Anthony Barnett (London, OK): I rushed out my reaction to the Cameron speech thinking I should do so before reading the Conservative blogland. Now, some hours later, a quick look at the Tory blogosphere is not very impressive. Have I overestimated it? Perhaps they are all on the long journey back from Blackpool. Matt d'Ancona found the speech compelling and memorable. Guido was mainly impressed by the toff shedding the contamination of Eton. Dizzy Thinks liked it but there was not much thought, and he was concerned about Cameron quoting a schoolboy saying he was "pissed". He asked his readers if this was a first for a keynote conference speech and Justin Hinchcliffe responded, "Fucking brilliant speech!". Brogan over at the Mail, usually fast and insightful, not yet up to speed. A lapse of judgement. He thinks John Major may have "turned the tide" against Brown by appearing like some strange figure from the past (jealous of Thatcher) but still with that mysterious look (as someone once said, it is as if he has a moustache underneath his upper lip). Major denounced the Prime Minister's "nods, winks and cynicism". I'm afraid any regular member of the public would simply have thought 'it takes one to know one'.
Iain Dale captures the mood of the faithful, in a post half way through the speech, "I leave Blackpool more optimistic about the future than I have been for a long time. Gordon Brown will know the Tory Party is back - and back with a vengeance." But the cataract of comments from the Daleites is very entertaining as are the sweep of responses on Nick Robinson's blog, where the Cameron performance is neatly and cynically described.
