Tory critics 'blasts from past'

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Conservative leader David Cameron has dismissed critics within his own party as "blasts from the past" who "signify absolutely nothing".

It follows former deputy leader Michael Ancram's warning against "trashing" the party's Thatcherite past.

Mr Cameron has pledged to continue moving his party to the "centre ground" and said the local election results showed it was reaping "huge benefits".

Tories should "think carefully before they open their mouths," he said.

On Tuesday Mr Ancram said Mr Cameron should "unveil the party's soul" rather than make "vacuous" reforms.

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There have also been calls for him to shift his focus to traditional Tory policies - such as tax, crime and immigration.

But Mr Cameron told the Sun newspaper: "When you make changes you'll get blasts from the past who signify absolutely nothing. They are wrong."

"Political leadership is about taking a long-term approach. It's about ignoring noises off stage.

"I don't think when Tony Blair was trying to change the Labour Party he spent the whole time worrying about what Tony Benn was saying."

Thatcher praise

The party's results in two by-elections, a row over grammar schools and an apparent "Brown bounce" in the polls had left Mr Cameron open to some criticism - but he has said there will be no "lurch to the right".

Earlier in the week Prime Minister Gordon Brown said Conservative former prime minister Margaret Thatcher was a "conviction politician" like him, who "saw the need for change".

Mr Cameron told the Sun: "What a cheek! If we had listened to Gordon Brown no one would have been able to buy their council house.

"Unions would run the country and we'd probably be speaking Russian."

"He is a conviction politician - convicted of robbing people's pensions, stealth taxes and failing to reform the health service".