Graham Smith: Assessment of BBC coverage (7:35pm news, Oct 1st)

Despite the best efforts of CCHQ's media unit, BBC TV is reporting David Cameron's opening address to this year's Conservative Party Conference to have been a rather flaccid belly flop that may alienate many traditional Conservative supporters.

Party officials had been hoping a Sunday afternoon start would see the Bournemouth International Centre's conference hall packed with large numbers of younger, greener, recent tory converts from the professional classes, whose energetic support and desire for change swept Tony Blair to power in 1997. Despite a well-written speech, clearly intended to act as a giant springboard to kick off the huge upwards surge in public opinion that Cameron's Conservatives so desperately need, BBC reporters appeared not overly impressed. And their opinion seemed to be shared by unhappy faces amongst the blue rinse brigade who warmed to passionate delivery of phrases such as "ready to fight and ready to win" in a manner vaguely reminiscent of the applause greeting David Steel's rather premature "go back to your constituencies and prepare for Government" speech of an earlier era.

In a clear attempt to distance today's Conservative leadership from President Bush, the BBC reported that David Cameron was preceded in the main hall by US Presidential hopeful Senator John McCain, who hailed Cameron's "able and determined" leadership before paying tribute to the "unity, confidence and principled sense of purpose that distinguishes British Conservatives under the leadership of my friend David Cameron". He also warned of a "dangerous, difficult and long fight" against Islamic terrorism but insisted America, Britain and their allies would prevail. Senator McCain won loud applause from Conservative activists in a packed hall when he insisted "government that governs best, governs least". Mr Cameron, whose growing reputation as an apologist for past policies seemingly knows no bounds, conceded that the party had alienated voters by "banging on" about Europe and tax cuts. Speaking against a backdrop of green foliage and bright sunlight, he told delegates:

"Our party's history tells us the ground on which political success is built. It is the centre ground. Not the bog of political compromise. Not the ideological wilderness, out of the fringes of debate. But the solid ground where people are."

The party must focus on the issues that concern voters, like childcare, standards in state schools, a better NHS and low mortgage rates, he added.

As Nick Robinson, playing the devil's advocate on behalf of the country's public servants, so eloquently put it: "sounds attractive on the surface, but how can you deliver all these good things if you don't want the Government to do any of it?"

Continuing the strategy that saw 'Built to Last' receive strong support from Conservative activists earlier this year, David Cameron's emphasis on the need for a firm foundation to the Conservative Party received positive comments from delegates. Applying one of Jesus Christ's parables to the changing face of British politics, he said, "policy without principle is like a house without foundation - it will not stand the test of time."

As if to further emphasise the need to demolish many of the Party's so-called traditional policies, policies that have their basis in the culture of another era rather than upon the firm foundation of principled conservatism, David Cameron lent a hand to activists working to transform a disused church into a new community centre. Seeing an internal wall, that had served its purpose and was no longer needed, being smashed down acted as a powerful backdrop to the spirit of change that is embracing Cameron's Conservatives.

But for those thinking David Cameron's first conference speech as leader has started off on the wrong foot by refusing to be drawn into debate on detailed policies, things may soon get worse. Writing in this afternoon's newslog, the BBC's Political Editor Nick Robinson predicts:

"Cameron's challenge this week is to prove that his campaign bus isn't just 'The Smooth Talking Express'. He plans to show his strength by standing up to those who demand that he promises tax cuts now. The test of leadership will come, though, not simply by standing up to Norman Tebbit or John Redwood but by telling the country - not just his own right wing - things they may not wish to hear."

There is no doubt. The Conservative Party is changing: and the leadership is undoubtedly prepared to sacrifice the elegant yet now outdated decorations of an earlier era where these prevent the Party from establishing firm foundations for the 21st century.

Comments

[A H Matlock]

The BBC24 coverage that I have been watching hasn't been nearly as gloomy as that, Graham.

[Martin Cole]

Cameron's speech. I knew beforehand that I would hate it, but after watching from start to finish I felt the media response (for which it was clearly designed) would have been vaguely positive.

The sole policy statement was the announcement that Tory MEPs would be instructed to vote for tougher limits against dangerous chemicals next week which clearly jarred with the later statement that the party had previously been wrong 'to bang on about the EU'.

Oh well! Back to re-varnishing my oak doors and windows - now an annual task as proper protective products are already banned under earlier undebated EU regulation.

It was in my view a dreadfully lightweight speech further compounding the errors made earlier in the day on energy policy with Andrew Marr on Sunday AM which I will discuss at length on my Teetering Tories blog when the full interview transcript is available from the treacherous but Cameron hyped BBC.

Murdoch's Sky News coverage portrayed the listening membership as downright wierd. Oh for the power of TV - only the blogosphere has the potential to counter it, were there but principled leaders for we bloggers to support.

