David Cameron with his new shadow cabinet

Mr Cameron signalled his intention to revive Tory fortunes in inner cities by holding the gathering in Birmingham.

The meeting followed the completion of his shadow ministerial reshuffle - a week after his election to the top job.

Ex-Times journalist Michael Gove, who became an MP in May, has been named as the party's housing spokesman.

Shadow cabinet meetings are usually held in London, but Mr Cameron said his party could only make itself stronger in the inner cities if "we show we have the best ideas for urban revival and regeneration".

Joan Blaney, director of Birmingham's Community Education and Training Academy, which helps disadvantaged communities find jobs, briefed the MPs on the issues they face.

'Reconnecting with the country'

Speaking afterwards, Mr Cameron said: "Last week I said we had to change the way we look and I announced my plans yesterday to guarantee more women Conservative MPs.

"I also said we had to change the way we think, and that we only revive the Conservative Party in the inner cities if we show we have the best ideas for urban revival and regeneration.

JUNIOR SHADOW POSTS Health: John Baron; Andrew Murrison Work and Pensions: Tim Boswell; Anne McIntosh; David Ruffley; Nigel Waterson Transport: Julian Brazier; Stephen Hammond Foreign: Geoffrey Clifton-Brown; Keith Simpson Solicitor General: Jonathan Djanogly Culture: Mark Field; Malcolm Moss Treasury: Mark Francois; Mark Hoban Home Affairs: Edward Garnier QC Immigration: Damian Green Schools: Nick Gibb Housing: Michael Gove Defence: Mark Harper; Gerald Howarth; Julian Lewis Trade and Industry: Charles Hendry Disabled People: Jeremy Hunt London: Jacqui Lait Children: Tim Loughton Homeland Security: Patrick Mercer Education: Maria Miller Agriculture: James Paice Local Government: Eric Pickles; Robert Syms Small Business: Mark Prisk Sport and the Olympics: Hugh Robertson Northern Ireland: Laurence Robertson International Development: Mark Simmonds Charities: Andrew Turner Environment: Bill Wiggin All posts are shadow posts Conservative front bench

"That is why I decided to hold my first shadow cabinet meeting here in Birmingham."

He said Ms Blaney had explained to MPs "how our social action agenda can make a decisive difference in turning our inner city neighbourhoods around".

Mr Gove is MP for the safe Tory seat of Surrey Heath, and worked at the heart of Mr Cameron's leadership campaign.

It is understood Mr Gove played a key role in coaching Mr Cameron on how to deal with the media.

On Monday, the Tory leader outlined a five-point plan to encourage more women and ethnic minority Tory MPs into Parliament.

He announced an immediate freeze on candidate selection, saying he wanted a priority list of the brightest and best would-be MPs, with at least half of them women and a "significant proportion" from ethnic minority backgrounds.

Speaking in Leeds, he said he believed he had a "clear mandate" for the reforms from Conservative associations, after winning the leadership election last week.

'Don't rush to judgement'

He said the changes were not about "crazed political correctness", but all about "political effectiveness".

"Only if we engage the whole country in our party will our party develop ideas that benefit the whole country," he said.

"The conversation we have in the Conservative Party must reflect the conversation in the country, and the sound of modern Britain is a complex harmony, not a male voice choir."

Prime Minister Tony Blair has warned voters to judge Mr Cameron's performance over months, not weeks.