New Times,
New Thinking.

  1. Long reads
4 February 2010

David Cameron, 2005

David Cameron, leadership bid, Conservative party conference, October 2005.

By Staff Blogger

Cameron delivered this crucial speech in October 2005 knowing that he was trailing David Davis in the Conservative leadership race. The speech attacked the Tory status quo, telling representatives that they had to fundamentally change the party, and describing their previous eight years in opposition as a “failure”.

As the youngest candidate in the leadership race, Cameron emphasised “fundamental change”, saying he wanted people to “feel good about being Conservatives again . . . I want to switch on a whole new generation.” This focus on transformation and the apparent ease and charisma of his delivery earned him the tag of the “Tories’ Tony Blair”.

It can truly be considered the turning point in his leadership bid. He received a three-minute ovation from party representatives after the speech, which was delivered without notes and without a lectern. Ultimately he won twice as many votes as Davis, whose campaign was said to have been marred by a poor conference speech.

So let’s build together a new generation of Conservatives. Let’s switch a new generation on to Conservative ideas. Let’s dream a new generation of Conservative dreams.

Select and enter your email address Your weekly guide to the best writing on ideas, politics, books and culture every Saturday. The best way to sign up for The Saturday Read is via saturdayread.substack.com The New Statesman's quick and essential guide to the news and politics of the day. The best way to sign up for Morning Call is via morningcall.substack.com
Visit our privacy Policy for more information about our services, how Progressive Media Investments may use, process and share your personal data, including information on your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications.
THANK YOU

We’ll be tested — and challenged. But we’ll never give up. We’ll never turn back. So let the message go out from this conference: a modern, compassionate conservatism is right for our times, right for our party and right for our country.

Click here for a full transcript of the speech.

Content from our partners
An energy skills boost can power UK growth
Homes for all: how can Labour shape the future of UK housing?
The UK’s skills shortfall is undermining growth