This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/uk_politics/7019331.stm
The article has changed 6 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Tory leader 'ready to fight back' | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Conservative leader David Cameron has promised to fight Labour's recent dominance in opinion polls and offer a "clear and compelling" alternative. | |
| Arriving in Blackpool for his party's annual conference, Mr Cameron was asked if the Tories were ready for an election. He replied simply "you bet". | |
| He said the country had suffered 10 years of a Labour government and was ready for a change. | |
| His comments come as it emerged that Labour have an 11-point poll lead. | |
| On the eve of his second conference as party leader, Mr Cameron is expected to announce a raft of new policies, including a plan to tax flights rather than individual passengers. | |
| Mr Cameron has insisted he will not be distracted from modernising the party. | Mr Cameron has insisted he will not be distracted from modernising the party. |
| Opinion polls suggesting a significant Labour lead will fuel speculation that Prime Minister Gordon Brown may call a snap general election. | |
| Parliamentary gains | Parliamentary gains |
| The Tories will propose an Airline Pollution Duty, designed to encourage airlines to fly with full planes and penalise them for flights with only a few passengers on board. | The Tories will propose an Airline Pollution Duty, designed to encourage airlines to fly with full planes and penalise them for flights with only a few passengers on board. |
| The government has dismissed the policies, saying Mr Cameron has to explain how the ideas are going to be paid for. | The government has dismissed the policies, saying Mr Cameron has to explain how the ideas are going to be paid for. |
| "It's not proper opposition politics, let alone government politics, to come along with billion-pound announcements which you can't show where the money's going to come from," said Schools and Families Secretary Ed Balls. | "It's not proper opposition politics, let alone government politics, to come along with billion-pound announcements which you can't show where the money's going to come from," said Schools and Families Secretary Ed Balls. |
| "The question, I think, in families' minds is 'will we be hit on our mortgage rates or on our taxes to pay for these kind of proposals'." | "The question, I think, in families' minds is 'will we be hit on our mortgage rates or on our taxes to pay for these kind of proposals'." |
| Instead of making our own occupation of the political mainstream more secure, the Conservative Party turned in on itself Michael GoveShadow education secretary | Instead of making our own occupation of the political mainstream more secure, the Conservative Party turned in on itself Michael GoveShadow education secretary |
| BBC political correspondent Mark Sanders said that this year's Tory conference is crucial for Mr Cameron, who has faced criticism of his leadership from within his party. | BBC political correspondent Mark Sanders said that this year's Tory conference is crucial for Mr Cameron, who has faced criticism of his leadership from within his party. |
| In an interview, Michael Gove, the shadow education secretary and a Tory moderniser, said internal critics of Mr Cameron had handed Labour an electoral advantage. | In an interview, Michael Gove, the shadow education secretary and a Tory moderniser, said internal critics of Mr Cameron had handed Labour an electoral advantage. |
| He told the Daily Telegraph: "Instead of making our own occupation of the political mainstream more secure, the Conservative Party turned in on itself." | He told the Daily Telegraph: "Instead of making our own occupation of the political mainstream more secure, the Conservative Party turned in on itself." |
| Mr Brown is expected to spend the next 48 hours weighing up whether to go to the country with an early general election. | Mr Brown is expected to spend the next 48 hours weighing up whether to go to the country with an early general election. |
| Labour has enjoyed its lead - dubbed the "Brown bounce" - since Mr Brown took over as prime minister in June. | Labour has enjoyed its lead - dubbed the "Brown bounce" - since Mr Brown took over as prime minister in June. |
| 'Very encouraged' | 'Very encouraged' |
| A YouGov poll for the Daily Telegraph gives the party an 11-point lead, with Labour on 43%, the Conservatives on 32% and the Liberal Democrats on 15%. | A YouGov poll for the Daily Telegraph gives the party an 11-point lead, with Labour on 43%, the Conservatives on 32% and the Liberal Democrats on 15%. |
| The survey of 2,165 voters across Great Britain between 26 and 28 September suggests that 45% believe Mr Brown is in touch with people's concerns, compared to 18% who say the same of Mr Cameron. | The survey of 2,165 voters across Great Britain between 26 and 28 September suggests that 45% believe Mr Brown is in touch with people's concerns, compared to 18% who say the same of Mr Cameron. |
| A separate Populous poll for the Times puts Labour on 41%, the Tories on 31% and the Liberal Democrats on 17%. | A separate Populous poll for the Times puts Labour on 41%, the Tories on 31% and the Liberal Democrats on 17%. |
| But the Conservatives have said they are "very encouraged" by the latest English council by-election results - in which they took a seat from Labour, and achieved swings that would translate to Parliamentary gains. | But the Conservatives have said they are "very encouraged" by the latest English council by-election results - in which they took a seat from Labour, and achieved swings that would translate to Parliamentary gains. |