Read David Cameron's speech notes

David Cameron laid out his programme for government yesterday, insisting that he had the personal qualities to lead Britain and issuing a direct challenge to Gordon Brown to call a general election.

Mr Cameron ended a 67-minute speech, which he delivered without a script, to the Conservative conference by trying to exploit the Prime Minister’s apparent uncertainty over whether or not to go for a poll on November 1 or 8. With the political world expecting Mr Brown to make a decision this weekend, Mr Cameron drew roars of support from the Tory faithful as he declared: “So, Mr Brown, what’s it going to be? You go ahead and call that election.”

“Let the people pass judgment on ten years of broken promises; let people decide who’s really making the arguments about the future of our country; let people decide who can make the changes that we need in our country. Call that election. We will fight, Britain will win.”

Mr Cameron, making only occasional reference to notes as he walked around the platform, went through his party’s programme policy by policy as he tried to counter criticism that he lacked substance and vision. He also took on complaints that he might be out of touch with ordinary people because of his privileged background and Eton education.

In a distinctly personal passage he told his audience that he could not give them a “hard luck story.” He was the son of a magistrate and a stockbroker, but the great privilege of his upbringing was not wealth, but the warmth and the family. “I went to a fantastic school. I’m not embarrassed about that because I had a great education and I know what a great education means.

“And knowing what a great education means, means there’s a better chance of getting it for all of our children, which is absolutely what I want, in this country.”

In the latter stages of his speech, Mr Cameron rallied activists by emphasising the sincerity of his message and his conviction that he would succeed. “I have told you what I believe. I have told you some of the ways we will do it,” he said. “There’s something else.

It’s about me. People want to know, are you really up for it, have you got what it takes – and I answer unreservedly, yes. That's why I stood here two years ago and that’s why I’m standing here today.”

He saved his reference to the election for the latter stages. The Tory leader and his Shadow Cabinet believe that Mr Brown has made a mistake in allowing speculation to mount throughout the conference season when he could easily have killed it. They believe now that they are in a better position to fight an election because of the notice they have been given. But privately they relish the opportunity to call Mr Brown a coward if he decides not to go ahead.

The Times has been told that Mr Brown will come to a judgment after studying polling data, particularly relating to the marginals, in the next few days. Saatchi & Saatchi, the party’s agency, will be presenting suggested adverts this weekend and the possibility that the Comprehensive Spending Review will be announced to Parliament on Monday or Tuesday is being kept alive.

Throughout, Mr Cameron presented himself as the “new politics” and Mr Brown as the old. He said Tories had to learn from Labour mistakes in reform of the NHS and the education system and wake up to a new world order that defied “old politics”.

He decided on the gamble of speaking without a draft in front of him because he wanted to “speak from the heart”. He told activists: “I want to make a speech about why I want to lead my country. It might be a bit messy but it will be me.

“Change, real change, isn’t just about winning elections. Real change is about getting ready to govern our country. Real change is about doing what our party has always done, which is to make sure we understand, reflect and meet all the challenges of the modern world. And that is what we are doing. That is the argument I want to make today.

“There’s been quite a lot of talk of lurching and I can tell you we are not going to be lurching to the left, we are not going to be lurching to the right, we are just going to provide the good solid leadership this country needs.”

Times Recommends

• Forces chief faces new battle - the economy
• Seven days that shook the world
• Icelanders wake up and smell ... the fish