- The Guardian,
- Tuesday October 2 2007
Mr Lansley pledged to improve care for stroke sufferers and speed up the approval of cancer drugs.
Last year David Cameron told the conference he could express his priority "in three letters" - NHS. The Tories subsequently gained a small lead on both education and health, issues which helped propel Labour to power. But recent polls show they are again at a disadvantage.
"People used to say Conservatives didn't care or know about public services," Mr Lansley said in a speech which earned a standing ovation. "I come from a public service family ... [Conservatives] work in public services. We depend on them. We care about them. Don't let anyone say that we don't. Labour has lost the trust and support of NHS staff ... The Conservative party is the NHS," he said.
Michael Gove, shadow schools and families secretary, took a passing swipe at the prime minister's "passion" for education as he told the conference: "For some politicians, education is a passion. For others it's a priority. For me, it's my life story."
He added: "I come from a family where no one had ever gone on to higher education ... My mum worked in a jewellers' shop, my dad joined his father and brothers in the Aberdeen fish trade. But thanks to their hard work, and sacrifices, I was given the support and encouragement to read, to discover, to dream."
Mr Gove's speech made no allusion to the summer row on academic selection, which dogged the party for several weeks and first unsettled the leadership.
Earlier, asked by Sky News what Mr Cameron's biggest mistake as leader had been, the shadow work and pensions secretary Chris Grayling said the party "could clearly have got our message across better on grammar schools".
