Cameron hits out at Brown for marginal focus

David Cameron prepares to make what could be one of the most crucial speeches of his career, at the Conservative party conference in Blackpool.

Wednesday, 03, Oct 2007 12:00

David Cameron will today attack Gordon Brown for tailoring his policies to the small minority of swing voters.

After the prime minister appeared to reach out to 'Brown Tories' last night, Mr Cameron will accuse his opponent of cynicism.

In the closing speech of the Conservative conference, Mr Cameron will say the Tories appeal to a broad base of the electorate.

Delivering what many say must be the speech of his political career, he will set out his personal beliefs as he tries to reconnect with voters.

The Tory leader will attempt to discredit claims he has been lurching to the right or left and say the party is moving "forward to the future".

Unlike Gordon Brown, who refused to attack the Tories in his conference speech, Mr Cameron will turn on the Labour leadership.

He is expected to say: "Last week in Bournemouth was the old politics at its worst. It wasn't just that we'd heard it all before, simplistic short-term pledges re-hashed and re-announced, with absolutely no indication of how they would be delivered.

"It wasn't just the cynicism of announcing things that Gordon Brown himself must know he can't deliver. It was the carefully calculated pitch to the four per cent of voters in the middle who might switch this way or that, a dog whistle here, a dog whistle there."

Mr Cameron will tell the Conservatives their job is to inspire the 40 per cent of voters who have given up on politics.

Their Tory leader's attack on Mr Brown's cynicism is matched by a suspicion within the Conservative party that Mr Brown will call a snap election only if data in the key marginals is favourable to Labour.

This would mean the prime minister would be analysing the impact of Mr Cameron's speech in vulnerable Labour seats such as Finchley and Crawley and target seats in Portsmouth and Sittingbourne.

In a bid to appeal to the many marginal seats in London, Mr Brown is expected to formally give the go ahead for Crossrail on Friday.

A number of other preparations suggest an election is imminent.

The NHS review has been brought forward to tomorrow and the Treasury has confirmed the pre-budget report is ready for publication, although a firm date has not been set.

Mr Brown now appears likely to deliver the comprehensive spending review - setting out the government's spending priorities on key public services - and formally announce troop withdrawals in Iraq as soon as Parliament returns on Monday.

This could see him go to the palace on Tuesday evening to ask the Queen for an early general election, formally launching the election campaign that has been bubbling throughout the conference season.