Sketch: Why the Tories are speechless Supporters of the hastily established party wept tears of joy as their rookie leader, David Cameron, addressed the media outside No10 Downing Street on that unforgettable May evening. "This is a proud moment," said the new Prime Minister, "because it marks my party's first ever speech. It's humbling to think that the words I'm saying now will go down in the record books, and obviously the internet, for posterity. So callow was the young premier that he began each of his first nine speeches in office with the phrase "Unaccustomed as I am to public speaking." Audiences always made allowances for his inexperience, however, and at Prime Minister's Questions the Opposition benches still forgo the traditional heckling and listen in sympathetic silence. Research suggests that public opinion is split over the Conservatives" first three and a half years in existence. Many have called it refreshing to see a party appear out of the blue and shake up the stale Westminster scene with new ideas and new faces. Others, though, wish that the Conservatives had given some speeches ahead of polling day in 2010, so that there was some way that the public could assess whether the party has lived up to its promises. Unfortunately, as the party made no promises, this is not possible. The Prime Minister has said that the time for voters to judge the Conservatives" record will come on polling day in 2015, at which point it will be revealed that the party is once again standing for election for the first time.