Cameron's speech delivers

Anan

Nice analysis there James. Also, saw you on BBC News, and you look a lot different to what I expected based on the bold "JAMES FORSYTH" below every post/article. But in a good way ;)

sinosimon

in the detail of the yougov poll were a few interesting figures....but most notable was that over 60% of people said they dont know what the tory party stand for.

we are no more than 10 weeks from the election and the country hasn't a clue what cameron will do if he wins. you can't persuade people to vote for you unless you give them a reason, which the party has singularly failed to do.

there was nothing in this speech that will help.....if you could sit people down and talk them through it then maybe the overall message might have some effect, but the sad fact is most people have the attention span of a gnat unless you are talking x-factor or katie price.

it is difficult to see any headline policies coming through that capture people's imagination. perhaps they have some, squirelled away for the campaign proper.....but it doesn't feel like it.

hold on to your hats......

Richard

wow what a speech!
The biggest waste of time effort and hot air.
What was he on when he mentioned about the guy who wanted to shackup with his single mother gf but put the finances above doing the right thing.....get a job and support her so she can work (partime if needs be) that went down like a lead balloon in the hall.
Nobody even the socialists bought that one.....you wonder why people think he plays to the crowd and has no substance.
A shifty smarmy politician who thinks Government is his birthrite.
Did you see Sam in the lobby reply to the journo in faux estuary speek......how fake we all know her origins and what she really sounds like...why do it?

Diane C - London

But where was the fury, the outrage, the anger and the passion?

Noa Zrk

Halleluiah, praise the Lord!

His prophet has come amongst us and we are redeemed. The young liberals who scribble in these columns who tell the aging non-believers to begone can relax as He communicates His vision.
I suspect, though that it will fail to convince white working and middle England, as it failed to convince me, that he offers any hope of a genuine alternative to the present government.

Tiberius

To win an election, Cameron has to stick his neck out and show great skill in public speaking.

Brown, on the other hand, has to duff people up and lie incessantly.

Yes or no?

denis cooper

If you want somebody who can deliver a speech without notes, contact a theatrical agent.

If you want somebody to lead the country, find somebody who firstly believes that the country should continue to exist as a country, and secondly believes that it should be both possessed and governed by its own people.

And if you then want somebody to manage its economy, don't just accept one of your chosen leader's best chums from way back.

But don't bother looking in a political party which wraps itself in the flag of one Union when convenient, but whose controlling cabal owes its true allegiance to the flag of another Union.

natasha

The speech confirms what we already knew - that Cameron is much better than the Party he leads. Will he win the election? Yes. Will it be with a small majority? Yes. Will his party then do to him what it did to John Major? Yes. Will that allow Labour to win the election in 2015? Probably.

Neil Turner

Why are you so enthraled by speakng without notes ? So what ?

I listened to Cameron. He offered nothing new

The old business adage of "if you keep doing what you always did, you'll get what you always got" works in politics too

Cameron doesn't get it

Olaf Rye

Not a bad speech at all, but the polls suggest that we have so many citizens that are beholden to the state and afraid of life without the government that they are immune to any appeals to reason. In any other nation, the economic record of Labour would have consigned them to electoral oblivion for at least a generation. We have an economic contraction of more than 6%, which is the worst since records began and probably even more severe than the fiscal crisis of the 1930s. However, the public wants to believe that the best way to fight the debt is by more debt ? Really, if Labour is elected again, the British public deserves its fate. Let us hope that the polls are wrong, that once in the polling booth people will consider the situation critically, but I am afraid that I do not entertain much hope for a nation that wants to be coddled by the government and have their standard of living paid for by the money of other people because they despise their class or profession. When the exodus begins in earnest, they will blame everyone but themselves, their moral cowardice, their avarice.

Willie de Peepul

Diane C - London
February 28th, 2010 4:41pm

Spot on, Diane

Funny that; I was musing this morning on what I hoped to hear (AND SEE!) in this speech. I found myself focussing much more on the fury (I used the word 'rage') at this government's deceptions and incompetence rather than any policy statements.
By coincidence, this morning radio played a clip of Barbara Castle. Now THERE was a woman who (however misguided) could thoroughly infuse a speech with lip-quivering, controlled rage. Tony Banks could do the rage bit too, but without the control and coherence.
So where are our angry men? Are today's Tories all still too polite for such rough-and-tumble? I feel that even Lord Tebbit is these days writing in an awfully measured, passionless style.

Come on! Let's be 'avin' you!

John David Barnett

Such negative comments amaze me. Were these people listening to a different speech?

Fernando

What most impressed me about Cameron when he stood for leader in 2005 was his stated determination not to revert to a core vote strategy when the going got tough. There would be no banging on about immigration nor some meaningless threats about the EU. He would keep to the issues which interest the bulk of middle England; the economy, education, the NHS.
Labour would love to push him off the middle ground and portray him as a bad old Tory. They have tried but the accusations lack any validity. Cameron has avoided this trap and refused to panic. The voters are entitled to a few pre-nuptial jitters but as long as Cameron stays true to himself he’ll win through. The voters are unsure what we stand for; they haven’t rejected us. All they need is convincing.

