Michael Howard has sent his troops away from their pre-election conference with a message to sell the Conservatives as a party that can be trusted to govern.
Howard, addressing his first conference as leader for the second time in a week, thanked delegates for their hard work and tried to instil them with a new sense of optimism as they left Bournemouth.
The Tories had started the week in gloomy mood after being relegated to fourth in the Hartlepool by-election and scoring only 28 per cent in an opinion poll published on Monday.
However with the news that UKIP's chief financial backer was defecting to the Conservatives the mood changed.
The leadership's right-wing, Eurosceptic and anti-immigration programme was well received by delegates eager for a return to "core values".
In a speech that tried to reach out to voters beyond the party, Howard said: "It's been a fantastic conference.
"We are the only choice if you want a government that gives you value for money for the taxes you pay.
"To those who voted Liberal Democrat last time, who have lost faith in a criminal justice system with twisted priorities, who yearn for a time when children can walk home safely from school, I say, come and join us.
"We are the only choice if you want a government that will wage a war on crime.
"And to those who have given up on politics, who do not believe that casting a vote will ever make any difference to their lives, I say, come and join us."
Reinforcing the theme that it was time to break through people's cynicism about politics he added: "We are the only choice if you want a government that is responsible and accountable to you.
"If you agree, whoever you are, whatever party you may have supported in the past, come and join us."
