Trudi Davies The Politics Show South East

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Cameron will need a fair wind at the conference in Bournemouth

David Cameron has made headlines with his green credentials, "hug a hoodie" policies and "A Lists".

So we set out to discover whether this really is the Conservative Party that the South East wants and more importantly, will vote for.

As the Shadow Cabinet take their seats on the podium in Bournemouth next week, will they look like a new, rejuvenated party or will the same old suits and ties dominate?

And, if they do look different, what will that mean for the electorate?

Do new clothes and new faces really mean new policies or is this the same old party repackaged for the post Blair era?

Ask many people in the South East about how they view their local Conservative Party and a very traditional picture emerges.

It invokes images of garden parties and dinner dances with women in print frocks and men in blazers.

Often inaccurate, it is, however, a vision that persists and is one that David Cameron is determined to change.

Last year Mr Cameron pledged to:

David Cameron hopes to take the ground-swell of Conservatism with him...

"Change the face of the Conservative Party by changing the faces of the Conservative Party."

But is this really what the people at the grass roots want?

Certainly not Paul Foster, the Conservative Party agent for Gillingham, who declares himself to be wholly disillusioned with the direction that the party is taking.

He, and many of his colleagues, see no value in "A Lists" or more women on the shortlists for example.

In fact they feel that they are against everything that the Conservatives hold dear.

In a party that upholds the values of meritocracy and the demands of the marketplace, it is hard to see how Cameron can persuade Mr Foster otherwise.

But Mr Foster's problem with the "new" Conservatism does not end there.

The stereotypical Conservative image is being shrugged off...

On the subject of Party policies, he draws a blank. Although he is hopeful that "some will emerge at the Party Conference next week".

Young blood...

Jason Hughes at 21, is another key Cameron target.

An ex-student of Kent University and a declared Conservative, he is exactly the target audience that the party is keen to embrace but he too has a problem.

Whilst he accepts the party is in need of a makeover, he thinks that the core values of Conservatism are being lost and that the party faithful are being snubbed for better looking alternatives.

Sceptical of David Cameron and his PR offensive, he thinks it is about time that "image" is padded out by policy.

One person who would disagree strongly with both of them is Dr Lynne Hack.

She is number 23 on the "A List" and in search of a, preferably, South East Seat.

Currently a County Councilor at Surrey County Council, she is very much behind Cameron and the push to change the party and increase its accessibility.

Quintessentially English... but are the Conservatives?

There will be an interesting fight next year at the local elections across the region.

As the three main parties struggle to share the centre ground of politics it may be image that matters after all.

If you can not choose on the basis of policies then perhaps the only issue will be who can persuade you that they are worthy of your trust.

The South East is traditionally the Conservative's heartland and you might argue that they have always done well here with old style, traditional values.

Should they change and will it work?

As they set out their stall next week, we will be asking whether the South East's voters are interested in what they are selling.

Join Paul on Sunday with Dr Tim Bale, Senior Lecturer in Politics at Sussex University, Justin Hughes an active young Conservative and Anne Jenkin, one of the founders of Women2Win.

This is described on their website as: "a broad cross section of men and women from across the Conservative Party who recognise that the party must change, if it is to win the trust and confidence of the British people".

If you have an opinion on Conservatives, and whether the changes are more or less likely to cast your vote for them, or if you want to put a question to our guests live on the programme then Text us on 07786 209252

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On the cards... continued

So what's in store for the Conservatives?

Labour last week, was Ivor right? And as we finally near the end of the Conference Season, he lays out the cards for the last time to see what might be in store for David Cameron...

News and views...

Paul Francis, Political Editor of the Kent Messenger, joins Paul to talk about how the conferences affect our region and to take a look at the texts and emails from last weeks show...

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The Politics Show South East

Join the Politics Show team on Sunday 01 October 2006 at 13:35 BST on BBC One.

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