国际英语新闻：British opposition leader presses for social, financial responsibility

BIRMINGHAM, Britain, Oct. 1 (Xinhua) -- Britain's major opposition leader on Wednesday pressed for social and financial responsibility in bringing a strong Britain.

    In his much-anticipated closing speech at the Conservative Party Conference, David Cameron, the 41-year-old Tory leader set out his vision for Britain when the party takes over after winning the general election in 2010.

Britain's opposition Conservative Party leader, David Cameron, speaks on the economy at his party's annual conference, in Birmingham, central England on September 28, 2008.

Cameron has called the current British society a "broken" one, much to the annoyance of the ruling Labour Party.

    According to him, two million children are brought up in households where no one works. What's more, violence on the streets -- a gun crime every hour, serious knife crime every half hour, a million victims from alcohol-related-attacks, the angry, harsh culture of incivility -- all these are symptoms of a broken society.

    To repair the broken society, he pledged "a radical social reform" which includes family responsibility, commitment to marriage, 1,000 new academies and competition among school students.

    Welfare system is also to be formed under the Tory plan. The party will push the five million people of working age who are out of work and on benefits to take up jobs.

    "We will end the 'something for nothing' culture," he said.

    Prime Minister Gordon Brown has claimed that "it's no time for novice" at the time of economic difficulty, reassuring the public that his experiences will take the country through those difficulties.

    Cameron retorted: "To do difficult things for the long-term or even to get us through the financial crisis in the short term what matters more than experience is character and judgment."

    He blamed Brown for sowing the seeds of the present financial crisis through making the Bank of England independent, and huge government borrowing. His party will, however, rein in private borrowing by correcting these mistakes and restoring the central bank's power to limit debt in the economy.

    The Conservative leader vowed to ensure sound money and low taxes through financial and fiscal responsibility, and to reform inefficient public services that cause the rising government spending.

    Cameron reiterated his belief in the Union of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and promised for a referendum on the European Constitution for Britain once the party is in power.

    "We have the fresh answers to the challenges of our age," he added. The Conservative Party has been ahead of the ruling Labour in public support for months this year, with a lead of over 10 percentage points. However, as the party has not demonstrated any meaningful policies on both the economy and other social issues as a whole, it has been deemed as lacking of substance.

    As the country is plunged into economic downturn and financial crisis, the main opposition feels obliged to show their cards on the economy and get serious about it as a government-in-waiting, in stead of sitting idle and let the Labour led by Gordon Brown steals all the limelight.

    At the 4-day party conference, Cameron has jumped on the opportunity to connect to the public and win their trust by uniting with the Labour in dealing with the financial crisis. Meanwhile, he sends out a clear message to the public that his party is the party for change.