Conservative Party Conference in Manchester

I’m now back in Tamworth having spent the last few days at the Conservative Party Conference in Manchester.

Eighteen people from our Tamworth Conservative team made the trip including two councillors and six members of our Conservative Future youth team.

It was a tremendous experience.  The people there were really enthusiastic about Britain’s future despite the huge problems the next government, whoever forms it, will face.

I went into the conference centre to listen to several debates and speeches but four really stood out.  Ken Clarke spoke up for small businesses which employ so many people, promising to shape a new economy where we don’t just rely on financial services but also on “making things” again.  Liam Fox spoke eloquently about our Armed Forces and the Conservative commitment to fix the covenant of care for our soldiers, sailors and airmen which has been broken by Labour.  George Osborne made crystal clear the great mountain we have to climb to get our economy out of Labour’s debt and that to do so we all need to play our part – “we are all in this together” he said.  And then there was David Cameron.  David spoke passionately about the problems we face, about helping the most needy in our society and about rebuilding trust in our politics.

I asked people both inside the hall and people outside what they thought.  We all agreed it was a serious speech about serious issues by a man who is now ready to be our Prime Minister.  We have about 200 days the country may have the chance to find out.

However, there is a downside to Conference:  After four days in Manchester I’ve now come home with flu.  That’s life I suppose.