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| Tory conference at-a-glance | Tory conference at-a-glance |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| CONFERENCE ROUND-UP | CONFERENCE ROUND-UP |
| David Cameron has promised to work with the government in speeding through legislation to protect economic stability and protect bank account holders. Shadow home secretary Dominic Grieve has outlined plans to offer help for "have-a-go-heroes". Shadow schools secretary Michael Gove has said the Tories would offer relationship guidance to couples about to marry. And former party leader Iain Duncan Smith has spoken on the issue of social breakdown. | David Cameron has promised to work with the government in speeding through legislation to protect economic stability and protect bank account holders. Shadow home secretary Dominic Grieve has outlined plans to offer help for "have-a-go-heroes". Shadow schools secretary Michael Gove has said the Tories would offer relationship guidance to couples about to marry. And former party leader Iain Duncan Smith has spoken on the issue of social breakdown. |
| David Cameron's speech on the economy | David Cameron's speech on the economy |
| DESPERATE DAVE? LOBBY REACTION TO CAMERON'S SPEECH The party is detoxified, united and redefined, Matthew D'Ancona says | DESPERATE DAVE? LOBBY REACTION TO CAMERON'S SPEECH The party is detoxified, united and redefined, Matthew D'Ancona says |
| "Politically pitch perfect" according to Nick Robinson, who was gauging the mood at conference. It was an important speech, according to the BBC's political editor, because Cameron had looked wrong-footed by the crisis. | "Politically pitch perfect" according to Nick Robinson, who was gauging the mood at conference. It was an important speech, according to the BBC's political editor, because Cameron had looked wrong-footed by the crisis. |
| "Confused Cameron" was Mirror man Kevin Maguire's verdict. "David Cameron calls Gordon Brown 'bust' one day then publicly champions a non-partisan approach to the banking crisis the next," Maguire noted. He thought it made Cameron look desperate: "Cameron's remarkable U-turn is a shameless recognition that Brown and Labour are recovering in the polls, voters in a crisis either going for experience over a novice or, if you prefer, clinging to nurse for fear of something worse. The Tory leader sounded calm but inside he must be panicking." Yet Maguire labelled it smart tactics on Cameron's part: "Cameron's desperately trying to cuddle Brown to neuter the PM's political advantage". | "Confused Cameron" was Mirror man Kevin Maguire's verdict. "David Cameron calls Gordon Brown 'bust' one day then publicly champions a non-partisan approach to the banking crisis the next," Maguire noted. He thought it made Cameron look desperate: "Cameron's remarkable U-turn is a shameless recognition that Brown and Labour are recovering in the polls, voters in a crisis either going for experience over a novice or, if you prefer, clinging to nurse for fear of something worse. The Tory leader sounded calm but inside he must be panicking." Yet Maguire labelled it smart tactics on Cameron's part: "Cameron's desperately trying to cuddle Brown to neuter the PM's political advantage". |
| Spectator Editor Matthew D'Ancona thought Cameron's "astute and measured speech has sealed one deal: it has awoken the Conservative Party to the fact that they really will... be forming the next government... Now, detoxified, united and redefined". But the difference in tone, D'Ancona suggested, indicated the task was no longer to simply offer change, but, quite differently, it was "one of great difficulty, in which glibness, rigid ideology and woolliness alike will have no place." Surely he's not suggesting that had been their plan up to now? | Spectator Editor Matthew D'Ancona thought Cameron's "astute and measured speech has sealed one deal: it has awoken the Conservative Party to the fact that they really will... be forming the next government... Now, detoxified, united and redefined". But the difference in tone, D'Ancona suggested, indicated the task was no longer to simply offer change, but, quite differently, it was "one of great difficulty, in which glibness, rigid ideology and woolliness alike will have no place." Surely he's not suggesting that had been their plan up to now? |
| The need for Cameron's intervention proved the Tories have been tested, according to the Mail's Benedict Brogan. He said they may "have got themselves onto the lunchtime news but have had to give Gordon Brown a blank cheque just to get noticed." | The need for Cameron's intervention proved the Tories have been tested, according to the Mail's Benedict Brogan. He said they may "have got themselves onto the lunchtime news but have had to give Gordon Brown a blank cheque just to get noticed." |
| It's a u-turn, stupid, according to The Guardian's Martin Kettle: "When people are asked to compare David Cameron to a make of car, they apparently think of a Jaguar. Well, at 11 o'clock this morning there was a noisy grinding of gears and an acrid smell of rubber as his X-Type suddenly switched direction right in the middle of the Birmingham conference centre." Phew. Amidst further proof financial turbulence had completely disorientated British party politics, Kettle offered Cameron a road map... "The Tories' best course would be to offer a clear alternative amid the din of the tempest. But that is the one thing they can't do - because in the end, they haven't got one." | It's a u-turn, stupid, according to The Guardian's Martin Kettle: "When people are asked to compare David Cameron to a make of car, they apparently think of a Jaguar. Well, at 11 o'clock this morning there was a noisy grinding of gears and an acrid smell of rubber as his X-Type suddenly switched direction right in the middle of the Birmingham conference centre." Phew. Amidst further proof financial turbulence had completely disorientated British party politics, Kettle offered Cameron a road map... "The Tories' best course would be to offer a clear alternative amid the din of the tempest. But that is the one thing they can't do - because in the end, they haven't got one." |
| BLOGGERS HAVE THEIR SAY ON CAMERON SPEECH | BLOGGERS HAVE THEIR SAY ON CAMERON SPEECH |
