Senator McCain Speaking in Bournemouth

The main highlight for me, from the first day of conference was hearing US Senator John McCain.

I am very interested in US politics, having first studied it at A-Level and recently having my interest reinvigorated by the TV series The West Wing (just starting series 6).

McCain is seeking the Republican Party nomination to run for the US Presidency.

McCain is a very interesting political figure and he strongly identifies with David Cameron's new approach to politics. McCain combines a tough line on security and national defence, support for family values but with a moderate, liberal and compassionate approach.

The thing that most impressed me about McCain was his passion for clean politics, for challenging special interests and for doing the right thing. In his speech he explained how he thought it was far more important to stand by your principles and make what you think are the best decisions for people and the country. He said that some politicians and political parties get obsessed with incumbency. Everything is about staying in power for power's sake. Whereas really obtaining elected office is means to achieving good things for society. He said that if you take that approach then electoral success will eventually follow. I feel exactly the same way. The disappointing thing about our Labour Government is that they are only interested in the next election. With huge parliamentary majorities they could have achieved anything. However when you listen to Tony Blair, the thing he is most proud of is winning 3 elections in a row.

McCain has had an interesting life. He was a naval pilot and was shot down during the Vietnam war. He suffered years of abuse in the infamous Hanoi Hilton at the hands of his captors. In 1986, he was elected to the United States Senate to take the place of the famous Arizona Senator, Barry Goldwater. In 2000, McCain ran unsuccessfully for the Republican nomination for President of the USA.

I did an interview with the BBC World Service after the speech and I said I would be pleased to see McCain become US president. I think he would combine a tough approach on national and world security, whilst at the same time ditching George Bush's ridiculous and dangerous gung ho attitude. I think we could trust him to be strong but reasoned and compassionate at the same time.

It's interesting that this Conservative Party Conference is about the future. We a have bright, energetic leader in David Cameron and we were lucky enough to have McCain, potentially a future US President, speaking to us.

By contrast the Labour Conference was about the past. They had Tony Blair on his last legs politically, his successor Gordon Brown, a political dinosaur and their guest speaker from the world of US politics, another man of the past, former US President Bill Clinton.