David Cameron's New Year message

Just released by CCHQ and published in full below. In his message the Conservative leader promises that he won't drop his green, social justice and international responsibility agendas but will "step up the pace" on them.  He accuses Labour of losing its moral compass and of being "corrupted by power".  Boris' message is also pasted at the end of the post.

“In my New Year message three years ago, I said that I wanted the modern Conservative Party to be a voice for change, optimism and hope.  What was true in the good times is even truer now that times are tough, and getting tougher.  People are looking to us for hope in these dark days, and we must be ready to offer it: hard-edged hope, built on a clear-sighted analysis of what has gone wrong and how we can put it right.

That provides this Party with three important tasks for 2009.  First, we must show that we have learned the lessons of Labour’s Debt Crisis and will never let it happen again.  Second, we must offer constructive and positive ideas to help keep people in work and in their homes, and make sure the recession is as short, shallow and painless as possible.  But third and perhaps most important of all, we must set out our positive vision of change: to describe the new economy and the new society that we want to build once the recession is over and the recovery underway.

Labour have failed in these tasks, and that’s why the country needs change.  Far from learning the lessons of their Debt Crisis, Labour are making it worse by choosing to borrow even more.  Instead of constructive and positive ideas to help save jobs – like the National Loan Guarantee Scheme that we have proposed – Labour are wasting billions of pounds on useless schemes like their temporary VAT cut. And above all, instead of moving forward to a new economic vision, they are taking Britain straight back to the arrogant, big government-knows-best ideas that bankrupted our country the last time Labour were in power, in the 1970s.

This means that the choice facing the country will be clearer in 2009 than it has been for a while: a choice between the past and the future.

Labour say that their Debt Crisis calls for even more borrowing, even bigger government, and a return to 1970s-style subsidy and state control – with every utterance from Gordon Brown now confirming that ‘New Labour’ is dead.

By contrast, the modern Conservative vision is of responsible government and responsible business helping to build a responsible 21st century nation - where social reform and decentralisation strengthen our society, where a stronger society reduces demands on the taxpayer, and where lower taxes, a less interfering, bureaucratic state and green growth combine to produce a sustainable economy.

So far from dropping our green agenda because of the recession, we will this year step up the pace because leadership on the environment will help create the jobs, wealth and opportunity Britain needs.  Far from dropping our commitment to make British poverty history, we will this year intensify it because we must not allow this recession to create social problems and costs for the future.  And far from dropping our commitment to help the poorest people on the planet because times are tough at home, we will re-affirm in 2009 both the moral and the practical case for fighting global poverty.

For us, the strong economy of the future will be built on a strong and responsible society.  The Emperor Hadrian, when asked how Rome would be rebuilt after a devastating fire, replied: “Brick by brick, my citizens; brick by brick.”

That is how we will rebuild our broken economy and our broken society – business by business, family by family, community by community.  Not through imposing some kind of state blueprint from above, like Gordon Brown wants to do, but by allowing the talent and effort and incredible character of British people to shine.  That is the greatest source of hope we have.  That is why I’m optimistic about our country’s future. And that is why we need change now.

People can see that Labour have been in power too long.  They have been corrupted by power, and their arrogance means they cannot now see their mistakes, let alone correct them.  It’s no surprise that the person who helped break our economy and our society won’t admit they’re broken. It’s no surprise that a Prime Minister whose decisions over a decade helped cause the Debt Crisis; who failed to prepare the country for the gathering storm, and whose irresponsible extra borrowing will now deepen and lengthen the recession turns round and tells us the recession will be a test of everyone else’s character.  The Prime Minister tells us to find our blitz spirit when he is the one dropping the bombs – the tax and debt bombshells that are taking Britain to the brink of bankruptcy.

This government has lost its moral compass.  Where is the morality in asking our children to pay off our debts?  Where is the morality in encouraging people who have already borrowed too much to borrow a little more?  Where is the morality in trying to reflate the bubble and return the country to the age of irresponsibility that led us to this mess?

