Change needed, not more of the same

At last week's Conservative Party conference, David Cameron outlined his plans and vision for the future. He struck a statesman-like note in his speeches, reflecting the extraordinary economic times, when he confirmed Conservatives will work with the Government to bring forward solutions to mitigate the effects of the banking crisis.

But, after 15 years of global economic growth, the UK is woefully prepared for a downturn, with the worst budget deficit of all industrial economies, other than Pakistan, Egypt, and Hungary.

The announcement that a Conservative government would create an independent Office of Budget Responsibility to assess the public finances and hold the Government to account joined a range of measures set to ensure long-term economic stability and reign in borrowing.

The conference revealed our plan for change - bold, radical ideas to renew our bureaucratised NHS, reform our education system and to repair our broken society:

• Empowering patients and ensuring doctors answer to patients rather than Whitehall;
• Strengthening families with more home health visitors and flexible working;
• Reforming our school system by establishing 1,000 new Academies and allowing local communities to take responsibility for schools out of Local Education Authority control;
• Ending the 'something for nothing' culture with radical welfare reform.

The return of Peter Mandelson to the cabinet is a mark of Gordon Brown's desparate fight for his political survival. But this economic crisis shows we need change, not more of the 'Gordon Brown experience'.

Instead of a divided Government led by the man who left the economy so badly prepared - last week Conservatives showed a strong, united and positive alternative to Labour - ready to serve the country.