David Cameron has been hailed as the new messiah of the Conservative Party after a rousing speech at the Tory Party Conference.

Mr Cameron acknowledges the audience applause

The 38-year-old Witney MP received a five-minute standing ovation in Blackpool yesterday after his prime time "beauty parade" in front of delegates.

In what has been described as his "Sermon on the Mount" he appeared to preach to the converted on the conference floor as he hammered home his message that the party had to change if it wanted to survive.

Speaking entirely from memory, Mr Cameron said the Tories had to draw a line in the sand after three successive election defeats and reach out to the likes of working mothers who worry about paying for Christmas, apathetic young voters and those who have become disillusioned with modern politics.

Appealing to women in particular, he added it was an injustice that one fifth of primary schoolchildren are unable to read properly, one million children play truant every day and that fewer children from state schools are going to university.

Mr Cameron said: "I don't want to sit around and lose in another four years, do you? Some people say let's attack with more vigour, but that's not the answer.

"Some people say we should just move to the right, I say that would be wrong. I don't want this party to be a fringe party that will never challenge again, do you?

"The real challenge is about changing our culture and identity -- it's not some slick re-branding exercise, marketing or spin -- it's about at the next election going street by street, house by house saying we have a message that is relevant and shows our best days as a country lie ahead."

Mr Cameron's critics have labelled him 'Tory Blair' but his supporters said his brilliantly executed conference speech has elevated him above rivals Ken Clarke, Liam Fox and Malcolm Rifkind into second place.

David Davis remains the favourite with the backing of around 66 MPs -- a third of the parliamentary party.

Wantage MP Ed Vaizey said: "David is a winner and generating a lot of momentum at this conference -- I just hope the parliamentary party realise he is the way forward."

Henley MP Boris Johnson said: "That was a leadership speech -- I saw old men and young women weeping, it was brilliant."

Oxfordshire county councillor Louise Chapman, who lives in Witney, added: "It was a passionate speech that showed he really does care. We need someone who is young and generates a real buzz -- David is the best man for the job."