Tory leaders have charmed the electorate with refreshing speeches and I must admit that Ken Clarke's address to delegates was brilliant, and inexplicably gave me a nice warm and secure homely feeling.
I particularly loved the bit where he said that historically, Conservatives tend to come in after Labour have been in power for a while and then they have to clean up the financial mess left behind . This time it is only different in that the mess is worse than it's ever been.
I also thought George Osbourne spoke well and , more importantly, straight. I was ecstatic when shadow health ministerAndrew Lansley said that the wasteful health quangos would also go under the Tories, although sadly not fast enough for my liking.
I am however, hugely disappointed that the Tories have said nothing about amending the economically damaging and socially divisive blanket smoking ban but it would appear, at least, that things will not get worse with them at the helm.
Cameron still makes me cringe and in truth, back in 2005, I had hoped that Ken would win the leadership election. I think most older people would plump for Ken as PM but it seems that the younger generation has got a stranglehold over politicians who are falling over themselves to keep the under 40s content.
UKIP will still get my vote because it is the only party that has said it will treat smokers with respect and it will amend the smoking ban.
Personally, I don't think the Tories have much to lose if they make their policy on this issue clear. The general electorate are sick to death of NuLab in so many other ways that the smoking issue is, among the majority, a minor one. Few smokers, however, will support the Conservatives next year if they don't anounce their plans in advance of the election.
So far, they are making the right noises. That has to be welcomed. But they must shout loud and proud in defence of smokers before I, at least, change my mind about where my vote will go.
