be "the insurgent force" taking on Labour.

"I want the Conservatives in Wales to be the insurgent force that is fighting Labour and pointing out their failures, particularly their failures on health and education, and on the economy."

Mr Cameron said that in the past Welsh Tories had not been "aggressive enough" in highlighting those Labour failures but now was the time to take the fight to Labour.

He said if the Tories didn't shout about their achievements in office, no-one else would. "The Conservative Party is back in Wales. We have got a proper presence in Wales. We should be proud of that."

Mr Cameron praised former Welsh Secretary Cheryl Gillan: "she did a great job". He defended his government's record, telling party members: "We can hold our head up and say the UK government, the Westminster government, has treated Wales with respect."

He highlighted rail electrification and the referendum on the Welsh assembly's powers as examples of that respect treatment.

Mr Cameron praised his "new Welsh-speaking Secretary of State" David Jones, who apparently told the reception: "We have now got a Welsh team in Gwydyr House".