Cameron promises less control from central government

4 Oct 07
David Cameron pledged a new era of 'freedom and control' for users of public services and challenged Gordon Brown to call an election in his speech to the Conservative Party conference in Blackpool.

05 October 2007

David Cameron pledged a new era of 'freedom and control' for users of public services and challenged Gordon Brown to call an election in his speech to the Conservative Party conference in Blackpool.

Addressing delegates on October 3, the Tory leader said it was time to empower users of health, education and local services and vowed to promote 'innovation and choice in the public sector'.

Pledging an end to top-down control, Cameron said he would open up the 'state monopoly' in education, make doctors 'accountable to patients not politicians' and 'tear up the rules and the ring-fencing' that constrain local government.

'Over the past ten years we have seen responsibility sucked away from our public servants, and sucked away from our public services,' he told delegates.

Cameron said a Conservative government would allow a diverse range of providers to found new schools, with funding following pupils.

On health, he said patients would have 'a real choice' of GPs and of hospitals.

He also vowed to safeguard the future of district general hospitals.

Turning to local government, Cameron said cities should be run by directly elected mayors so there was an individual who could provide strong leadership and be held publicly accountable.

He said all other councils should be held to account for their spending decisions by their residents rather than by the government.

Addressing the sector directly, Cameron said: 'It's your money — spend it how you choose and get judged at the ballot box by the people you serve.'

He also vowed to reform the police, making them accountable to locally elected mayors or police commissioners.

Cameron ended his speech with a direct challenge to the prime minister to put a stop to the current speculation and go to the polls.

'Why don't you go ahead and call that election?' he said. 'We will fight, and Britain will win.'

PFoct2007

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