Tory leader holds his own in the firing line during Kingsmead Primary School visit (From Northwich Guardian)

Tory leader holds his own in the firing line during Kingsmead Primary School visit

8:30am Thursday 27th August 2009

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QUESTIONS on issues as diverse as immigration, employment and how to avoid becoming a megalomaniac were fired at David Cameron when he visited Northwich.

The man who would be Britain’s next Prime Minister faced a mixed audience at Kingsmead Primary School on Thursday who gathered to quiz him on his ambitions and policies.

He said: “The reason I’m doing this is that I think politics in Britain has got a bit boring, it’s gone wrong.

“Politicians like me may come to Northwich, seek out the TV cameras, give an interview to the local paper, pack up and go home and don’t actually meet any real people or answer questions.

“This is a marginal constituency and you are some of the people who will determine the next election – you have chance to look into the eye of someone who may be the next Prime Minister.”

Mr Cameron’s first challenge was from animal rights campaigners, who gathered outside the school to protest and asked questions inside the hall to get to the bottom of his thoughts on the hunting ban.

He replied that if he was in power he would call for a vote on the ban but admitted that he personally was against it, calling it a ‘stupid law’.

Diane Johnson, from electrical firm Eric Johnson of Northwich, asked Mr Cameron about his plans to support apprenticeships, as she fears this will be the first year that the firm cannot take any on because there is not enough work.

He said the main thing was to get the economy moving again but also to simplify apprenticeship schemes.

Throughout the hour Mr Cameron was asked questions about the European Union, funding for the Armed Forces, the environment, funding for sport, income tax increases, what he thought about a coalition government, immigration and border control, university fees, pensions, small business, fostering and adoption, the criminal justice system, parenting, national service and spending cuts.

There was also time for a little humour.

The Guardian’s Stan the Man, Stan Mendham OBE, asked Mr Cameron that as ultimate power corrupts ultimately, how would he avoid this if he was in power.

He replied: “I’ve got a strong stable home life and a wife with a career of her own and no interest in politics who will tell me if I become a megalomaniac.”

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