Standing ovation fails to hide mixed reaction among grassroots

Iain Duncan Smith won a six-minute standing ovation, more than twice that given to Tony Blair by the Labour rank-and-file last week. But when the applause had died down, the message from Bournemouth was distinctly mixed.

"Tepid. There was no oomph," said one woman as she stood in a café outside the conference hall. "I expected him to step up for this. There has been a lot of expectation this week. Everything about the man was not what I expected. We have to change. We cannot stand still."

A small but steady trickle had left their leader in mid- sentence to sidle through the back exits of Bournemouth International Centre to catch trains home while others sat in silence, some stony faced.

Chris Morton, the vice-chairman of Reading East Conservatives, said: "My disappointment was that he talked about keeping the pound but it was unnecessary. It was a speech that clicked with the audience but the real test will be the opinion polls outside.

"He wants Thatcherism back, but I think that is going to be his downfall. We don't want another leadership campaign, but unless IDS improves by next year we may get one. I would like to see Theresa May, Oliver Letwin or better still Ken Clarke to challenge him. Ken still has one shot left."

But Isobel Aitken, from Gordon in Aberdeenshire, pronounced Mr Duncan Smith's speech "wonderful". She said: "It really has been a great conference. This has really given us a great encouragement to carry on. We will fight again."

Shirley Buckley, of Weston-super-Mare, said: "Never underestimate the determination of a quiet man. That summed it up. People will never think 'Iain Smith, who is he?'."

Michael Mitchell, from Selby in North Yorkshire, said: "People always say these are moments in history, but this may well prove to be right. "

Cosette Huntington-Thresher, from Orpington in Kent, added: "People have accepted the need for reform. It should not be needed because people should come through on merit, but I think we may need something to bring people in."

Shadow cabinet members praise the 47-minute speech. Jacqui Lait, the shadow Secretary of State for Scotland, said: "I know I am in the Shadow Cabinet but listen to the buzz. He played to his strengths; the passion and the determination."

John Bercow, shadow work and pensions minister, said: "Iain is a man of quiet determination and steely resolve. It was the best speech I have ever heard from him. I think that the party will go away from that much more upbeat as a result."

Oliver Letwin, the shadow Home Secretary, added: "We have begun to shift the tone of voice in which the Conservative Party says things. We have begun to use the rapier rather than the blunderbuss. We have begun to make arguments instead of slogans."