It has to end – and the sooner the better.  The longer Labour are in, the worse it gets.  So let’s make sure we’re ready for an election at any time, and let’s do all we can to make sure that 2009 is the year when change comes to Britain too.”

Boris' New Year message: "There are those who say we should look ahead to 2009 with foreboding. I want to quote Colonel Kilgore in Apocalypse Now when he says 'Someday captain, this war is going to end', and someday, this recession is going to end. We can speed the demise of this recession if we all help the poorest in our community and if we make the vital investment that we need in our mass transit system and in fighting crime, so that London emerges at the end better places to compete and entrenched in its position as the greatest city on earth. We are going to be working flat out at City Hall to achieve that. Let's go forward into 2009 with enthusiasm and purpose. I wish you a very happy New Year."

Comments

[m dowding]

Good stuff from decent people. Roll on an election and the change that just might save The UK

[Sally Roberts]

Good stuff! I loved Boris's Apocalypse Now quote!!!

[Time to focus]

This is a good example of why we're getting no traction at the moment. There's some very good stuff in here but there's just so much. It still feels like there are no real priorities because so much gets referenced all the time. If the overwhelming priority is fixing the economy then let's just talk about that, not the broken society, poverty and the environment too which just dilutes it. Also, it sounds silly to use such elaborate, dramatic language about what Labour's done wrong and then just chuck in a few small-sounding remedies. If Labour is to blame for massive debt then surely we need big cuts unnecessary spending? We've got to simplify all this or we'll never actually take control of the agenda....

[Steve Foley]

SUNK! If Cameron cannot see that the Green Agenda is a vote losing albatross round his neck then he is worse than I have always thought. In the current economic mess we simply cannot afford this type of largesse with shareholders money and workers/taxpayers jobs.

The usually gooey pap from a media created Political Leader, Christmas Cracker slogans but very little substance.

I have never rated Cameron and hold him in even less esteem after reading this puff. Who wrote this message, the Reader's Digest or the People's Friend? John Major had more fire in his belly and that is saying something! The Tory party needs a Thatcher at this time but alas there is nobody of that stature waiting in the wings.

I only hope that there is NOT a General Election this year as at this time I do not see a Conservative Party ready to win against Brown. Another 18 months might help it to get its act together. We can but hope!

If ever the strength of big hitters such as DD and Ken Clarke is needed it is now.

[Tom]

"Dropping bombs" rhetoric seems a little overblown given what's going on around the world right now.

[Geoff Middleton]

I said that I wanted the modern Conservative Party to be a voice for change

If change is what he wants, why doesn't he join a non-conservative party?
"Change" is the parrot-like slogan of non-conservatives the world over - a left-wing attack on conservative values.
This, coming after his gratuitous attack on the "right-wing" of the party, and coupled with the usual vacuous greenery, leaves no doubt that Cameron simply wants to use the Conservative Party to get into power.
It doesn't matter to him if he pursues policies which are little different from the other two main parties, and not at all conservative.

[Tim Montgomerie]

The Telegraph's James Kirkup makes the same point Tom:

http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/james_kirkup/blog/2008/12/30/david_cameron_says_gordon_brown_is_dropping_bombs_on_britain

[Alan S]

Too long. Too many messages. Boris gets it right mixing humour and optimism with one message of 'we can beat this thing'.

[Andrew S]

It is probably worth pointing out to Geoff Middleton that traditional conservative values just don't excite the general population any more.

The Labour party has brought great social advancement to this country, things that you just wouldn't get from the Conservative party (gay marriage, minimum wage e.t.c)
The Conservative party needs the change that David Cameron has brought to it.
Under Cameron we have shaken off the old, stuffy, "blue rinse" appearance that we had in the 90's.
The positive, reformist agenda is necessary to attract younger voters and those that have been driven to Labour.

You may have a point that David Cameron wants to get into power, but what politician doesn't? You can't do any good in opposition.

