Cameron fails to convince

David Cameron may have had the Tory conference in raptures as he pledged that he and his party were ready if Gordon Brown were to call an early election, but he failed to persuade the bookies. Cameron received a 10-minute standing ovation after delivering his hour-long speech at the conference in Blackpool yesterday but he was preaching to the already converted. Critics warned that the speech, delivered without an autocue or script and very few notes, delivered a lot of promises but little substance. As a result the old Etonian, who was at pains to stress that his privileged upbringing did not alienate him from the majority of the population, is odds on not to be in charge of the Conservative Party on Christmas Day 2007, according to Ladbrokes. The Tory leader may have closed with a throw down of the gauntlet to Prime Minister Brown to call a General Election but the first bet Ladbrokes took when he left the stage was for £2,000 from a punter in Surrey on Labour to win at odds of 4/11. Spokesman Robin Hutchison said: "Labour are big favourites at the moment and the punters don't want anything to do with the Tories. "If Gordon Brown calls an election next week, Cameron could well have some time on his hands over the festive period." Ladbrokes have closed the book on the year of the next General Election with 2007 as short as 1/5 at the end. Former Tory leader William Hague is 3/1 favourite to take over from Cameron and resume the role, with David Davis 9/2 and George Osborne 11/2. Latest betting Next leader of the Conservative Party: William Hague 3/1; David Davis 9/2; George Osborne 11/2; Liam Fox 6/1; Alan Duncan 8/1; Nick Herbert 10/1; Andrew Lansley 12/1 (Ladbrokes)