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| Tory conference at-a-glance | Tory conference at-a-glance |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| THE BIG ISSUE All eyes are on David Cameron who will deliver his keynote speech, which has had to be rewritten as the economic crisis has unfolded. He has to pull off a difficult balancing act. He cannot savage Gordon Brown, having just promised to support him through the global financial crisis, but he has to show why he is the better man to lead the country. Mr Cameron limbered up for the speech with an early morning jog He will say that on the economy, the PM has a lot to answer for - but aides have said part of the attack has been toned down. Expect him to set out what he would do differently and how and to address the charge from Mr Brown that he is a "novice". He will say that doing the difficult things for the long term or just to get through the financial crisis, does not need experience, but character and judgement. The speech is expected to take about 45 minutes to an hour but do not expect a repeat of last year's speech without notes. This one will be delivered in a more traditional fashion, from behind a lectern. On a jog this morning Mr Cameron told the BBC he was happy with the speech and was looking forward to delivering it. | |
| WEDNESDAY AT CONFERENCE | |
| 0915 Preparing for Government: Oliver Letwin and Francis Maude1000 Local environment: Peter Ainsworth and Eric Pickles1100 International challenges facing Britain: William Hague, Pauline Neville- Jones and Andrew Mitchell 1230 Closing remarks: Caroline Spelman1245 Lunch1430 Closing speech: David Cameron | |
| 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 |
| LOBBY REACTION TO CAMERON'S ECONOMIC STATEMENT 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 STATEMENT | |
| 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:
| On the Tory activists' ConservativeHome website, reactions were mixed:
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