Begging for more
Like an ad-libbing actor, David Cameron meandered across the stage at the Winter Gardens in Blackpool.
No written text. No cue cards or teleprompter. And no strutting, no overblown oratory.
Was it good? It was, rather.
The wicked elf that resides within me occasionally thought of the old political counsel: 鈥淭he key is sincerity. Once you can fake that, you鈥檝e got it made.鈥
But, casting the internal elf aside, I was mostly impressed. As an opposition leader, just how do you deal with an apparently popular government and a new prime minister?
Satirical comedy won鈥檛 work. Your audience in the hall love it, the audience at home hate it.
Tragic bleating doesn鈥檛 do it. Pretending your opponents are the embodiment of all evil is bogus - and the voters know it.
So David Cameron tried empathy.
Labour ministers were, generally, honourable. They were well-intentioned, for the most part.
The snag is their policies, for example on poverty, hadn鈥檛 worked. Tories would do better.
Of course, it wasn鈥檛 all just cuddly and warm.
Mr Cameron needed applause in the hall - so he offered the audience some classic red Tory meat. Discipline in schools, curbs on immigration, support the troops, scrap benefits for those who won鈥檛 take reasonable offers of work.
At one point, he talked nostalgically of National Service.
A few representatives sat forward in eager anticipation. He wouldn鈥檛, would he? No, he was talking of citizens service, urging teenagers to help with social projects.
There鈥檚 been a lot of talk lately about dog-whistle politics - targeted messages which focus upon the core concerns of the party faithful. Well, he whistled - and they begged for more.
Does it make an early General Election more or less likely? Still no firm decision - but now looks inevitable.
Does it make the outcome more or less predictable? Not in itself, but at least this week in Blackpool the Tories stayed united and advanced policies, for example on inheritance tax, which could win votes if they can withstand criticism from rivals.
I'm 
Comments
Personally, I haven't the slightest interest what the `tailor's dummy` David Cameron, or the other Tory `mannequins` have to say.
However, as a Scot living in Scotland;, I think you should pay more attention to what our own politicians are getting up to.
Labour argues that the parliamentary allowance received by its Scottish leader is too small. Obviously, they never considered it was too small for previous opposition leaders, when they held power.
MSP's from all Scottish political parties, are presently attempting to acquire increases for their expense-allowances, and changes to how their allowances are described.
This is happening all very quietly, very little detail is being reported and they will no doubt award themselves generous benefits if they are unchallenged on it!.
You should get yourself back up here,- away from that nonsense in Blackpool-, and look into this matter.
Was watching Newsnight last night and I have to say Im pretty depressed about who to vote for if there is a snap election.
George Foukes pretty much summed it up for me
A vote for the SNP is a wasted vote. - Pretty much true but I wont give the Libs my vote because they are political whores that would sell their granny for the sniff of power.
Labour are so determined to undermine the Scottish governemnt that giving them my vote would feel like a betrayal of the scottish governemnt.
Which leaves Torys - No point voting for them because in my consituency there non existant.
So I can either waste my vote or not bother.
Brian
Was it good? pretty average if you ask me. I know they loved it but they would have given reading the telephone directory a standing ovation, they were that desperate.
The real tragedy is that there is no difference between Brown and Cameron, vote for either and get Thatchers policies.
Hope the"my grandfather would turn in his grave if I did not vote Labour" brigade remember the coal and steel industry in Scotland that was destroyed by Thatcher, when Nulabour come round the doors begging for their votes, for Thatchers number one supporter.
What's so impressive about making a speech without notes?
Does it mean that your thoughts are more organised than other people's?
I don't think so. All you've done is that you've memorised a series of connected points. We do it all day long, in our heads first, then in interaction with others.
Does it mean you are more qualified to lead a country than a person who uses notes? No.
The only thing I'll grant DC is that it requires good nerves.
However, he didn't do anything in Blackpool to prove to me that he would be a good leader.
He also referred to "tribal" recruitment areas for Scottish regiments, I know we are outside the M25, but does he really think Glasgow, Dundee, Aberdeen, Inverness, Ayr, Wick are collections of mud huts or was he just reverting to type the good old Tory upper class twit,maybe Boris has been giving him lessons.
Real Scottish news - Goldie was relegated to a half hour question and answer session. Wendy uses Labour Conference speech to apologise to her London masters for the existance of democracy in Scotland. Worst of all, Nicol Stephen "chooses" not to speak at Lib Dem Conference - I genuinely believe he chose not to as it would be in keeping with his personality (or lack thereof).
What a sad bunch the three opposition leaders make. Goldie is far superior to the other two in my humble opinion, but if she is not allowed to speak what good is that to the Scottish Tories? I just saw Wendy's performance there at FMQs - again, absolutely laughable! She needs to get her facts right for once.
A lurch to the right combined with a few fiscally challenged bribes, supported by a stage monologue and we find that Conservatives are yet again duped by David Cameron the young pretender; it would appear that more than David Cameron are shallow.
I would not find his performance disturbing if he was auditioning to recite one of Shakespeare鈥檚 monologues, we need a reality check here, he is auditioning for the job of Prime Minister of United Kingdom.
We cannot assess an individual鈥檚 suitability to run the most important office of state based on a stage performance; whilst such performances were clearly satisfactory to delude those who gathered in Blackpool two years ago for at least four months, I honestly feel that the honeymoon for this speech will be much shorter.
He is nothing more than a shallow opportunist seeking the celebrity status associated with the office of Prime Minister; I feel he will do more damage to the Union than Thatcher, Rifkind and Co. ever managed and certainly more damage to Scotland, I validate this claim with a reference to his treatment of David Mundell and Annabel Goldie in Blackpool at this year鈥檚 Conservative conference.
##2 Stewart
If voting SNP had EVER been a wasted vote, this country would never have had its Parliament restored, and the Scottish people's voice at Westminster would have no effect other than to make up the numbers.
George Foulkes, for one, is simply exacerbating that situation in a characteristically self-interested attempt to deny the SNP a level playing field at any Westminster election.
An SNP vote, in fact, has always punched well above its proportional weight 鈥 and that has been since a time when they were low in the polls, there was no proportional representation, and no Scottish Parliament.
Why was George Foulkes elected 鈥 other than as London Labour's plant at Holyrood??
hi brian, and no.2
what kind of twisted logic is this
stewart? i dont need to ask who spouts it! its unionists propaganda
first they insist we remain in uk.
so snp is a must in westminster,
HENCE NO WAISTED VOTE.
take a good look at NO.8 ED'S POST
he's bang on.
#2 Stewart
If voting SNP had EVER been a wasted vote, this country would never have had its Parliament restored, and the Scottish people's democratic voice would be negligible 鈥 unionist MPs at Westminster having little effect other than to top up the numbers.
George Foulkes, for one, is simply exacerbating that situation in a characteristically self-interested attempt to deny the SNP a level playing field at any Westminster election.
An SNP vote, in fact, has always punched well above its proportional weight 鈥 and that has been since a time when they were low in the polls, there was no proportional representation, and no Scottish Parliament.
Why was George Foulkes elected 鈥 other than as London Labour's plant at Holyrood??