Ke H

The 'Telegraph'reports today that at the end of his speech to at Brighton he said "...as we leave this Conference we must resolve that WE WILL NOT LET YOU DOWN!
That is infinitely better as a poster slogan than'Change',which is meaningless.
Sppeaking of slogans, Henry Ford was famous for advertising his early car as " any colour as long as it's black!"
How would "Any colour but brown" appeal?

David Lindsay

In 'The Broken Compass', Peter Hitchens recounts how, at the end of these speeches, all the hacks form a huddle and decide what the line should be. They have certainly done so today.

Such is the influence of Andrew Rawnsley that one week on from his embittered Blairite rant, and the Heir to Blair's poll lead, once 25 points, is now within the margin of error, while a fake charity which seems to have been run out of the Heir's office, or as good as, will be lucky if the Cameron associates concerned do not face criminal charges.

In the run-up to a General Election, the Tories' Spring Conference is considered less newsworthy than an earthquake in Chile. As much as anything else, there seems to be little public appetite for rule by the hired help of a foreign intelligence agency which steals the identities of our citizens in order to stage acts of terrorism.

And what of Cameron's speech? There were only two noticeable things about it. The delivery of a nondescript piece of non-committal lip service to family values while standing in front of an anti-fatherhood abortion enthusiast and prostitute-frequenting cocaine addict. And the delivery of a denunciation of the National Curriculum while standing in front of the Education Secretary who introduced it. In future, Dave, use a lectern. With no one behind you.

Right On

'Fraid not John, what you are hearing is a collection of UKIP and Labour supporters trashing Cameron for their own ends. People need to look pretty simply at the choice in front of them. Cameron is capable, likeable and electable, by far the most popular Tory in 20 years.

The polls have shifted at a ridiculous and frankly unbelievable rate. Brown has been allowed to get away with murder by a press who presumably want a close election, as a result the Tories were attacked for being policy free (against a government yet to announce a single policy) so they then announced a raft of policies which are largely ignored cause it doesn't suit the narrative.

Brown's policy on cuts is bizarre, one day he recognizes the need, the next day it's attacks on Tory cuts. It's loopy yet the press are happily ignoring it cause it suits them. They have even allowed him to get away with his nonsense about this recession being nothing to do with him.

The slightest hint of perfection in the Tory campaign has been savaged where as the fact that the Chancellor and the PM don't have a coherent economic plan seems to be perfectly ok.

Pam Reynolds

Having read an article in the Sunday Telegraph about the infiltration of the The Islamic Forum of Europe (IFE) into the Labour Party who idea is to turn Britain into an Islamic State, which to my mind is the biggest reason for NOT voting for Mr. Gordon Brown.

Dan

Cameron isn't perfect by ay means but compared to that lying, deranged excuse of a human being we have as PM, he's so good I'd practically marry him.

There is no way that the British people will vote for five more years of Brown and his team of incomptent thugs. The paltry 2% lead? That's more of a rogue that Brown is.

ABGB

Why so many Labour apparatchiks posting on the speccie today? Is it some kind of web-guerrila strategy?

Seriously, knee-jerk tribalism might benefit the party you support, but it sure doesn't help the electorate.

John

I hope the Labour trolls on this site are getting double-time for working Sundays.

Frank Leader

Beat that Brown, if you can. Bet you can't.

Frank P

John David Barnett (5.26pm)

"Were you people listening to a different speech?"

No - apparently YOU were; or are you just a paid apparatchik from CCHQ?

denis cooper (5.54pm)

Couldn't have put it better. You captured the essence of what the vast majority of posters on the Speccie blogs have averred for many months in just four succinct and pungent paragraphs. Highlight them and send them round to CCHQ, James; it's still not too late for DC to listen to potential conservative voters, rather than the ones who support his hi-jacking of the Conservative Party for devious multi-culti, Eurobloc ends. If he really wants to be the Heir to Blair he should take note of how the real Labour party turned on Blair when they realized they had been conned.

But then again, Blair is crying all the way to the bank; so in the end, power per se rather than pro bono publico, is the real prize here, isn't it? The rest is pure bovine effluent and we were delivered a tanker-load today by a self-confessed salesman of the stuff (selling for Britain - of course – ‘here's my glossy portfolio, ignore the fact that Brussels own the Company we're all in the same club’ [nudge nudge, wink wink]. Well, he didn’t close the deal with me and I ‘m looking for annihilation of the current administration by any means necessary, so what chance does he stand with the uncommitted waverers or disillusioned Blairites?.

Unfortunately for DC he had Ken Clarke placed in camera shot throughout the speech. The sheer contempt on the Rumpled One’s face throughout the whole spiel was tangible. What must he have been thinking? I'm sure that one of the thoughts was, "Has it really come down to this?"

