The central questions at this election campaign are these: how can we achieve real change in this country?
How can we make a clean break from the past and the failed policies of the past?
How can we take Britain in a completely new direction?
What we’re saying today is that there is only one answer to these questions: a new, strong Conservative government.
Where Labour has failed only a new Conservative government can make real change.
Take the environment.
As the clock ticks on climate change we’ve had thirteen wasted years from Labour.
Tough talk but pitiful action.
By contrast, we’ve made the environment a priority.
Fighting for a Climate Change Bill with binding targets for reductions in carbon emissions – and supporting it through Parliament.
Opposing the third runway at Heathrow.
And in government we’d go further.
We’ve already set out the boldest plans to green our economy, from starting a new Green Investment Bank to paying people to generate their own energy and offering £6,500 of energy efficiency improvements to every home in the country, at no up-front cost.
Announcing our ambition to ensure every car sold in this country is an electric or alternative fuelled car.
Following our pledge to cut government emissions by 10 per cent in twelve months – something no other party has matched – 50 Conservative-led councils covering a population of more than 11 million people have promised to do the same.
And, today we can announce that we will invite communities to plant a tree for every child born in England each year.
Let’s be clear: these things will only come about with the clean break of a new Conservative government.
The same story is true of the fight for our civil liberties.
Labour have shown complete contempt for the rights of the individual.
In opposition we have fought them every step of the way, forcing them into a humiliating U-turn over 42-day detention.
In government we’ll go further.
Scrapping the Contactpoint database.
And of course – abolishing ID cards.
These things will only come about with the clean break of a new Conservative government.
And what about giving people more power over their lives?
Under Labour we’ve become one of the most centralised countries in the developed world.
We’ve done what we can to give people more power while we’ve been in opposition.
The Sustainable Communities Act was a Conservative Private Members’ Bill – with cross-party support – which has the potential to give residents more control over local services and things that affect their lives.
And if we win that election next week there will come the most radical redistribution of power this country has ever seen, from political elites to the man and woman on the street.
More power to allow new organisations to set up schools.
More power to local people to elect their police commissioner.
More power to neighbourhoods to plan and shape the place they live in.
Today, we announce another major new proposal to take this a step further.
Giving neighbourhoods the power to create new parks and playgrounds, with access to money from local developments and more control over the planning system.
So today I want to speak directly to the people who have idealism and progressive ideals hardwired into their DNA, everyone who is desperate for real change:
Whether you’ve been a Lib Dem voter or a Labour voter or a Green voter – if you care about the environment, if you want action to improve your quality of life, if you care about civil liberties, if you care about people power, if you want a clean break from the past – vote Conservative.