[Ben Redsell]

Sorry, but from those people I've spoken to this evening who are in Bournemouth (unfortunately I'm stuck at home as too much work on) this is not at all fair. The speech was well received in the hall, although not as good as William Hague. Hardly surprising, as William is able to make jokes that are always funny and is an excellent orator.
Given that DC still has 70% approval from the Party according to this website, it's hardly fair for the BBC to try and distance David from the Party. The vast majority of members favour him as leader and support him.
Having sat and read it (sad, I know) I think it was a good speech, not brilliant, but then he will make that brilliant speech on Wednesday!

[Richard]

After the speech some women tried to inerview a couple of the people who had been in the hall and they told her they weren't interested in being interviewed. She interpreted it as a negative view of the speech. More likely it was a negative view of having a mic shoved in their faces.

[EdR]

Credit where it's due: Robinson's encapsulation in the 10 o'clock news of the Cameron/Brown divide on 'social responsibility' seemed a pretty fair and impartial analysis of the difference between the arguments offered by the right and the left in modern Britain. Far more insightful than the Sky line of "well, it's all stuff the other side could have said, isn't it?" in that he picked up the ideological dividing line Cameron was laying down.

[John Travis]

From the coverage I have seen Graham Smith has it spot on. Camera's picking on audience members asleep or yawning during DC's speech was reminiscent of the coverage of David Davis' speech last year.

Lack of policy is now the issue - the media will keep banging this drum.

[A D Powers]

DC's speech was poor.

The phrasing was often clumsy. The sweep was muddled. It made a flat impression in the cafeteria. Tony Blair's got better scriptwriters.

Let's hope he does better on Wednesday.

[Tam Large]

"Losing voters because of banging on about the EU"... Er... the vast majority of voters want less EU interference and oppose the Euro and more integration. A very significant (and growing) percentage want us to come out. Seems to me that tapping into that huge groundswell of, so far unrepresented, voter opinion would be just what the Party needs to get elected. Bad move Dave.

[The Morningstar]

As someone who has been pretty distrustful of Cameron up until now I think he more or less hit the right note.

I'm not writing from the viewpoint of an experienced political hack or from that of a person who works in any sort of political field, rather it's that of an interested layman.

Right now I don't want to hear hollow promises or outlandish claims of what the conservative party can do for me, I want to hear that the Conservative party is all working together instead of fighting as it has in the past.

As for apologies, it makes a change to see a leader who knows what an apology is, I can respect that far more than ignoring mistakes or refusing to acknowledge them, and you know what? The average man in the street who doesn't pay that much attention to politics normally might just have picked up the apology this time, and it may just make the difference between voting for the arrogant labour party, or giving the Conservatives a chance.

This speech wasn't just aimed at the conference, party members and journalists, it's aimed at potential voters as well.

I did find one sour note though, the sunshine reference, that was too much for me.

[Christopher North]

With one breath, David Cameron lays in to the excessive bureaucracy and centralisation of public policy. With the next, he chides Conservatives for "banging on about Europe". What does he think is the main source of all this red tape? How can he oppose centralisation in Britain while going along with it in Brussels?

The EU is responsible for something like 80% of our laws. How can any party that aspires to government not have a view about this? How can anyone who believes in the sunlit, optimistic Britain that Cameron says he wants not "bang on" about the system that is eroding Britain's freedom?

Is the real reason that he doesn't want people to talk about Europe that he is trying to tiptoe away quietly from the only hard promise he made during the leadership campaign - to break with the EPP?

[Tapestry]

Cameron will not tackle the main battlegrounds of tax and europe. yet. he doesn't need to expend so much energy while first lib dem and now labour start to implode, unable to compete with his barrage of common sense. he is right to keep most of his powder dry. if he launched a major offensive and took huge casualties before his army is ready and he has secured his pitch, he might lose.

Cameron is a brilliant strategist. shame his own supporters have not yet learned how to read him, but many are starting to see that he is approaching a Herculean task in a sensible step by step almost boring method. It would be good if a few more Conservatives could climb on board. It's a long struggle we're engaged in. Victory will not come about from a couple of commando raids, but from a political D Day style operation the like of which has never yet been seen.

[greg]

Why is there all this comment about Cameron "standing up to John Redwood"? All i saw yesterday was John Redwood being interviewed and steadfastly refusing to disagree with anything Cameron said, indeed sounding rather enthusaistic about it.

The fact that Norman Tebbit has been thrown in for good measure just shows how little this whole line is based on reality so much as the media trying to create a story for copy.

[NigelC]

John Redwood was interviewed on Today this morning and was very supportive of Cameron's approach.

However, did I notice a very slight change of tune this weekend though when Cameron says he will not promise "unfunded" tax cuts.
If a clearly funded and described package of cost savings with clear implementation plans is brought forward these could be described as "funded". The savings must be deliverable without impacting front line public services and this must be communicated clearly. Quangoes are the place to start.
We could then have stablity first with a clear costed programme of waste elimination that avoids the charge that nurses, doctors and teachers will lose their jobs (which we don't want).
If those savings are not needed to pay benefits because the economy is such a mess when we take over ; hey presto early tax cuts.