Hague rallies Tory troops
Conservative frontbencher William Hague has told activists that positive headlines mean his party has “begun its journey back to power”.
Addressing the Conservative spring conference in Nottingham today, Mr Hague said that additional councillors and a “transformation” of the party’s character were “powerful forces” helping the Tories.
He reiterated his support of David Cameron, saying that it was his influence which had helped the Conservative shadow cabinet team become “cohesive” and “determined to support each other”.
But on the topic of Labour he had a rather different approach. Mr Hague described Britain’s governing party as “cynical, manipulative and deceitful”, accusing them of not seeing through commitments to public services and “concealing” tax rises. He said that “the failure of Labour across the board is. absolute” and explained this would also help end the party’s years “in the doldrums” of opposition.
“The headlines are good, but what is even better is what lies behind them: a party that once again looks and feels like a party of national leadership, and that will soon be ready to provide the people of Britain with the new government that many millions of them want to see,” he concluded.
Mr Hague’s speech followed that of shadow chancellor George Osborne, who continued the Conservative’s assault against standards in the NHS.
He focussed his criticisms on the “financial mismanagement” of chancellor Gordon Brown, who is widely expected to win the forthcoming Labour leadership contest and take on David Cameron at the next general election.