David Lindsay

Pam Reynolds, it is rich beyond Croesus for neocons, such as the Harry's Place website that Straight Left has now become, to complain about entryism. Even when, as in the case of the Islamic Forum of Europe and the Labour Party in Tower Hamlets, the claim seems to be fairly well-founded. That said, the main argument is that most of the new members there have Muslim names. Would they say that about, for example, Jews?

In any case, it was David Cameron whose vehicles toured Ealing Southall blasting out in Asian languages that Hindu, Muslim and Sikh festivals would be made public holidays under the Tories. It was his “Quality of Life Commission” that then proposed giving the power to decide these things to “local community leaders”. What else would those figures be given the power to decide in return for filling in every postal voting form in their households in the Bullingdon Boys’ interest, and making sure that all their mates did likewise?

To the statelets thus created – little Caliphates, little Hindutvas, little Khalistans, and so on – people minded to live in such places would flock from the ends of the earth, entrenching the situation for ever. Labour Councillors and activists fairly regularly defect to the Tories on frankly communal grounds and are always welcomed with open arms. The present candidate at Ealing Southall is one such.

And let’s not even start about the Lib Dems.

Athesius the Facilitator

RIGHT ON is spot on and I advise all you bloggers to read what he has said.

Nobody with half a brain would allow the situation where the Labour party are not put through the ringer about their policy areas yet the Tory's are picked over constantly. There must be a "newsmans" pact, otherwise it's to ridiculous for words.

Witness the newsreader who interviewed Ed Balls wife today. Witness Marr questioning Tango Haine and witness Geordie McGuire's free run. Its baffling why nobody shuts them up and tells them a few home truths.

Also the Tory's are too thick skinned, its time they reacted to some of the slander.

2trueblue

My only complaint is there was nothing on the EU. It is pretty clear that there is a nasty spiteful lot on here today.
What the Tories can offer beats all the lies, initiatives that never get delivered, spin, and broken promises over the last 13yrs.

Coopers remark about spin is laughable.

Ex-Tory voter

"Cameron declared that ‘every day Gordon Brown is Prime Minister is a grey day for our country’." Well, yes, we already know that. What's he going to do that's different? What's he going to do that those of us outside Westminster - you know, the people who go out and vote, actually want?

2trueblue

Ex-Tory voter. Less interference from the state. If you think that there is nothing the Tories can do better then you must be brain dead. Who do you think destroyed our pensions..... What the hell, you obviously have not been suffering enough from Liebores nose in your life. Liebore are encouraging voters in marginals to votes for anybody but Tory, now you must be able to discern that they do not care at all as long as they get in again. Remember these are the people who made more promised that the devil and delivered on very few. The postal vote they have misused and now after 13yrs they want to give us an AV voting system. Why? Not for the love of democracy, just for the love of Liebore. Enjoy your vote, while it matters.
What happened to your vote on the EU constitution/Lisbon treaty promised by Liebore who have now fully signed us up to the EU?

Peter Scargill

David Camerons's speech was excellent but as usual the BBC's coverage was so left-leaning it's hard to imagine it's a British organisation - they immediately went into slagging off mode. We need someone like Cameron to get us out of the utter mess that we're in.

Alex

Wow! The Labour trolls are out in force today aren't they? Some different names with the same IP address, no doubt?

Anyway, great speach from Cameron ... let's hope the Tories regain momentum.

2trueblue

Peter Scargil.... It is Browns Broadcasting Corporation thats why it is rubbish, no real facts, biased reporting, and you and I pay for it.
It is the main reason we have an uninformed public. Sky have their own chaps who have married into the Brown group so not much there to get unbiased information. Real journalism is in short supply in the UK since the Scottish raj took over at Westminster.
Cameron must get all his trusted footmen out once the election is announced and make sure that no one does not hear the message.
Anyone who cares about democracy must protect it from Liebore who do not understand what it means. They only mean to deprive us of it, just like our vote on the EU constitution/Lisbon Treaty.

General Zod

Frank P, it amuses me that you agree with dennis cooper, a dyed-in-the-wool left-winger. You have more in common with David Lindsay than a Tory supporter like me (I imagine you will find this reassuring).

Verity

Frank P refers to a brilliant post by Denis Cooper at 5:54. Too brilliant, apparently, as it has been removed.

Richard Jones

Great, notes or no notes, maybe next time he can actually tell us what he is going to do.

denis cooper

@ General Zod - Whether somebody sees me as a "left-winger" must depend on their own standpoint, and as plenty of others complain that I'm too right-wing I suppose that may mean you're the one who's out at an extreme.

@ Verity - it was at 4:54, and it's still there, although modesty prevents me from agreeing that it was "brilliant".

Felix DeChat

For DC to wrap conservatism in the flag he will be advised by this old quote.

"Patriotism": Combustible rubbish ready to the torch of any one ambitious to illuminate his name. Also: One to whom the interests of a part seem superior to those of the whole. The dupe of statesmen and the tool of conquerors.

In Dr. Johnson's famous dictionary patriotism is defined as the last resort of a scoundrel. With all due respect to an enlightened but inferior lexicographer I beg to submit that it is the first.

I tend to agree.