| Tory blogger Iain Dale was impressed by the speech, as "everyone stopped what they were doing to listen. There was an eerie silence and it was almost like the family gathering round the wireless to listen to a wartime address by Churchill. Cameron struck exactly the right, reassuring, note." DC is trying to be too accommodating ... it will not wash Blogger on ConservativeHome | Tory blogger Iain Dale was impressed by the speech, as "everyone stopped what they were doing to listen. There was an eerie silence and it was almost like the family gathering round the wireless to listen to a wartime address by Churchill. Cameron struck exactly the right, reassuring, note." DC is trying to be too accommodating ... it will not wash Blogger on ConservativeHome |
| Dale judged the content was spot on: "He even hinted - unless I misunderstood him - that a form of national government might be necessary. We are entering a new world, both economically and politically. Many mettles will be tested." | Dale judged the content was spot on: "He even hinted - unless I misunderstood him - that a form of national government might be necessary. We are entering a new world, both economically and politically. Many mettles will be tested." |
| On the Tory activists' ConservativeHome website, reactions were mixed:
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| CROSSING THE FLOOR | CROSSING THE FLOOR |
| Shadow justice secretary Nick Herbert has mischievously suggested his opposite number Jack Straw might consider a future in the Conservative Party. In a speech to the party conference he said: "Watch Jack Straw. Believe me, Gordon Brown is... One day Jack was an arch Blairite and the next day we woke up and he was running Gordon Brown's leadership campaign - I don't suppose it will be long before we wake up to discover that he's changed to the winning side and we look forward to him joining the Conservative benches." Polite laughter from the audience suggested they were not entirely convinced. | Shadow justice secretary Nick Herbert has mischievously suggested his opposite number Jack Straw might consider a future in the Conservative Party. In a speech to the party conference he said: "Watch Jack Straw. Believe me, Gordon Brown is... One day Jack was an arch Blairite and the next day we woke up and he was running Gordon Brown's leadership campaign - I don't suppose it will be long before we wake up to discover that he's changed to the winning side and we look forward to him joining the Conservative benches." Polite laughter from the audience suggested they were not entirely convinced. |
| BROKEN SOCIETY? | BROKEN SOCIETY? |
| Not all Tories seem to agree with the party's belief that society is "broken", Boris Johnson famously describing the claim as "piffle". But it proved a recurring theme of Tuesday's sessions. Former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith said social breakdown was as much of a threat to people's lives as growing economic hardship. He told the conference that the rise in "dysfunctional families" and the spread of a "culture of the streets" would cost the country billions if not addressed. And work and pensions spokesman Chris Grayling warned of the danger of male social alienation, talking of a "Jeremy Kyle generation of young men reaching adult life ill-equipped for it". | |
| BLAIR IN BIRMINGHAM | |
| Chris Grayling and Cherie Blair disagreed over the Human Rights Act | |
| Tony Blair may have been absent from Labour's conference but Cherie Blair has been busy this conference season. After speaking in Manchester she ventured into enemy territory this week in Birmingham. At a fringe meeting attended by victims of crime, the barrister defended the Human Rights Act, saying it protected people from the state and helped ensure justice. Some of those present were unconvinced, including Tory frontbencher Chris Grayling who said the act was not working and needed to be torn up. | |
| GOING FOR GOLD | |
| Political parties have not been slow to bathe in the reflected glory of Team GB's Olympic success this year. While Labour invited kayak champion Tim Brabants and cycling coach Dave Brailsford to talk to its delegates in Manchester, the Tories called on double gold medallist Dame Kelly Holmes to inspire members in Birmingham. She heard shadow culture secretary Jeremy Hunt's pledge to free up an extra £43m from Lottery funding for grassroots sport. | |
| SCOTTISH BROADSIDE | SCOTTISH BROADSIDE |
| David Cameron has warned those who think a victory for his party at the next election might accelerate the break-up of the Union to think again. He said Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond had "another thing coming" if he felt a Tory government would make it easier for the SNP to secure independence. The Tories currently have only one MP in Scotland but Mr Cameron said he would "work with anyone in Scotland" who wanted to preserve the Union. | David Cameron has warned those who think a victory for his party at the next election might accelerate the break-up of the Union to think again. He said Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond had "another thing coming" if he felt a Tory government would make it easier for the SNP to secure independence. The Tories currently have only one MP in Scotland but Mr Cameron said he would "work with anyone in Scotland" who wanted to preserve the Union. |
| STICKY FLOOR | STICKY FLOOR |
| There was much bafflement at a fringe meeting after a questioner asked the panel - including pop and railway mogul Pete Waterman - if their businesses suffered from the problem of "sticky floors". It was explained that sticky floor is a term along the lines of "glass ceiling", and refers to the difficulty workers at the lowest level might have in moving up the ranks. The best answer came from Network Rail boss Iain Croucher who said that while there might be a sticky floor in some parts of his company some of his staff had sticky shoes... in other words they enjoyed what they did and did not want to move up. | There was much bafflement at a fringe meeting after a questioner asked the panel - including pop and railway mogul Pete Waterman - if their businesses suffered from the problem of "sticky floors". It was explained that sticky floor is a term along the lines of "glass ceiling", and refers to the difficulty workers at the lowest level might have in moving up the ranks. The best answer came from Network Rail boss Iain Croucher who said that while there might be a sticky floor in some parts of his company some of his staff had sticky shoes... in other words they enjoyed what they did and did not want to move up. |