[Steve Foley]

Andrew S, the minimum wage may be a good thing but I cannot say the same for "Gay Marriage", actually called Civil Partnership although de facto it is considered to be marriage by many homosexuals and lesbians.

If all I wanted was "more of the same" and policies only a micron different to Labour then I would be supporting Brown and his Party. After all they have been running the show since 1997 and are Masters of the Art and Science not Apprentices.

I simply cannot understand people who will sacrifice every and any tenet and principle simply to be in Office, as Labour did under Blair. There is no point in it simply to replace a Centre Party man wearing a Pale Red Rosette with Centre Party man wearing a Pale Blue one. "Gordon Cameron" or "David Brown" the terrible Consensus Twins.

Unless of course Andrew S you are what I term an "Economics Only" Tory, wishing laissez faire Ricardo-Friedman Supply-Side Economic Policies but with little or no regard for the Social and Moral issues of Traditional Conservatism? I nail my colours to the mast as a Social Tory

[David_at_Home]

Green = Red = economic collapse

Conservative = Labour = economic collapse

Vote UKIP!

[Unity]

Boris gets it right - optimistic, positive, go-getting, caring and to the point.

Cameron gets it hopelessly wrong - partisan, self-serving, tedious and boring.

[rugfish]

I practically fell on the floor in hysterics on reading this:-

But Mr Cameron said: "The prime minister tells us to find our blitz spirit when he is the one dropping the bombs - the tax and debt bombshells that are taking Britain to the brink of bankruptcy."

Love it David !

Now could you just tell us what precisely the plan actually IS please, I'd be very much obliged thank you. But other than that, good show, and love 30 advantage Cameron!

[The Bishop Swine]

Black=White
Up=Down.

Only a UKIP voter would talk such tosh.

Vote UKIP ?

UKIP=Economic and National isolation.
UKIP=Economic disaster.

Why would anyone want to vote for a one issue party?

[The Bishop Swine]

Unity said

"Boris gets it right - optimistic, positive, go-getting, caring and to the point.

Cameron gets it hopelessly wrong - partisan, self-serving, tedious and boring"

But can you see Boris as PM? Boris may be our star turn right now but he isn't the right man for the Top job.

[Geoff Middleton]

It is probably worth pointing out to Geoff Middleton that traditional conservative values just don't excite the general population any more.

Traditional conservative values, such as the return of capital punishment, leaving the EU, restoring the police force (not service), etc., are very popular with the general population.
The reason the last three elections were lost was not due to the policies of the Conservative leader (though including some of the policies mentioned above would have helped enormously), but a combination of Blair's spin-based popularity, and electoral unfairness (the Conservatives gained more votes than Labour, at least in England).
Cameron is trying to appeal to floating Lib Dems in marginal seats, who do not share these traditional conservative values.
The question is, what will he do in power?
I am not at all hopeful that he will jettison the Libdemmery.

[Steve Foley]

The problem is as shown by David at Home. There are many Traditional Tory sympathisers, who like myself are not party members and thus free to express our feelings, who would love to vote Tory at the next General Election but are rebuffed by the Wet Social Policies and the Green Lunacy espoused by Cameron and his Cameroons.

Now if we are driven into voting for UKIP, which does still espouse many Traditional Tory Policies, is unequivocal on a referendum on the Lisbon Treaty and which has eschewed all the Eco-rubbish which has beguiled the other political parties such as New Labour, New Conservative and the Lib Dems, this may not win any seats for UKIP at the next General Election, indeed they will be lucky to hold onto Bob Spink's seat at Castle Point under FPTP. What such votes will do is to rob the Conservative Party of vital seats and possibly of a majority at that Election.

There is simply no place for three centre parties , the Lib-Dems fill that role well enough and until 1997 the presence of parties on the Democratic Right (Conservative), Democratic Left (Labour) and Centre (Lib Dems) worked well. Now were we to go down the Continental road, as some no doubt would wish, with PR for the Commons and thus Coalition Governments that would be well and good but our system requires that the electorate be given a clear choice of a party to form the Government with a working majority.

