Cameron says Britain will come through crisis

Conservative leader David Cameron said yesterday Britain would make it through the financial crisis because of its people's ability to innovate and overcome obstacles placed in their path.

"We can and will come through," he told party members at the close of the Conservative conference in Birmingham. "We always do. Not because of our government. But because of the people of Britain."

In a speech re-written at the last moment after the week's turmoil in financial markets, Mr Cameron said his party would work with the government in the short term to protect the economy.

But, he said that must not stop the Conservatives from telling the truth about mistakes the government had made.

"We need to learn the lessons and to offer the British people a clear choice.

"It is our responsibility to make sense of this crisis for them and to show them the right way out of it."

He rebutted Prime Minister Gordon Brown's jibe that he was a "novice" and lacked the experience to tackle the economic crisis, saying judgement and character were more important.

It was Mr Cameron's third appearance before party members during a conference that has been overshadowed by the banking crisis, prompting him to make two unscheduled speeches on the economy.

The Conservative poll lead over Labour has been cut in half in recent days as voters have responded positively to Mr Brown's handling of the banking turmoil.