David Cameron: 'I believe in working hard, caring for my family and serving my country Ed Miliband, the Labour leader, last week repeatedly lauded his own education at a London comprehensive school, attempting to draw a contrast between himself and the Old Etonian Prime Minister. Mr Cameron answered that attack by speaking unashamedly of his "posh" school, and arguing that his experience informs his desire to reform the education system. "To all those people who say, 'He wants children to have the kind of education he had at his posh school," I say, yes, you're absolutely right," he said. Conservative strategists believe Mr Miliband made a mistake by trying to present himself as an outsider, drawing a contrast with what they said was Mr Cameron's openness and honesty about his own background. My dad was a stockbroker from Berkshire," Mr Cameron said, going on to pay tribute to his father, Ian, who died in 2010. Although his father was born with malformed legs, he was "an eternal optimist" and an active part of his village community, supporting his church and sitting on the parish council while pursuing a successful City career. "Not a hard luck story but a hard work story," the Prime Minister said, saying that his own values came from his father: "Work hard; family comes first; but put back into the community." He added: "There is nothing complicated about me. The most emotional section of Mr Cameron's speech came when he talked about the success of the London Para­lympics and the effect they might have on public perceptions of the disabled. Mr Cameron's first child, Ivan, died at the age of six in 2009. He was severely disabled, suffering from epilepsy and cerebral palsy. "I am so grateful for what all those Paralympians did," he said. When I used to push Ivan around in his wheelchair, I always thought some people saw the wheelchair, not the boy. The Prime Minister struggled with his emotions while talking about Ivan, while in the audience, his wife, Samantha, appeared on the verge of tears. Mr Cameron mocked Mr Miliband's claim to the Tory "One Nation" tradition, describing the opposition as "Labour: the party of one notion: more borrowing." He also addressed Mr Miliband's claim last week that the cut in the top rate of income tax meant the Coalition was "writing a cheque" to the rich. Mr Cameron said: "Ed, let me explain how it works. Then, the government takes some of it in tax. He concluded with a sustained attack on Labour's record in office. "We remember who spent our golden legacy, who sold our gold, who busted our banks, who smothered our businesses, who racked up our debts, who wrecked our economy, who ruined our reputation, who risked our future," he said. Labour did this - and this country should never forget it. The Coalition will stick to its schedule for cutting spending because any move to water down the austerity programme would panic financial markets and drive up interest rates, Mr Cameron said. "If we did what Labour want, and watered down our plans, the risk is that the people we borrow money from would start to question our ability and resolve to pay off our debts," he said. That would force the Government to pay higher rates on its borrowing, pushing up rates for everyone else, he said. Mr Cameron insisted that Britain must build more houses and described some opponents as "Nimbys." The Coalition is working on reforms to planning laws, which have raised fears of a new threat to the Green Belt and other rural areas. Mr Cameron insisted that a shortage of houses was driving prices out of the reach of many young people, telling his party to "accept we need to build more houses." He said some opponents of previous planning reforms agreed with the need for more housing, but then said no to every development - "and not in my backyard." The Prime Minister brought the audience to its feet to pay tribute to the Armed Forces and the 433 men and women who had made the "ultimate sacrifice" in Afghanistan since 2001. By the end of 2014, he said, all UK combat operations in Afghanistan would have come to an end. Nearly all our troops will be home - their country proud, their duty done - and let everyone in this hall stand and show how profoundly grateful we are for everything they do. Mr Cameron received one of his loudest ovations when he recounted his rejection of a new European Union treaty last December. "I did something that no other British leader has ever done before," he said. I said no - Britain comes first - and I vetoed that EU treaty. However, he made no reference to the prospects of a referendum on Britain's relationship with the EU.