Turnouts at Parliamentary Elections have been poor in recent times and there is a discontinuity between the people and those supposed to be its representatives. It is no surprise when, Nationalists and Unionists of the Celtic Fringe apart, the three main parties appear in many ways to be the same contents in a Pink, Pale Blue or Orange box.

This does not augur well for our Democracy and when people lose faith in mainline Democratic Parties then the offerings of the extremes of Left or Right become attractive.

[Steve Foley]

Boris has fulfilled his mission, he defeated Ken Livingstone and won back London for the Tories. Unfortunately he is inclined to make some dreadful gaffes. His performance at the Olympics closing ceremony was cringe making to say the least although the entire British performance with the London Bus and Beckham etc was woeful compared to the wonderfully choreographed Chinese showmanship. He has had bad luck it is true with some of the Deputies and Advisers he chose.

I feel that Boris is "comfortable at his level of attainment" and should I hope settle down to run our capital city with skill and assiduity.

[James Maskell]

Camerons message doesnt really work with me. I just dont trust him and cant believe in the messages he is putting across. Some of the policies hes come up with for key policy areas are bonkers and his attack on libertarianism at Conference showed how far he has yet to go before he can talk of any revolution in the UK.

He tries so hard to be all things to all men that he finds hes nothing for nobody. For Gods sake, make a stand and stick to it...

[David_at_Home]

" Vote UKIP ?......Why would anyone want to vote for a one issue party?"

One issue party? I think not, Bishop Swine:

http://www.ukip.org/content/ukip-policies

Whereas the Cameroon Tory Party does not seem to have any policies at all, other than to be "nice". But being nice will not save our economy, any more than windmills will provide us with electrical power.

Unreliable expensive intermittent power will dive away what remains of our industry. Only UKIP advocates a major expansion of nuclear power, similar to that which the French undertook a generation ago.

http://www.ukip.org/content/ukip-policies/418-uk-independence-party-energy-and-environment-policy-january-2008

Open your eyes, Bishop!

[Steve Foley]

I cannot help but contrast the "Big Tent", "One size fits all" approach of Cameron with the stand taken by Margaret Thatcher. Yes she did make mistakes, the Poll Tax being the fatal one, and sometimes backed duds, such as Lord Belwin and John Moore, but she did not win three elections (two of them landslides) by "being all things to all men".

Many years ago I worked for a company in the food industry which tried to copy HP Sauce even down to having a very similar label and shape of bottle. It was a dismal failure as people preferred to buy the real thing, and honestly it didn't taste as good. The same can be said for politics. There is no sense in the Conservative Party abandoning its core support in the hope that they will vote for them anyway and indulging in "Lib-Lab-Greenery".

Blair got away with it as all the cards were stacked in his favour anyway in 1997 and the groundswell in the country was for a change,as was the case in 1945, 1951, 1964/66 and of course in 1979. This is unlikely to be the case for Cameron at the next General Election be it 2009 or more likely 2010.

[Omar Kader]

OFF TOPIC COMMENT OVERWRITTEN.

OMAR: PLEASE USE THE FRONTPAGE TO SUGGEST NEW TOPICS FOR DISCUSSION.

[Omar Kader]

Agrr that is the second time today..sorry moderator..
.........................

David Cameron's new year message should be directed to Gordon Brown. DC should tell the public about the 3 million unemployed that is looming, the dire state of the economy under labour and the huge debt that we are all in. This imp of a Prime Minister has put the UK into so much debt that each one of us are in debt to £50,000 each, im not kidding ask your blog administrator for the true facts..

Also DC should demand a general election and a referendum on Scottish independence in his new years speech.

