Five years ago next month, David Cameron was elected leader of the Conservative Party. What followed was meteoric, yet sometimes controversial, rise in the fortunes and make-up of the party, culminating with the formation of the historic coalition government with the Liberal Democrats in May.

Since then, popular support has wavered for the party. Initially, polls turned in our favour, with the Liberal Democrats losing out. But then, as tough decisions were being made to reduce the budget deficit, we started to feel the pinch. It has always been said that a government must do what is right, not what is popular, and that is something that Conservative governments have usually been good at.

I have said before, and I will say again, that I can stand on the doorsteps and defend almost everything the government is doing to turn this nation of ours around. But I am completely at odds with government policy on defence.

I held back on commenting following the defence review – I thought that I should wait and see how the Armed Forces fared after the cull, despite disagreeing with it whole-heartedly. I thanked my lucky stars that I did not campaign in Brompton for the River by-election, as there was no way I could stand on the doorsteps and defend the review to angry service personnel (and their families).

Regular readers will know that defence is an issue close to my heart, that I will always speak to defend our Armed Forces. I have condemned on numerous occasions the Labour government for its betrayal of those brave men and women who put their lives on the line for us, no questions asked, and do not believe that, just because the government is now “my” government, I should feel compelled to hold back from voicing my concerns – and, if applicable, anger.

And so it is today, as The Times reports (?), when David Cameron signs away our Armed Forces’ independence, that my anger boils over. In a move billed as a ‘hard-headed assessment’ of ‘Britain’s national interest’, and one which will “maintain sovereignty”, David Cameron and President Nicolas Sarkozy of France are to sign a defence-sharing treaty, whereby training, procurement, equipment, and, possibly, combat fighting, can be done on a joint basis.

Liam Fox, the Defence Secretary, and a man who I will always maintain respect for after trying to defend our Armed Forces from the cuts, said that ‘when nations can benefit from co-operation without losing sovereignty, they should aim to do so, which is why this week will mark the beginning of a long-term commitment to closer defence and security links with France’.

The buzz-word is still “progressive”. It is still used by government and opposition alike, to defend or attack policy, and I am loathed to use it. But there is noting progressive about relying on another nation to maintain a long-term military force. It is nothing short of out-sourcing our Armed Forces, and insults every single one of the tens of thousands of serving personnel being unceremoniously dumped into the dole queue.

What really made me sick in the stomach was this little line: ‘Charles de Gaulle, France?s aircraft carrier, is due to arrive soon in the Indian Ocean, with a British liaison officer on board, to provide greater air power in the area’. One wonders how we can improve air power on French carriers, yet launch two brand new carriers of our own?with no aircraft?

I joined the party in 2005 – shortly before David Cameron became leader. I even voted for his election as leader. I have met him, along with various other senior Conservatives (including Liam Fox) and been impressed by their opinions, their personalities and their promises. I have campaigned for Conservative victories in Medway in 2007, in Henley in 2008, in Medway for the general election and in River (twice) this year. I will continue to campaign for the Conservative Party and defend the difficult choices that need to be made for our country.

But, after today, I will, briefly, but for the first time since I joined, be ashamed to call myself a Conservative.

The article, given front page coverage in Saturday’s paper with the headline “Don?t preach to me about terrorists, says Zardari ? terrorists killed my wife” (online for Times subscribers), reveals that he took Cameron’s statement that Pakistan was looking both ways on terror personally.

And why shouldn’t he? In December 2007, his wife, then Chairman of the Pakistan People’s Party and likely candidate for President Benazir Bhutto, was assassinated by terrorists while out campaigning (as I covered here).

President Zardari told Bronwen Maddox: “Everybody is sensitive, as we have lost so many people, including my late wife. So to have your credentials questioned does hurt sometimes. No matter how brave you are, it hurts.”

I had the pleasure of meeting Ms Bhutto only a few months before her murder, if only for a few minutes, which followed a passionate speech at the Corn Exchange about democracy and freeing “her” people. A threat to the then incumbent government, and to terrorist organisations in the regions of Pakistan then (and, still, now) beyond the reach of the lawful authorities, she became a natural target as she insisted on meeting supporters.

David Cameron’s remarks have been called into question by many, and perhaps there is a modicum of truth to the assertion that they may have been a touch insensitive to the people of Pakistan who are trying to fight the tyranny of terrorism. But he hasn’t apologised, and nor should he.

The politics of Pakistan is a world away from the politics of the West. I tried to understand it during my time covering the bigger political stories there, but fell well short, and (admittedly) gave up.

To merely assert that they look both ways is short-sighted, and I do not believe for a second that David Cameron truly believes that that is the definitive. It was just a sound-bite, picked up by the left-leaning media and governmental opposition. It was not a command to fix their ways, but a warning that, as things stand, the way Pakistan handles the terrorist threat, and terrorists hiding in the country, will be the deciding factor in the short- and long-term futures of the war against terrorists.

