Cameron's war against 'big government'
Updated on 08 October 2009
There are tough times ahead and I'm ready to be tested, David Cameron declared as he set out his vision of Britain under the Conservatives.
Mr Cameron blamed big Government for many of the problems that the country's now facing and brought the conference hall to its feet with a furious attack on Labour's record on poverty.
He also spoke movingly about the death of his son Ivan.
Collegues described it as "inspirational" but Labour said it concealed the 'real threat' of what a Cameron government would actually do.
He promised to create "the responsible society" by rolling back the culture of big government bureaucracy installed during Labour's 12 years in power.
In his final conference speech before the general election, the Conservative leader said he had the character, temperament and judgment to be prime minister.
He told the party faithful gathered in Manchester that getting Britain out of recession and paying off the massive state debt would be "painful" but the nation had brighter times ahead if it took the tough Tory medicine.
He said: "If we cut big government back, if we move society forward and if we rebuild responsibility, then we can put Britain back on her feet.
"I know that today there aren't many reasons to be cheerful. But there are reasons to believe. Yes, it will be a steep climb. But the view from the summit will be worth it."
Full transcript of Cameron's speech
Mr Cameron won a standing ovation by pledging that a Conservative Government would stand up for the poor who had been let down by Labour.
Labour's "big government" approach had undermined "the personal and social responsibility that should be the lifeblood of a strong society" and left Britain with a "dark side" of poverty, crime, addiction, failing schools, sink estates and broken homes, he said.
Citing the case of Fiona Pilkington, who set fire to herself and her daughter after the police failed to stop a campaign of bullying by local youths, Mr Cameron said there had been "a breakdown of all the things that are meant to keep us safe, a complete breakdown of responsibility".
He promised reform of the police, prosecutors and prisons, which were failing to deal with these problems because of "the weight of big government targets and bureaucracy".
He finished the speech by telling delegates they could make change happen.