[David Cooper]

As a message to be pitched to the public at large rather than to the more dedicated political devotees on this site, this does sound in the main very appealing. But just to rain briefly on the parade in the interest of balance, would it not be just as valid to ask "where is the morality in squandering millions of pounds on the worship of the false god known as man made climate change when (a) we cannot afford it any longer (b) the UK will be facing a serious energy crisis in the medium term unless time and resources are focused very quickly indeed on replacement nuclear power stations?" (I'm sure Nigel Lawson and Christopher Booker could have put this across more succinctly.)

[rugfish]

David Cameron's message to pull together and be positive is probably right at this time but it needs finishing off. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying he isn't polished, nor am I saying his message isn't right. I just feel ( as a voter ), that I want to hear something of 'why' we should pull together, in 'what' direction, and that we should be positive about 'what'.

These ingredients are 'missing' from Steve Foley's 15:51 HP sauce mixture. It looks the same, the bottle is the same, but it tastes 'different'.

It's just my lonely opinion but it's here to be read like many others which virtually say the same thing. I also wonder whether anyone at the top bothers to read John Redwood's Diary on the economic failings of the government which MY Party should be belting Labour over its collective head with ?

Despite there are polls which say the public support spending cuts ( and that means stupid spending not jobs ), despite the public support a strong voice AGAINST European Federation under the lying scumbag Lisbon Treaty, despite the public DON'T SUPPORT a VAT cut because like me they can see it is a ridiculous waste of money, a con, a trick by Brown, and a massive ploy to win favour, and despite the public are FOR tax cuts to the low paid and AGAINST cuts to middle earners, there seems no policy at all to actually do what we all know is right whilst simultaneously winning support from Joe Public, and I have to ask why?

Why, is it so fundamentally unsound to say we will revert to a 10p tax, revert to a 22p tax, stop the VAT reduction nonsense, ring fence jobs, give businesses the loan guarantees they crave, look at savings in government spending, get back our rebate from Europe, tighten up on immigration, push the bureaucracy back to the scrap heap with Labour and its stifling policies which no one wants and takes their liberties, and if we have to tell non-profitable banks to merge with one another, we will, and if there is a cost to all this then we will budget repayments over 10 or even 15 years like any sensible householder would do as THEY can see there's a problem and I don't need to tell them because it is THEM who are suffering the effects of it. But I David Cameron will, with George Osborne and the rest of my team, take us through this just as soon as Gordon Brown has the bottle to ask the people to decide.

What can Gordon Brown do with that?

Pinch it?

Come off it.

We're either IN or we're OUT, and the only one's who appear not to know it are those with the decisions to make to lead the country.

Brown thinks he's doing a great job incidentally. Someone has to tell him he isn't. They have to make him squirm with his ludicrous statements via Miliband that they are the party "with big ideas"!

Someone has to make a stand NOW, rally the country and the party, and come out blazing with a will to win or die on the sword of truth, justice, fairness, prudence, responsibility and integrity.

This is I believe what the country wants to hear and they are not wanting a fake bottle of HP on their tables.

[rugfish]

Oh, and please end the slavver about the French running our nuclear power stations and greeding all the profits from higher charges to the British consumer, when Brown is throwing the money to build them down the drain.

Nail that on the flipping head please.

British nuclear power will create jobs AND profit AND could give an energy surplus to SELL to Europe and still beat the environmental CO2 targets IF we work together positively as a country without Gordon Brown and his team of stupid waste making British disposal experts.

[David]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7804599.stm

Culture Secretary Andy Burnham said the government had acted to cut VAT, bring forward investment in schools, GP surgeries and infrastructure and increase child benefit.

He added: "This just shows that David Cameron will say anything to disguise the fact he would do nothing.

"Families and businesses need action and real help now not overblown rhetoric.

"Instead of a message of hope and optimism, all we get from the Tories is yet more over-hyped cynicism." "

The classic New Labour lies and spin is back. Where has it been over the last year? Oh yeah, I remember, Mandelson returned to the gang. ;-)

Shame the satirical telly programmes rarely mock this assertivesness-technique-selfhelp-book style of lying and cheating your way through running the country badly and making pisspoor decisions on everything that matters for the future. We really need a telly program that rips on this undocumented but highly effective way of bullshitting. There isn't one out there already is there? These kind of lies are Labour's last line of defence. Smashing that would be like the nail in the coffin. Previous Conservative leader never seemed to notice it or be able to deal with it. Let's hope Cameron understands the enemy enough to rip their lies apart.