I believe that David Cameron was right to make the comments he made. But I am but a humble blogger, and in international diplomacy, my opinions are nothing more than the annoying squiggly floater that occasionally appears in your eyes.

What matters is the bigger picture, and the way in which Pakistan responds to the comments. Which brings me back to the interview in The Times:

In spite of the clash, the leaders said that they had put their differences behind them. Mr Zardari described the discussion as “very good, very nice”. He added: “I think politicians can always come together and find a light in all darknesses.”

Garry Mann had been in a bar in Portgual during Euro 2004 when a riot broke out in a nearby street. In what must have seemed like a daze, Mr Mann was arrested, tried and convicted of hooliganism within 48 hours, with no idea what was happening around him.

Medway blogger Alan Collins has been following Mr Mann’s case closely over the past few weeks, as a law student looking at (amongst other things) EU Law and as a proud British citizen embarrassed by his government’s willingness to surrender one of its own citizens to face a prison sentence following a “serious injustice”.

Mr Collins commented: “It was, undoubtedly, one of the most grossly unfair trials faced by a British citizen within the Eurozone. 12 football fans were tried en masse, with one seemingly clueless lawyer and no chance to prepare a defence.

“After six years, Mr Mann, a former fire fighter and proud England supporter, has been forced back to Portugal after a European Arrest Warrant was released – a system introduced to aid the war against terrorism in Europe.

“Garry Mann may or may not have been innocent, I honestly cannot say either way. However, what I can say is that, in Britain, and indeed in most European countries, we live by the principle that everyone is innocent until proven guilty. That is a fundamental human right.

“Clearly, that human right was breached back in June 2004, a human right laid out in Article 6 of the European Convention on Human Rights, which states that ‘In the determination of his civil rights and obligations or of any criminal charge against him, everyone is entitled to a fair and public hearing … Everyone charged with a criminal offence shall be presumed innocent until proved guilty according to law.’

“Fundamentally, Article 6 states the minimum rights any person charged with a criminal offence has: ‘to be informed properly, in a language which he understands and in detail, of the nature and cause of the accusation against him; to have adequate time and the facilities for the preparation of his defence … to have the free assistance of an interpreter if he cannot understand or speak the language used in court’.

“The British Government, under the leadership and direction of the Labour Party, introduced the European Arrest Warrant. It is they who could have supported Mr Mann in his fight against extradition, but they chose to throw him to the wolves. The Labour Government abandoned one of its own citizens who had clearly not been afforded his basic human rights under Article 6 of the European Convention on Human Rights.

“This fact was recognised by the courts and judges of the United Kingdom which oversaw Mr Mann’s application against the extradition. They recognised, correctly, that, as Lord Justice Moses put it, ‘serious concerns’ had to be raised by the case, which ‘lends force to the belief that a serious injustice’ had occurred. Ultimately, following his judgement, he called the case an ‘embarrassment’.

“But the fact is, our country is constantly willing to bend over backwards to Europe, and, not only were the Labour Government willing to throw a British citizen to the wolves, our legal system is undermined by that of the European Union, and, no matter how much they agreed with Mr Mann’s case, accepted that they had not the jurisdiction to prevent the extradition.

“Mr Mann’s only hope was with the politicians in the Labour Government, who were too busy appeasing everyone else in Europe to care about one of their own citizens.

“On Tuesday night, a new dawn broke in British politics. Prime Minister David Cameron and his Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg put tribal, partisan differences aside and formed a strong, exciting coalition government to work for the British people and to make great swathes of reforms where reforms are desperately needed.

“I would suggest that the first reform they should look at with regards to Europe is to scrap Britain’s unwavering commitment to the European Arrest Warrant, and to fight for Garry Mann to be released and brought home, or, at least to face a fair trial for the charges laid out.

“It was a system introduced to fight terrorists, not tourists, and it needs to be made clear that that is the only use of the European Arrest Warrant Britain will recognise.

“I understand that Hugh Robertson, Mr Mann’s local MP, made representations to the Foreign Office under Labour, and attempted to do the same on Wednesday. Unfortunately, not all ministerial posts were filled in time, and so Mr Robertson’s attempts to spare Mr Mann the effects of Portugal’s injustice were met with no response.

“But Britain need not give up now. The Conservative-Liberal Democrat Government cannot use the excuse that it is too late. It is not nearly too late. Garry Mann has two years to serve, during which time our government should be making representations to the Portuguese government that his being in prison following a travesty of a grossly unfair trial is simply unacceptable.

“Mr Mann leaves behind a partner and six children, not to mention other family and friends. That is to say, at least seven individual lives torn apart by the European Arrest Warrant. The Labour Government showed no mercy and no thought for Mr Mann’s case, the Conservative-Liberal Democrat Government had no time as Mr Mann was on a flight bound for Portugal before the end of their first 24 hours.

“The fight is not over. The real fight is only just beginning. Every day the Conservative-Liberal Democrat Government sits on the fence is another day of freedom lost to Garry Mann. He cannot get those days back.

