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BIRMINGHAM - British opposition leader David Cameron has said he is ready to make unpopular economic decisions if his party wins the next election, as he tried to show he has what it takes to govern in a crisis.
Stung by Prime Minister Gordon Brown's rebuke last week that the world's financial crisis means Britain can ill afford a novice at the helm, Mr Cameron told supporters at his party conference on Wednesday: 'What matters more than experience is character and judgment.'
The 41-year-old, who became a lawmaker only seven years ago, said that while the Conservatives would support the government in introducing measures to stabilise financial markets, that would not stop them from attacking its economic policies.
'If we win (the next election), we will inherit a huge deficit and an economy in a mess. We will need to do difficult and unpopular things for the long-term good of the country,' he said, adding that he was 'a man with a plan, not a miracle cure'.
The Conservatives had started the conference believing they were odds-on to form the next government, but Mr Brown bounced back last week with a speech underlining his experience.
Still, the Tories' 12-point lead in a ComRes poll is enough for them to win the 2010 election, but there are signs voters may prefer Mr Brown at the helm during the current crisis. One poll this week showed 43 per cent of people felt he was best in a crisis, compared with 33 per cent for Mr Cameron.
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