| Back in June I became a member of David Cameron’s campaign team. David grew up in West Berkshire. I have known him for many years and count him as a friend. None of these are reasons to support him to lead the Conservative Party. Indeed, it could be argued that as a friend, I should have tried to dissuade him from taking on the toughest job in public life.
I support him because I believe that he has exceptional qualities and a deep understanding of what this country needs. “Nice words”, I hear you say, “but more beef please”.
David is more, much more, than one good speech at a Party Conference. He is someone who articulates centre-right policies for the modern age. He believes we can fit our values of belief in the family, personal responsibility, lower taxes, high standards of health and education, limited government and national sovereignty into a renewed and exciting Party. A Party in tune with the majority of Britons who, while recognising we have problems, like our modern society and what this country has to offer. They want a vision of a country, as David puts it, “whose best years lie ahead”.
I was lucky enough to win the Newbury constituency off the Liberal Democrats last May. However, I acknowledge that I have no Conservative colleagues from Bristol, Birmingham, Manchester or Edinburgh. In most of our major cities my Party came third among the 18 – 35 year olds. We have to regain our relevance to all ages and all regions in the United Kingdom. To do that we need the kind of once-in-a-generation talent that David Cameron offers. We need a leader who will project our beliefs and values with freshness and passion to a Britain that will be eager for change at the next election. | 
