Cameron outlines 'Conservative dream'

David Cameron has boosted his leadership hopes with a powerful speech to the Conservative conference.

The shadow education secretary said it was time to "feel good about being Conservative again".

His address was interrupted with frequent bursts of applause and a standing ovation at its conclusion, raising the stakes in the race for the second place on the final Tory ballot paper.

Cameron launched a series of stinging attacks on the government, but coupled it with a warning that the Conservative Party too had to change.

He also began the task of positioning himself to take on Gordon Brown, who is expected to be Labour leader at the next election.

The shadow education secretary branded the chancellor "the great roadblock" to reform of the public services.

The address touched on issues guaranteed to woo the party's grassroots - including a call to support marriage through the tax system and bring an end to "progressive education clap trap".

Labour had failed in areas such as education, pensions and red tape, said Cameron.

But he added: "Yes, they have failed but so have we."

It is time for Conservatives to "put failure behind us", he said.

But "one more heave" would not produce an election victory.

"I say that is wrong and would be a pathetic way for a great party like ours to behave," said Cameron.

He warned that a move to the right "would be wrong" - although this received noticeably less applause than other parts of the speech.

"Real change is about changing our culture and identity and making it right for today," Cameron told the Tory grassroots.

It could reconnect a new generation with the party, he argued.

"I want to switch on a whole new generation to the Conservative Party," said Cameron.

Pledging that his reform agenda would take the party on a "wonderful journey", he also warned that there would be no false starts and no changing direction in the face of short term pressures.

If the party sticks to his vision of a new "Conservative dream" Cameron insisted that "nothing and no one will stop us".