David Cameron tries to capitalise on debate success with voter 'contract'

David Cameron moved today to build on the momentum from his performance in last night's final televised campaign debate by publishing a "contract" with voters designed to reassure them that a Conservative government would deliver on its promises. soccer jerseys
The Tory leader has long been criticised for failing to "seal the deal" despite his consistent lead in the opinion polls, but party strategists believe he has finally turned the corner and is on course for a majority after next Thursday's election.
To underline, the first "contracts" were sent out this afternoon, e-mailed to supporters. A printed version will be sent to millions of households in target seats around the country.
The document - which has echoes of the 1094 "Contract with America" which helped the Republicans gain control of Congress during Bill Clinton's first term - sets out 16 key pledges on issues such as political and economic reform, social welfare and education.
Titled “A contract between the Conservative Party and you” It is accompanied by a personal pledge from Mr Cameron, who tells voters that the contract "couldn't be clearer".
"If we don't do the things it sets out, if we don't deliver our side of the bargain: vote us out in five years' time," adds the Tory leader, who is shown in a photograph signing a piece of paper.
Although the mood in the Tory camp was increasingly upbeat, Mr Cameron repeatedly warned supporters not to take any vote for granted as he kicked off the final week of campaigning by visiting a primary school in the Cannock Chase constituency - one of those seats the Tories believe may now be within their grasp.
“I do not take anything for granted and we have got to fight a very hard campaign in these last six days to really win people over and say: change is possible, change can happen," he said.
“But... we are fighting not just Labour and the Liberals, we are fighting cynicism and apathy and deep, deep unhappiness with all politicians. I understand that and that’s why we are going to be setting out a contract with the British people saying 'This is our side of the bargain, we know how unhappy you are, how doubtful you are that anyone will achieve anything or change anything’.”
As Mr Cameron hit the campaign trail, Mr Brown was joined by no fewer than nine Cabinet colleagues for a poster launch designed to put family support on the agenda for the final week of the campaign.
The event, in the car park of a Birmingham community centre, was interrupted by a loud crash as a VW Golf was clipped by a dust cart and smashed into a bus shelter nearby - providing the inevitable "car crash" headlines.
But Mr Cameron and the Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg were also up against a rather more polished campaigner, the former premier Tony Blair, who made his first appearance of the campaign only hours after Mr Brown trailed in third place in the final leaders' debate,
The most effective election-winner in Labour history advised voters to forget "who's up, who's down" after the drama of the TV debates and focus on policy, not personality.
Visiting Harrow in northwest London, Mr Blair explained that he would have come earlier but he was “stuck in the Middle East because of the volcano”. He denied that Mr Brown had been failure as Prime Minister. "I don't think he has failed at all," he said.
The former premier, now working as a peace envoy and highly-paid business speaker, said that he thought Labour had "every chance" of winning a fourth term in power as voters focus on what the country needs.
After having his blood pressure taken at a polyclinic in the Labour-held constituency, Mr Blair said that Mr Brown had the “energy and drive” to take Britain forward.
“I think if people actually look and listen to the substance they will see somebody who is completely honest, who knows his facts, knows exactly the policies that the country should follow," he said.
"I think the question is for people... look, when you start in an election campaign, particularly when you have got a new thing, which is the debates, then it will all revolve around a bit of who’s up, who’s down and all the rest of it.
“But once you get into the final days, I think people will really focus their minds on who has the best answers for the future, who has got the energy, the drive to take the country forward, who has got the answers to the questions the future is posing.”
He added: “The thing that I think is really, really important is in the general election, suddenly the politicians aren’t the decision-makers any more, the people are the decision-makers.”