This entry was posted on
Thursday, October 5th, 2006 at
11:49 am and is filed
under Page 3 – News in Briefs.

Forget all that broadsheet chatter… today’s Page 3 girl has delivered her verdict on David Cameron:

Danni (19, from Conventry) thinks that “David’s Cameron’s” [sic] first keynote speech as Tory leader showed promise, but – after pausing to have ice-cubes applied to her nipples – she added; “I think the public needs to hear him focus more on policies and less on presentation if the Tories are going to realistically challenge Labour at the next election.”

And… surprise, surprise, today’s editorial by Rebekah Wade backs her to the hilt:

The Sun – Where is the beef, David?: WE ASKED for beef. We were offered cloudy, lukewarm soup. It was no surprise that David Cameron’s keynote speech to the Tories was devoid of new policy. That’s what he promised. But for those who want to know why they should vote Tory next time and not Labour, it was mostly hot air. Sure, he managed to get hostile Tories clapping by praising the NHS. He even wrung some applause by speaking favourably about social workers and single parents, once the hate figures of the Nasty Party. But there was nothing in this speech about immigration, legal or otherwise. There was nothing to suggest he will take on the ever-expanding EU empire. And although there were hints and nudges, there was precious little about the need to do something serious about organised crime. We know from Shadow Chancellor George Osborne that the Tories will never join the euro. And we’ve heard from Home Affairs spokesman David Davis that there would be more new prisons. But it would have been nice to hear the leader of the party put some flesh on the bones of issues like these which are so important to Sun readers. Nobody expected a great speech. Mr Cameron is wise not to try matching Tony Blair’s carefully polished rhetoric. But even a workmanlike speech like this should contain some material on which voters can get a grip. The Conservatives may no longer be the Nasty Party. But they cannot hope to win power just by positioning themselves a quarter of an inch to the right of everything Labour suggests. Nor can they simply hope for an automatic surge in support when Tony Blair finally steps down. We know from Mr Osborne that the party wants lower taxes. His promise of “sound money” is fine, but we need to know more about the way they would manage the economy. We need to know what they intend to do about gridlocked roads, chaotic classrooms, growing unemployment, organised crime. It’s no use waiting almost two years while think tanks come up with the answers in case Labour steals them. Voters will give the Tories their support only when they know what they are backing. And Mr Cameron gave them precious little to go on yesterday.

Oh, and while we’re on the subject of Tories and conferences… Anne Milton is currently blogging from the front lines, but something appears to have escaped her attention.

UPDATE – Yo! ‘Nother Webcameron vid. Check it.