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Tory meeting to focus on 'change' | Tory meeting to focus on 'change' |
(about 4 hours later) | |
Conservative Party activists are due to gather for their last UK-wide meeting before the general election campaign. | |
The party is holding its two-day spring conference in Brighton and revealed on the eve of the gathering its election slogan will be "vote for change". | |
Front bencher Theresa May said the party would be setting out "real changes" that the country needed. | |
Labour, holding a Welsh Labour Party conference in Swansea, will argue Tory policies would damage the Union. | |
They will use the Conservative conference as an opportunity to launch a new poster attacking the shadow chancellor George Osborne. | |
The election must be held by June but is expected to take place on 6 May. Recent polls have suggested the Conservative lead over Labour may be narrowing. | |
The message of change likely to be central to David Cameron's main speech on Sunday. | |
Change is needed in order to address the issues - changing the economy, changing our welfare system, change in our school system Theresa May, shadow minister for work and pensions | |
It was a theme underlined by Ms May, shadow minister for work and pensions. | |
She told the BBC: "Over 80% of people think this country is going in the wrong direction. | |
"We think real change is needed in order to address the issues - changing the economy from one that's built on debt to one that's built on investment, changing our welfare system, radical change in our school system. | |
"These are the real changes we will be setting out." | |
Ms May also appeared to deny reports that the Tories have set up a unit to prepare for the event of a hung Parliament. | |
She said: "We are going out there to win the general election, to win it with a majority so we can put into place the change the country needs." | |
'Little new' | |
BBC political correspondent Gary O'Donoghue said the Tories had been using the word change for months and slogan was neither "original nor surprising". | |
"This weekend's spring conference will see little in the way of new policy announcements," he said. | |
Mr Cameron is likely to use his speech to set out the extent of the economic challenges facing the next government. | |
Revised figures published on Friday confirmed that the UK did emerge from recession slightly stronger than initially thought, but all parties agree the recovery is still fragile. | |
Among those giving speeches on Saturday will be Mr Osborne, the party's official election co-ordinator, and shadow foreign secretary William Hague. | Among those giving speeches on Saturday will be Mr Osborne, the party's official election co-ordinator, and shadow foreign secretary William Hague. |
The Conservatives are also expected to unveil Professor David Kerr, a leading cancer specialist, as the party's new health adviser. | The Conservatives are also expected to unveil Professor David Kerr, a leading cancer specialist, as the party's new health adviser. |
For people who want real change, real fairness in Britain there is only one choice: the Liberal Democrats Danny Alexander MPLiberal Democrats Have your say | |
Prof Kerr was once a prominent supporter of Tony Blair and Labour's health reforms but said on Friday that he believed the Tories were now best placed to take the NHS forward. | Prof Kerr was once a prominent supporter of Tony Blair and Labour's health reforms but said on Friday that he believed the Tories were now best placed to take the NHS forward. |
The Tory conference begins a week after the prime minister revealed Labour's election slogan of "a future fair for all". | The Tory conference begins a week after the prime minister revealed Labour's election slogan of "a future fair for all". |
Labour is also releasing an image of Mr Osborne, accompanied by the slogan "Chancer not Chancellor". | |
The Liberal Democrats say only they offer a change to the existing way of conducting politics. | |
Danny Alexander, the Liberal Democrat leader's chief of staff, said: "It's between the old way of doing politics and the real change represented by the Liberal Democrats. | |
"For people who want real change, real fairness in Britain there is only one choice: the Liberal Democrats. | |
"Labour has totally failed to make Britain fairer, and the Tories can't be trusted to." |