Addressing the National Conservative Convention, the Prime Minister said that "true compassion" means taking tough decisions.
Mr Cameron told activists that government cuts were being made because the party "cares" about the country and that only by taking "tough and bold action" would the UK be "stronger and fairer" and not by "playing it safe".
The Prime Minister said he wanted a “strong Britain. A fair Britain. A Conservative Britain” but that in order to get there we have “huge challenges to confront”.
David Cameron said: “People say Conservatives in government are taking tough action because they don’t care. But the opposite is true. We’re taking those decisions because we do care.
“We care about the kind of country our children are going to grow up in and we do not want to burden them with debts that we are too timid to pay back.
“We care about giving people dignity in old age, which is why we’re making difficult decisions today – so we can actually afford our pensions system tomorrow.
“We care about keeping a health service that is truly there for all and free for all, which is why we’re reforming the NHS to prioritising prevention and not just treatment.
“It’s only by taking tough and bold action that we will make our country stronger and fairer. True compassion isn’t wearing your heart on your sleeve. It’s rolling up those sleeves and taking the long-term decisions that will really change our country for the better. That's what I want this party to be about and what I want this government to be about.”
Read the full speech here.