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Tories turn to Gandhi for inspiration

Hasan Suroor

David Cameron's call to partymen

David Cameron

LONDON: The new Conservative Party leader David Cameron has invoked the words of Mahatma Gandhi to rally his demoralised troops in his campaign to persuade the party to accept change.

In his New Year's message, Mr. Cameron urged his party members to set example for others by ``personal commitment'' to the ideas they believed in— as Gandhi did.

``I want every single member and supporter of the Conservative Party to remember that personal commitment is the most powerful way to bring about change. As Gandhi said: ``We must be the change, we want to see in the world,'' he said.

Mr. Cameron, who became the youngest MP to take over the Tory leadership a few weeks ago, has pledged to modernise the party and extend its dwindling appeal, particularly targeting younger voters and ethnic minority groups, especially Asians.

``As the world is changing, so must we... I want to usher in a new type of politics in this country: constructive, thoughtful and open-minded,'' he said.

Prime Minister Tony Blair in his New Year's message shrugged off the Tory hype and reminded the people that it was under a Labour Government that Britain had become one of the ``most successful countries in the world with a strong economy and good public services''.

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Tories turn to Gandhi for inspiration

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