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| Version 8 | Version 9 |
|---|---|
| Cameron dismisses party critics | Cameron dismisses party critics |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| Tory leader David Cameron has dismissed a series of critics from his own party and told the BBC he is addressing the "big issues" which matter to voters. | Tory leader David Cameron has dismissed a series of critics from his own party and told the BBC he is addressing the "big issues" which matter to voters. |
| He said Ali Miraj, who helped launch his leadership bid, asked for a peerage hours before accusing Mr Cameron of replacing "substance" with "PR". | |
| Mr Cameron also dismissed criticism of his policies by former chairman Lord Saatchi and ex-treasurer Lord Kalms. | Mr Cameron also dismissed criticism of his policies by former chairman Lord Saatchi and ex-treasurer Lord Kalms. |
| He said Labour's recent "Brown bounce" in the polls would prove temporary. | He said Labour's recent "Brown bounce" in the polls would prove temporary. |
| Lords request | Lords request |
| Asked about Mr Miraj's comments, Mr Cameron told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "I think we have to, I'm afraid, put this in a context. | Asked about Mr Miraj's comments, Mr Cameron told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "I think we have to, I'm afraid, put this in a context. |
| "Yesterday, Ali Miraj was in my office asking for me to make him a peer and put him in the House of Lords, which is obviously something, not a promise I would make to anybody. | "Yesterday, Ali Miraj was in my office asking for me to make him a peer and put him in the House of Lords, which is obviously something, not a promise I would make to anybody. |
| "And I think we should probably look at his comments in the light of that." | "And I think we should probably look at his comments in the light of that." |
| People have had enough of Tony Blair for 10 years. They don't want another Tony Blair Ali Miraj Attack on 'PR-obsessed' Cameron | People have had enough of Tony Blair for 10 years. They don't want another Tony Blair Ali Miraj Attack on 'PR-obsessed' Cameron |
| Mr Cameron was defending his leadership, after the Tories came third in two by-elections and his decision to visit Rwanda, while parts of England were badly flooded. | Mr Cameron was defending his leadership, after the Tories came third in two by-elections and his decision to visit Rwanda, while parts of England were badly flooded. |
| Mr Miraj had told the BBC: "What I'm asking for is some substance and some credibility and not box-ticking and gimmickry. | Mr Miraj had told the BBC: "What I'm asking for is some substance and some credibility and not box-ticking and gimmickry. |
| "People have had enough of Tony Blair for 10 years. They don't want another Tony Blair." | "People have had enough of Tony Blair for 10 years. They don't want another Tony Blair." |
| Tory donor Lord Kalms has also called for "some rethinking" of Mr Cameron's policies and former Tory frontbencher Graham Brady, who stepped down over the recent row about grammar schools, said Mr Cameron was failing to reach out to voters in the north and Midlands. | Tory donor Lord Kalms has also called for "some rethinking" of Mr Cameron's policies and former Tory frontbencher Graham Brady, who stepped down over the recent row about grammar schools, said Mr Cameron was failing to reach out to voters in the north and Midlands. |
| 'Big issues' | 'Big issues' |
| But Mr Cameron told the BBC Lord Kalms - who backed David Davis for the Tory leadership in 2005 - had never agreed with his policies, while Mr Brady was wrong as the Tories had made gains in the local elections. | But Mr Cameron told the BBC Lord Kalms - who backed David Davis for the Tory leadership in 2005 - had never agreed with his policies, while Mr Brady was wrong as the Tories had made gains in the local elections. |
| He also responded to Lord Saatchi's comments that he should focus more on the economy, saying he was addressing the "big issue" facing Britain today - "the breakdown of our society". | He also responded to Lord Saatchi's comments that he should focus more on the economy, saying he was addressing the "big issue" facing Britain today - "the breakdown of our society". |
| New prime ministers always get a honeymoon and a bounce in the polls, but I don't beliveve the fundamentals have changed David Cameron | New prime ministers always get a honeymoon and a bounce in the polls, but I don't beliveve the fundamentals have changed David Cameron |
| The former Tory chairman had warned Mr Cameron that "nicey-nicey" politics would not win him the next general election. | The former Tory chairman had warned Mr Cameron that "nicey-nicey" politics would not win him the next general election. |
| The latest opinion polls seem to suggest the "Brown bounce", following Gordon Brown's succession as prime minister in June, is continuing. | The latest opinion polls seem to suggest the "Brown bounce", following Gordon Brown's succession as prime minister in June, is continuing. |
| Asked whether he thought the polls were temporary, Mr Cameron said: "Yes, I believe they are." | Asked whether he thought the polls were temporary, Mr Cameron said: "Yes, I believe they are." |
| But Mr Cameron said: "New prime ministers always get a honeymoon and a bounce in the polls, I fully predicted and expected that, but I don't believe the fundamentals have changed." | But Mr Cameron said: "New prime ministers always get a honeymoon and a bounce in the polls, I fully predicted and expected that, but I don't believe the fundamentals have changed." |
| Classroom discipline | Classroom discipline |
| He said the Conservatives were coming up with "serious, comprehensive answers" to society's problems - including anti-social behaviour and discipline in schools. | He said the Conservatives were coming up with "serious, comprehensive answers" to society's problems - including anti-social behaviour and discipline in schools. |
| Later he will launch policies to improve classroom discipline, among them a pledge to scrap local authority appeals panels, which can overrule head teachers' decisions to exclude badly-behaved pupils. | Later he will launch policies to improve classroom discipline, among them a pledge to scrap local authority appeals panels, which can overrule head teachers' decisions to exclude badly-behaved pupils. |
| Instead schools should have their own appeals system - such as one run by governors - but ultimately the decision would rest with the school, he told the BBC. | Instead schools should have their own appeals system - such as one run by governors - but ultimately the decision would rest with the school, he told the BBC. |
| He will also propose that children should be barred from joining schools unless their parents sign up to a good behaviour contract, excluded pupils should be dealt with by voluntary sector groups and he will call for an end to the closure of special schools. | He will also propose that children should be barred from joining schools unless their parents sign up to a good behaviour contract, excluded pupils should be dealt with by voluntary sector groups and he will call for an end to the closure of special schools. |
| A survey for the Times put the Labour party six points clear of the Conservatives with 39% of the vote compared to 33%. Populus questioned 1,511 adults by telephone between July 27 and 29. | A survey for the Times put the Labour party six points clear of the Conservatives with 39% of the vote compared to 33%. Populus questioned 1,511 adults by telephone between July 27 and 29. |
| A further poll for the Independent put Labour on 37% - up five points on a similar poll last month - and the Conservatives on 34%, down three. CommunicateResearch questioned 1,006 adults by phone between July 27 and 29. | A further poll for the Independent put Labour on 37% - up five points on a similar poll last month - and the Conservatives on 34%, down three. CommunicateResearch questioned 1,006 adults by phone between July 27 and 29. |