By politics.co.uk staff

David Cameron has tried to turn a corner in the way the government sells the war in Afghanistan, with a “pure and simple” message that Britain is there to protect its national interest, not because of “dreamy ideas”.

In his first trip to the country as prime minister, Mr Cameron was forced to cancel a visit to a military base because of a security alert.

When he did eventually speak to troops he earned cheers when he confirmed the operational allowance would double.

The prime minister said the British public must “revere and support” their troops and that they should have their “heads held high”.

He also delivered a message from the England football team, telling the troop they were the real heroes.

“It’s important you know how much all your effort means to the England players,” the message said.

While the Conservatives supported the war in opposition, the party criticised the effort to sell the war to the public.

Defence secretary Liam Fox had said: “We are not in Afghanistan for the sake of the education policy in a broken 13th-century country.”

The official Tory message is a mile away from Mr Fox’s choice of words, but Mr Cameron’s speech gives a clear indication that the new government plans to simplify the message on the war and relate it entirely to British national security.