/rant

[Andrew S]

Steve Foley, I would indeed describe myself as an "Economics Only" Tory, I think social Conservatism is the worst kind.
I know it may sound incredibly pretentious, but I tend to look to the future and at things that will improve conditions for all people, rather than pandering to narrow minded ideologies.

[Steve Foley]

Thanks for the reply Andrew S, I would say we have nothing in common then as I am looking for a return to Old Conservative Social Values and not the US Republican Neo-con type.

[christina Speight]

This from Cameron is utterly depressing. As some point out he is still wedded to Green policies to stop global warming at a time when polar (both) ice is increasing and world temperatures are plummeting and the windfarm people have had their ads censored by ASA because they've lied to us. He's as mad as they are.

Not a mention of what he's going to do to get us out of the worst financial crisis for more than 80 years. Not a word about cutting wasteful POLICIES. Not a word about the news that Brown has been caught out today in ignoring the BoE's advice in 2006 that a recession was inevitable unless he changed policy and HE IGNORED IT No guts no fire in Cameron's belly. He's no Conservative - he's useless but he knows that Brown is worse so I'll have simultaneously to hate him and vote for him.

What a prospect for Britain.
-----------------------
(and UKIPpers - do face facts. In the polls you don't even reach 1% (lowest for ages) , Who would waste our votes)

[Gloy Plopwell]

There's a real alternative Christina in the lib Dems. It's a very excriting time for the Lib dems, have all the answers to tomorow. so Join!!! Lib dems will overtake Labour really soon, then the Tories in time to win the election by 70-100 in 2010. Have to get back to things. stupendous momentum.

[christina Speight]

Gloy - Cloud cuckoo land stuff there. The Lib Dems are being squeezed. At the election - more than for ages - it will be a Tory-Lab our choice.

Much as I de4plore Cameron's fatuousness - (he actually SOUNDS like a LibDem most of the time) - Brown's lot are indulging in class war and must be ousted, so it will have to be that pretend Conservative, Cameron, I fear.

Heaven help us all.

[Sally Roberts]

Oh Christina, Christina!! Just when I had wanted to stand up and cheer reading your speech on another thread about Israel you come out with this. Like it or not, (and I know that you and I differ in our view), David Cameron is our leader and we have an Election to win sooner or later. David Cameron does have plenty of guts and I am sure that over the next few weeks and months you will see policies rolling out which will gladden your heart. Just be patient!

[West London Tory]

Christina, Gloy Plopwell is not a genuine Lib Dem supporter, but someone trying to discredit them with the absurdity of his/her statements, to wind up humourless posters.
Calm down!

Happy new year to all btw.

[Sally Roberts]

And a Happy New Year to you too, West London Tory! I have to say I always enjoy Gloy Plopwell's posts - especially when he/she gets "excrited"!! Gloy if you ARE a Lib Dem (and I also think you are not) then I hope 2009 will not be too disappointing a year for you.

[The Bishop sWINe]

"so that London emerges at the end better places to compete and entrenched in its position as the greatest city on earth."

Lets hope David has not lost site of the rest of this Great Nation.

"by allowing the talent and effort and incredible character of British people to shine."

By Jingo the man has a point.

"Labour have failed in these tasks, and that’s why the country needs change. Far from learning the lessons of their Debt Crisis, Labour are making it worse by choosing to borrow even more"

The Clear Blue Water.

"where a stronger society reduces demands on the taxpayer, and where lower taxes, a less interfering, bureaucratic state and green growth combine to produce a sustainable economy."

The Sooner we get those recklass,fecklass and shifty commies out the better.

David you forgot something. "God save the Queen !" Least we forget..