Flag, family and foreigners centre stage in Cameron's speech

9.00.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Thu 4th Oct 2007

David Cameron

David Cameron went back to traditional Tory issues in his conference speech in an effort to firm up his grassroots. Tax cuts, controlling immigration, a referendum on the proposed European Union treaty and the need to 'support families' were all prominent in the Conservative leader's lengthy speech. Quoting a school teacher he had met who had told him the key to improving schools was "discipline, discipline, discipline", Mr Cameron said the Tories would scrap appeals against head teachers' decisions on expulsions. He pledged to end the "couple penalty" on benefits, and recognise marriage in the tax system. He said the Conservatives were ready for a snap poll, adding: "We will fight, and Britain will win."

Just like previous Tory leaders, David Cameron started off trying to reach out to the centre but is now being pushed back to the right, to reinforce his base. Today's speech was all about flag, family and foreigners, the traditional enthusiasms of the Tory right. But there was not a single solid proposal on the environment. The Tories know what they are against - Europe, immigrants, scroungers and the Human Rights Act, but there's no positive vision of what they are for. This agenda failed in 2005 and it will fail again when the next general election comes.