Cameron's crusade

IN championing the importance of social responsibility, David Cameron is demonstrating that governments should not be expected to do everything.

It's a significant deviation from New Labour's control-freakery which has left the impression that people cannot be trusted to run their own lives.

This is absurd. What families and businesses require is a policy environment that enables them to fulfil their potential; the aspirational society espoused by the Conservatives.

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The need for a new political culture has shone through the Yorkshire Post's special series this week where 10 columnists have outlined policy changes that are fundamental to this region's future.

Four consistent themes became apparent from these common sense and pragmatic ideas, gleaned from years of experience. The sheer scale of the difficulties facing the next government. The need for more public money to be spent more effectively. Yorkshire's needs may be different to London's priorities. And the importance of a mature debate rather than the pointless shouting match seen at Prime Minister's Questions each week.

Voters do not want bland platitudes – or promises that cannot be delivered. They have learned this lesson from 1997. In the present financial climate, they also do not want their expectations raised unduly. They want candour.

Unlike his predecessor, Mr Cameron has shown that he understands Yorkshire's political and economic importance. His challenge now is to turn this vision – expressed so articulately on the opposite page – into reality, and convince sufficient voters that Tory policies will change Yorkshire for the better.