Cameron 'steps up to the mark'

David Cameron" class="imageframe imgalignright" height="130" src="http://www.shropshirestar.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/2cameron.jpg" title="David Cameron" width="175"/>By Shropshire Star Political Editor John Hipwood

It wasn't meant to be like this. Instead of a barnstorming speech geeing up his Tory activists to go out and prepare for government, David Cameron was forced to go into "serious and responsible" mode.

And the general verdict was that he did it well, that he left the impression that this inexperienced politician, coming up to 42, could move seamlessly from being Leader of HM Opposition to Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.

Mr Cameron told us that he was "a man with a plan", although we didn't hear too much about what that actually is. There was a distinct shortage of new policy announcements in the speech, and Labour, inevitably, said it lacked substance.

But there was substance on view. The Tory leader dealt well with Gordon Brown's "novice" charge, pointing out that if only experience counted, Mr Brown would go on forever.

In a rare break from S and R mode, Mr Cameron looked up towards the galleries in the concert hall at the International Convention Centre's Symphony Hall and said he wouldn't labour the point because "there are people on balconies up there".

There was another joke about knowing about entrepreneurs because he slept with one every night - his wife, Samantha - but, with the banking and financial markets still in turmoil, this was no time for knockabout.

Another woman, who is revered by the Conservative Party but who still provokes many negative feelings among the public, featured in the speech.

Mr Cameron took a calculated risk in lauding Margaret Thatcher. His politics are very different from the former prime minister's, but he was guaranteed a positive response from his audience. Perhaps his aim was to show that he has a similar grit and determination to lead the nation out of a very deep trough.

What is certain is that he leads a party that is more united even than in Lady Thatcher's heyday. You would have struggled to have found a critical voice among Tories in Birmingham this week.

Attention will now switch to the financial situation and how not only the Americans deal with it, but whether there will be full cross-party support in Parliament next week for the Government's plans.

Mr Brown's plans for a big shake-up of his Cabinet have been thwarted by the economic crisis.

A few weeks ago Alistair Darling was favourite for a switch from the Treasury, but now it would be unthinkable.

Transport Secretary Ruth Kelly has said she wants to leave, and older hands like Welsh Secretary Paul Murphy might join her.