“The government needs to recognise that he suffered a serious injustice, and that he should be at home supporting his family while they are at school and suffering the mundane stresses of life.

“Most importantly, though, the government must recognise that the European Arrest Warrant is deeply flawed, and needs to be opted-out of before any more British citizens face a similar travesty of injustice and, too, get caught in its net.

“The government wants to be united, strong and firm in standing up for British citizens. I cannot say this any more strongly: Mr Cameron, Mr Clegg, now is your chance!“

The instant reaction to this news has to be ‘he’ll be lucky’ – and for once I do not mean that in a partisan manner. Indeed all parties have been guilty of breaching the ‘spirit of the rules’ in one way or another, if not the actual rules in some well-documented cases.

The problem has been caused by a mixture of both greedy MPs, and the seemingly laissez-faire attitude towards claims, many of which were allegedly agreed over ‘a drink and a smoke’. Although most MPs have not actually, it would appear, broken the rules, it is apparent after three weeks of revelations that these meetings were used to persuade fees office officials to look favorably on claims that may not have been entirely within the spirit of the rules.

An obvious result of the sleazy stench emanating from Westminster is an increased mistrust in all politicians – a bad reputation that will take years to recover. MPs looking for support are doing the right thing, if explaining their actions and apologizing at the same time, but sadly they are unlikely to discover too much sympathy along the way.

The backlash will be felt in Thursday’s local and European elections, when protest votes will likely be at an all-time high. Brown will order a reshuffle, Cameron will call for a general election to cleanse Parliament and Clegg will wave and shout from the sidelines like an under-11s football manager, eager for improvement but unable to achieve it.

All politicians are going about this the wrong way, though. Instead of blaming each other or the rules, they should be blaming themselves and their own greed.

Only then will people start to accept that they are sincere in their wish for change and begin to regain trust in their servants once more.

Mirroring Hilary Clinton’s early campaign tactics, Mr Cameron will launch the policy to turn Britain into a low carbon economy live online at 13:30, being interviewed by leading environmental journalist Geoffrey Lean and answering questions from the public, submitted via email, live chat and Twitter.

The policy launch will last for around 30 minutes and more information on how to get involved can be found here.

I am currently at Lordswood Social Club having just met David Cameron.

Mr Cameron, the Leader of the Conservative Party, was here meeting members of the party from the three Medway constituencies, before heading off to a Cameron Direct event in Chatham.

Update @ 23:30

Over 100 people (rough estimate) were present at the event organised by Chatham and Aylesford Conservatives. Among those present were several local councillors and the three Medway Parliamentary Candidates, Rehman Chishti (Gillingham and Rainham), Tracey Crouch (Chatham and Aylesford) and Mark Reckless (Rochester and Strood).

Mr Cameron went round and spoke to everyone in the room before briefly addressing everyone collectively. Even whilst still sounding slightly hoarse (anyone who had seen him on Andrew Marr yesterday morning (video/transcript) will know what I am talking about), Mr Cameron spoke confidently in a display which boded well for his subsequent Cameron Direct event.

Update @ 23:36

It appears that Iain Dale was at the Cameron Direct event, live-blogging it here. His report is here and Tracey’s is here. I shall link to the webcast as soon as it is made available.

Update 13/01/09 @ 00:58

A selection of photographs have now been uploaded to my Flickr account, in the photo set “David Cameron Visit“. They are also embedded in a slideshow below.

As part of his Cameron Direct tour, where he stages a one-man Question Time-type event, the Leader of the Opposition will be at the Church of Christ the King, Dove Close, between 18:30 and 19:30 next Monday.

Tracey Crouch, the Conservative Parliamentary Candidate for Chatham and Aylesford, told Yourmedway: “I am delighted David is coming to Chatham for the first Cameron Direct event in the county.

“It is a fantastic opportunity for anyone of any political persuasion to come along and raise their issues, questions and concerns with him.

“Members of the public set the agenda for the evening so whether the question, issue or concern is about the global economic downturn or local anti-social behaviour, it will be answered by David Cameron in person.”

Tickets may be obtained free of charge by e-mailing camerondirect@traceycrouch.co.uk.

It is a fantastic result, not only for a fantastic and charismatic leader, but also for America, who has finally put the past behind her and moved on, and for democracy, with an unprecedented participation and interest Britain could only dream of.

I took a short “bloggers’ break” to concentrate on other things (mostly Uni work, and then plenty of overtime at the Co-operative) but I never stopped following the incredible journey and am delighted that Obama has won.

David Cameron yesterday morning released the following video giving his thoughts on an historic victory:

One must not forget, though, that John McCain is a true American hero who has done nothing but serve his country – both at war and then in Congress – all his life and his loss must be commiserated after a gallant fight to the end.

On the final leg of his nine-day tour, Barack Obama visited Tony Blair, Gordon Brown and David Cameron in London. Below are the videos of the visit from Obama’s campaign channel and webcameronuk.

Obama meeting Brown:

Obama meeting Cameron: