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David Cameron: We'll make UK a 'land of opportunity' David Cameron: We're building land of hope and opportunity
(about 1 hour later)
David Cameron has said "profit, wealth creation, tax cuts, enterprise... are not dirty, elitist words" in his big Conservative conference speech. David Cameron vowed to get behind business to create a "land of opportunity for all", in his big speech to close the Conservative conference.
Putting his party firmly on the side of business, he also promised to make the UK "a land of opportunity". His 50-minute address sought to set out dividing lines with "the 1970s-style socialism" he said Labour now offered.
He said that "at long last, and for the first time ever" people will be able to "make it" wherever they live, whatever their background. He claimed Britain's economy was finally "turning the corner" and the "land of hope is Tory" while "the land of despair was Labour".
He also attacked Labour as the party of "1970s-style socialism". "If Labour's plan for jobs is to attack business, ours is to back business."
In a speech that lasted just under an hour, he reminded party members the stated aim of the coalition with the Liberal Democrats was to wipe out the UK's deficit, but said it was his "abiding mission" to allow everyone to fulfil their potential, whatever their background. In response to the speech Labour said Mr Cameron offered a land of opportunity "for just a privileged few".
'Profit, wealth creation' In a clear riposte to Mr Miliband's speech last week, in which he promised to freeze energy prices and increase corporation tax on big business, Mr Cameron told Tory activists "profits, tax cuts and enterprise... are not dirty, elitist words".
He added: "But finishing the job is about more than clearing up the mess we were left. It means building something better in its place." "Because it's not government that creates jobs, it's businesses. It's businesses that get wages in people's pockets, food on their tables, hope for their families and success for our country."
Mr Cameron sought to go further and explain that his ambition was that "as our economy starts to recover, we build a land of opportunity in our country today". 'Quick fixes'
He said that means: "In place of the casino economy, one where people who work hard can actually get on; in place of the welfare society, one where no individual is written off; in place of the broken education system, one that gives every child the chance to rise up and succeed. Mr Cameron warned that Labour's calls for more state borrowing and spending to ease the "cost of living crisis" would risk putting the UK on the economic trajectory of Greece.
"Our economy, our society, welfare, schools all reformed, all rebuilt with one aim, one mission in mind - to make this country at long last, and for the first time ever, a land of opportunity for all." And he claimed the Labour leader's policies announced last week to tackle the cost of living crisis were already unravelling.
He sought to contrast his party's support for free markets and entrepreneurs with Labour's "1970s-style socialism", describing the opposition's tax policies as "damaging, nonsensical and twisted". "It's all sticking plasters and quick fixes cobbled together for the TV cameras - Red Ed and his Blue Peter economy, " said Mr Cameron.
Referring to Labour leader Ed Miliband as "Red Ed", he said: "I know that bashing business might play to a Labour audience. But it is crazy for our country." Mr Cameron spoke for just over an hour, from behind a lectern, often looking straight into the lens of the TV camera in an attempt to communicate directly with voters.
During the conference, Mr Cameron and Chancellor George Osborne have expressed the aim of running a consistent government budget surplus - meaning the government brings in more in revenue than it spends - by 2020. The BBC's chief political correspondent Norman Smith said it was a surprisingly sober speech in parts, with Mr Cameron stressing there was still much work to do to fix Britain's economy.
Mr Osborne has announced plans to make the long-term unemployed undertake work placements if they want to continue receiving benefits. There were no new policy announcements, as Mr Cameron chose instead to sketch out his vision of the kind of society he wants to build if the Conservatives win a majority at the 2015 general election.
Mr Cameron continued this theme when he said "what matters is the effort you put in, and if you put the effort in, you'll have the chance to make it". It was not enough just to clean up Labour's "mess" and pay off the deficit, he wanted to "build something better in its place".
He accused rival parties of "wishing" for change but not doing enough to achieve it, and advocate a greater sense of personal responsibility. "In place of the casino economy, one where people who work hard can actually get on; in place of the welfare society, one where no individual is written off; in place of the broken education system, one that gives every child the chance to rise up and succeed.
He said: "If you expect nothing of people, that does nothing for them." "Our economy, our society, welfare, schools all reformed, all rebuilt with one aim, one mission in mind - to make this country at long last, and for the first time ever, a land of opportunity for all.
Pledging to introduce further welfare reforms if the party wins the next election, Mr Cameron said he would like to see everyone under the age of 25 either "earning or learning" in the future. "So it makes no difference whether you live in the North or in the South, whether you're black or you're white, a man or a woman, the school you went to, the background you have, who your parents were - what matters is the effort you put in, and if you put the effort in you'll have the chance to make it.
The prime minister also reiterated his support for the HS2 rail line, saying it would unite the North and South of the country, and insisted the case for Scotland remaining part of the UK was "unanswerable". "That is what the land of opportunity means. That is what finishing the job means."
'Bigger society''Bigger society'
The Conservative leader distanced his party from the Lib Dems, he said: "When the election comes, we won't be campaigning for a coalition, we will be fighting heart and soul for a majority Conservative government - because that is what our country needs... Distancing his party from the Lib Dems, he said: "When the election comes, we won't be campaigning for a coalition, we will be fighting heart and soul for a majority Conservative government - because that is what our country needs...
"This party at its heart is about big people, strong communities, responsible businesses, a bigger society - not a bigger state.""This party at its heart is about big people, strong communities, responsible businesses, a bigger society - not a bigger state."
In a BBC interview on Tuesday, Mr Cameron said a budget surplus, which has not been achieved since 2001, would be the sensible option, as another banking crisis could tip the UK "over the brink". During their week in Manchester, Mr Cameron and Chancellor George Osborne have expressed the aim of running a consistent government budget surplus - meaning the government brings in more in revenue than it spends - by 2020.
Economists say the target will not be met without more cuts after 2016, but the prime minister said it could be met by freezing spending - or even with higher spending if the economy boomed. Mr Osborne has announced plans to make the long-term unemployed undertake work placements if they want to continue receiving benefits.
Labour says the failure of government strategies to produce significant growth means it will borrow billions of pounds more than originally envisaged over the lifetime of the current parliament. Labour vice chairman Michael Dugher said after Mr Cameron's speech: "There's a cost of living crisis facing Britain's hard working families, and he's got nothing to say about it.
"David Cameron's pledge to 'finish the job' shows how out of touch he really is. Rather than standing up for hardworking people he has shown he always puts a privileged few first, prioritising a tax cut for those earning over £150,000 a year while everyone else pays more."