And He's Off - David Cameron's Speech

[LadyBlaBlah]

Has anyone seen the young Tories in the crowd/being interviewed?

I thought William Hague at 16 was bad

"I'd rather have a big society where people participate and do something for their neighbours rather than a selfish society where people wait for 'someone else' to do the work and make the decisions"

Where was it that suggested doing one's good deeds in secret?

Loopey. It's the difference in narrative for me

Tory = "this IS an even playing field, shut up and get on". Which is where the criticism of vested interests comes from. Is it just coincidence that they are all rich White men for the most part? You know, people who have had the ultimate in handouts? Few tokens I concede!

Labour are less so. They get that it isn't even playing field and don't batter people whose hand has been less fortunate and try but don't always succeed to even it out

Anne Widdecombe is a star. Big Brother is not part of my viewing, I prefer the early speeches of William Hague.

I'll grant you AW is a star indeed. And for a Tory I admire her integrity. I loathe her politics most of the time, but she's one of my favourite politicians after Tony Benn.

Magnificent bust as well.

I am starting to love Claig.

well done Bucharest. She has total integrity. When she went to the rough council estates, the people listened to her and admired her, because they could see her integrity shine through. It is a great shame that she never became Tory leader. The Tory faithful all wanted her to be leader, she was the most popular Tory by far. But the old boys' network conspired against her, and one by one all of the MPs undermined her by coming out and saying that they had smoked cannabis etc., and not of those Charlies backed her for the leadership.

I used to like Tony Benn, but the more I saw of him, the more I thought he was another one who wasn't for real. He backed every cause that was on message, but something didn't seem right.

I still liked the basic message of the speech today. What's irked me most about the last 13 years was the 'sit back and let us look after you' feel....attractive on paper but it's left a lot of people more vulnerable than they might have realised. This is all a bit sharper, a bit riskier and less cosy but I think that's when we're at our best nationally. I don't agree 100% with everything that the coalition have done and said and I'm sure after October 20th I'll have a few more gripes... but leadership is about setting the course and I like the direction so far.

"Have you got The Early Speeches of W. Hague on video claig?"

I have them on DVD, even better. You can jump to the relevant section at lightning speed. I recommend them, they offer hours of fun.

Yes I agree re AW integrity. She is utterky straight I think.

I also have a soft spot for William Hague and David Davis, actually hugely surprised when he didn't win the tory leadership.

I can't join in on the Theresa May love, I am afraid.

The basic message is right but but DOOH when he talked aboutthose with broadest shoulders it doesn't stack up with the CB announcement - so they shoot themselves in the foot. Lets hope they do sort out the minority that are capable of work but don't etc

The Labour gov't should be held responsible for the amount of debt we are in and the quicker we get out of it the better - why pay out more and more interest when it could be spent on real things.

I like Ann widdecombe. Ran into her in Bath (isn't her brother a vicar there?). She listens, isn't arrogant and probably a conviction politician and doesn't just do sound bytes, or talk in slogans.

No I am joking, I haven't really got the early speeches on DVD. But if anyone knows where to get, please inform me.

GetOrfMoiLand, agree about David Davis. Fantastic. I smelt a rat, during the leadership election campaign. It was the day that the media in unsion informed us that Davis had made a bad speech at conference. It turned the tide. They then interviewed Conservative party constituency chairs and they all started repeating the mantra that Davis had made a bad speech. I had heard the speech, and there was nothing bad about it at all. After that his chances were sunk. It was the opposite of how the media built Nick Clegg up during the debates. I watched Nick Clegg and his "let's be honest", "we want a fair society" and "you are the bosses" were laughable and yet all of the media were praising him to the rafters.

I have agreed with you twice on politics threads today Claig.

Worrying.

Either you are turning red or I am turning blue

At least David D has substance. He was completely shafted in that election imo.

Yes you're right, they shafted Davis. That is how politics work.

You are definitely turning blue. There is no way I would turn red. I made the mistake of voting for Blair in 1997, but having watched them, I now know what they are all about. I don't think I would ever go back to being a red.

Dramamama Times were hard for a lot of us under Thatcher and Major, weren't they. My mother was a single parent to me in the 1980s, and I was (briefly) a single parent under the Labour government. I was far, far better off than my mum ever was. I was able to go to work easily, and build a proper career for myself. I'm not a lone parent any more, but I do work fulltime (as does my DP).

Actually my mum did work fulltime, she felt she had to. But there was no out of school care so I basically fended for myself in the evenings and holidays from a horribly young age.

I don't particularly agree that the Tories are good for farmers and business owners, but I absolutely agree that they are utterly shite for working parents like us.

As long as we aren't turning yellow.

I confess to having AW's page in the Express sent to me by my trueblue mother (at my request) and I wrote to her a couple of years ago to tell her how fab I thought she was despite being a Conservative.

Bucharest, you are right. Everybody loved Anne Widdecombe, both right and left. That is why she was deliberately ridiculed by comedians etc. They were frightened of her popularity. She could never be allowed to lead the party because she had so much integrity that she would not do things that she didn't believe in.

Oh God even I can admit a grudging respect for AW.

Not sure about David Davis.

I feel a affection for some of the old Tory duffers though. The One Nation ones. They remind me of kindly, erudite grandfathers.

a affection? I was educated in Fatchers Britian is my excuse

Was telling DH about the Paxman/May thing last night.

The pseudo-coy 'are you asking me for a date, Jeremy?' was cringe-making.

She obviously hadn't heard of the child benefit policy till Sunday or so but couldn't bring herself to admit that the Cabinet were in the dark about most of it........

Claig - you do know that Thatch didn't write the discord speech don't you?! Poor old St Francis must have been spinning.

I can see why people admire Widdie and David Davis - at least they mean what they say. Thatcher is a bridge too far though. How anyone can think that she was anything other than Evil Incarnate is beyond me. [sceptical]

or should that be

'everybody loved anne widdecombe'

Lol. I think that would be... untrue.