Highlights of David Cameron's speech to Spring Forum

It wasn't quite the speech that ConservativeHome and Matthew Parris wanted but David Cameron's address to Spring Forum had many good themes and here are three highlights:

Two years of 'decontamination' mean the party is being listened to again: "Now when we say it's time to scrap restrictions on stop and search, they don't say: "same old Tories...", they say "quite right, too many young black men are being shot and stabbed and we need to do something about it." When we say it's time to stop the waste of five million people out of work and claiming benefits, they don't say "there they go again banging on about scroungers...", they say, "of course, if you can work you should work and at last someone's got a plan to get Britain working again." And when we say immigration is good for Britain but it should be controlled because of the pressure on housing, on schools and hospitals, people listen to us because they feel they're listening to common sense. At last, they can agree with us without feeling that they're agreeing with intolerance, or lack of compassion, or harsh judgments about people who are less fortunate. What we've done - what you've done - these last two years is simple but profound. We've made people feel good about our Party again and that's something that everyone in this hall should be incredibly proud of."

The need to restore trust in politics: "Let's not pretend that we're outsiders to Westminster, come to clean things up. We've been part of the problem and we need to sort it out from within. That's why we'll bring about a clear change in Parliament. No more MPs voting on their own pay. No more cushy final salary pensions scheme. Clear declaration of expenses and allowances.  Let me put this directly. This is public money, taxpayers money, and it is our duty to be careful with it and open about how it's spent. And I know how much this matters to all of you here. You put in the hard work. It's you who canvass, who leaflet and get our message out. You do it in the good times and you do it in the bad times and I'm not going to allow unacceptable standards at Westminster to let you down."

Conservatives will deliver because we're building on international success stories: "I've been to New York and seen how you can have zero tolerance, beat-based policing that defeats crime and restores trust in the police. And with a Home Secretary like David Davis we can do that here.  I've been to Sweden and seen how letting new schools set up in the state sector and letting parents choose can unlock innovation and quality. And we can do that here as long as we replace Ed Balls with Michael Gove. I've seen how in Ireland cutting tax rates for business can unleash a wave of enterprise, investment and wealth. I've been to California and seen how a dynamic vision of environmental change can create a greener society and a stronger economy. George Osborne gets the modern world more than anyone and with a Chancellor like him you know we can do it here."

The main theme of the speech was the family.  We'll be posting separately on that in about thirty minutes.  In the meantime the full speech is here.

Comments

[Tony Makara]

"five million people out of work"

Thank you Mr Cameron. It is so refreshing to hear a true picture of the benefits crisis instead of having to listen to the Alice-in-Wonderland politics of Labour talking about how we have "full employment" and "more people in work"

[Christina Speight]

I despair! The family as a theme would be fine if there weren't greater priorities right now.

One must hope that that Cameron will listen to the urgings of the grassroots of the party who seem miles ahead of the leadership. Now is not the time to witter on about giving both Dads and Mums 6 months parental leave when this could be the last straw for businesses trying to stay afloat. Can[t he rise to the moment?

The moment is one of a Gathering Storm and strong leadership is needed. Can he provide it? On this showing - NO!

[R.Baker.]

I think he (DC) is doing absolutely great stuff of late and he seems to be improving by the hour too.I didn't support DC when first he came into view,but I certainly do now,wholeheartedly might I say.

[David Hayes]

Christina, patience is needed, we must remember we cannot win by firing all our big guns and hope there will be enough momentum to last us to election day.

It is key that our policies do not become outdated by the time of the General Election, and for all we know that election will be on the 5th May 2010 (Let's face it, the only balls that Labour has is Ed Balls).

A steam roller may not be fast, but it is much more effective at crushing things than a Formula 1 racing car.

[David Belchamber]

Christina, put what DC said about the family into a larger context:

"I have seen how you can have zero tolerance, beat-based policing that defeats crime and restores trust in the police. And with a Home Secretary like David Davis we can do that here".

"I've been to Sweden and seen how letting new schools set up in the state sector and letting parents choose can unlock innovation and quality. And we can do that here as long as we replace Ed Balls with Michael Gove".

"George Osborne gets the modern world more than anyone and with a Chancellor like him you know we can do it here."

I am not so confident about the last example but he made some very promising remarks, not least of which was:

"No more MPs voting on their own pay. No more cushy final salary pensions scheme. Clear declaration of expenses and allowances".

The family is the main building block of society and our current society is so broken because so many families are dysfunctional. From that stem so many of society's problems. Government can't change that overnight but it can frame family friendly legislation to start to repair it.

[Margaret Hemmings]

I'm sorry, if I am now going to be forced to give my staff (male and female) 6 months off to play with their babies I will no longer employ anyone capable of breeding!

I have a business to run! Have any of the leadership actually run a business.

Do you not realise we are competing with China and India.

This will simply put more burdens on business.. resulting in failures... resulting in unemployment... resulting in family break down.

Good grief!

[David Sergeant]

Can someone just clear up that 6 months "off" for male and female should be male or female in replacement of the 12 months off for the female.

[rightwingery]

Not seen the speech, but it reads very well. The lack of any mention of the scummy Lib Dems is also good - we don't need to promote this shoddy, pathetic excuse of a political party in set piece speeches.

I very much doubt whether the delivery could possibly beat the unscripted performances of Blackpool.

16% ahead is also absolutely fantastic stuff.

[AJM]

"I've seen how in Ireland cutting tax rates for business can unleash a wave of enterprise, investment and wealth."

You needed to go to Ireland to figure that one out? We've known that since ... well, when didn't we know that low taxes were better for the economy?

[Matt Wright]

Christina, its about balance. Yes people are feeling the pinch increasingly and taxes are hurting but also we have to learn that tories were unfairly regarded by 1997 as knowing the cost of everything and the value of nothing. That is one reason why we do need to change and why we have to reach out to new groups of voters and demonstrate that this perception was wrong. Communities and families matter greatly and we need to support them because not doing so is not good economic or democratic sense.

Matt

[Christina Speight]

My complaint is that the slogans the party is preparing are meaningless. My complaint is that Cameron is totally ignoring the fact that the problem is more likely to be a collapse of the housing market, of peoples savings, of a great increase in unemployment. He just witters on about trivia and even refuses to tell anybody what he proposes to do to make good the one concrete promise he HAS made namely about his (and Hague's) repeated statements that in respect of the EU Constitution "We will not let it rest there" HOW?

He is totally devoid of leadership or charisma. Nobody would look to him in a tight corner.

[Neil Wilson]

The fact is that issues surrounding the family are at the core of this nation's problems, therefore they should be at the core of everything we do and say.

Yes, people are frustrated with taxation and immigration - but we can leave that until we get into power - we can't take action on these things yet.