We will make the hard long-term decisions for this country

David Cameron promised not to shy away from difficult decisions on spending, borrowing and taxation in a speech to the British Chamber of Commerce.

He stressed that the Conservatives will inherit the worst public finances of any incoming government in modern British history if we win the next election, and pledged to confront the “fundamental weaknesses” of our economy.

He attacked Gordon Brown for refusing to accept that any of Britain’s economic problems are home-grown:

"I take a different view – our banking system is not separate from our economy, it is a reflection of it. The unsustainable debts in our banks are a reflection of unsustainable debts in our households, our companies and our government."

David admitted that the Conservatives had not recognised this problem as early as we could have, but promised that a Conservative Government would make a “clean break” with the past by correcting Britain’s economic weaknesses:

• Tackling debt, and ensuring Government lives within its means through a new Office of Budget Responsibility
• Creating a more balanced economy, focusing in particular on a renaissance in British manufacturing
• Ending the culture of welfare dependency through radical reform
• Ensuring our banking system is properly regulated

David stressed, “Tackling debt. Rebalancing our economy. Getting people back into work. Regulating our economy properly. If we do all these things, we can confront – and will overcome - the fundamental weaknesses of our economy.”