ACROSS THE POND

David Cameron Vs. 'Big Government'

Rouses supporters with speech at Tory conference.

With elections likely eight months away, Conservative Party leader David Cameron outlined a vision of his party Thursday as a nemesis of bureaucracy and, more surprisingly, a hero of the downtrodden. Cameron, whose father was a stockbroker and whose party has traditionally been associated with wealthier interests than their Labor counterparts, pledged "to fight for the poorest" whom he said the government had let down. Said Cameron: “Excuse me? Who made the poorest poorer? Who left youth unemployment higher? Who made inequality greater? No, not the wicked Tories, you, Labour: you’re the ones that did this to our society." He also called on the country to "cut big government back" in order to "put Britain back on her feet." In one striking passage, Cameron discussed the death of his son Ivan earlier this year. “When such a big part of your life suddenly ends, nothing else—nothing outside—matters. It’s like the world has stopped turning and the clocks have stopped ticking," he said.