Full marks so far

Blimey. If it carries on like this, I'm going to be voting for a Conservative government for the first time in my life.

The party's education policy seemed to me the only positive reason for a Conservative vote. But Cameron's speech yesterday was superb. I was particularly taken by the clarity of his remarks on knife crime (my next book deals with politicians and criminal justice policy in depth, so I've been paying special attention). The evidence that prison works is overwhelming, especially on the young. The only chance we have of stemming the tide of knife crime is to lock up anyone caught in possession.

I was also taken with the force of Cameron's remarks on personal responsibility. Regular readers will know that this is a bugbear of mine.

I think this is the single best thing I have read from a senior politician in years:

We talk about people being ‘at risk of obesity’ instead of talking about people who eat too much and take too little exercise. We talk about people being at risk of poverty, or social exclusion: it’s as if these things — obesity, alcohol abuse, drug addiction — are purely external events like a plague or bad weather. Of course, circumstances — where you are born, your neighbourhood, your school and the choices your parents make — have a huge impact. But social problems are often the consequence of the choices people make.

A terrific speech, and a hopeful one. But talking the talk is one thing. Let's see how Mr C walks the walk - how the Conservatives plan to build on the idea that people are responsible - and should take responsibility - for their own actions.