A great atmosphere on the first day of conference here inBirmingham. The mood can only be described as optimistic without coming close to triumphalism or over-confidence.
Birmingham is pulling off its role as host city with aplomb. A walk through Chamberlain Square reminds you of a previous generation of great Tory reformers and the power of social reform in the Tory tradition. It is a reminder to everybody that the thread of progressive Conservatism running from Disraeli through Joseph Chamberlain and Randolph Churchill and on to today’s liberal Conservatism represents the most powerful and effective tradition in British politics.
Caroline Spelman’s opening speech summed up nicely what has been achieved over the past year and the work that we still have to do. I particularly liked the emphasis on connecting with the hopes, fears and anxieties of ordinary people and never veering from that focus. The unfolding financial crisis, complete with yet another nationalisation of a bank is the backdrop for this conference. This is a time of real economic insecurity and anxiety and we have to show that we are ready and capable of tidying up the mess that Labour have left the economy in. She was spot on when she reminded delegates that we are doing so well at the moment because we are fighting from the centre ground – at just the same time as New Labour is abandoning Blairite centrism and lurching to the left.
I took some time yesterday to escape the ‘bubble’ of the conference venue and head out for a drink with some friends from the Birmingham area in a local pub. I was keen to see what the ordinary people of Birmingham, most of whom would not attend a political conference or read a copy of Tatler, think about us. After all it is swing voters in places likeBirmingham who will hold our fate in their hands come 2010. What was extraordinary is the extent to which our brand has been decontaminated. If we had come here a decade ago, we would have probably expected a lukewarm welcome at best. Now the people of Birmingham seem genuinely enthusiastic about the conference being held here.
In my particularly unscientific ‘focus group’ in a Birmingham pub the level of hostility to Gordon Brown was striking but that hasn’t yet been translated into a certainty that they will vote for us. They were all deeply concerned about the state of the economy, the rise in the price of basic goods and utilities and the drift in Downing Street. The people I spoke to here yesterday are very receptive to our message and see us as a highly credible alternative government (and that in itself is indicative of our progress). This backs up what we have been saying on Platform 10 that we cannot be complacent and we need to redouble the efforts in order to seal the deal with voters. We have half scaled the mountain by ensuring that previously sceptical voters are now receptive to our message. We need to continue our ascent by persuading voters that we stand up for them and address their hopes and fears. I have no doubt that the rest of this week in Birmingham will continue to show voters how we will do that.
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I thought Boris’s speech was excellent. It focussed on things done not aspirations policies or other intangibles.Peoplewasnt to know what is done and is going to be done, not some waffle about diversity
Dave’s speech was excellent – hit all the right notes