Nicholas Soames: Dido fan
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Senior Tories gathering in Bournemouth for their
annual conference have spoken of their secret passion for pop music.
Heavyweight defence spokesman Nicholas
Soames has said he is a big fan of Dido while party co-chairman Liam
Fox listens to The Scissor Sisters.
Policy co-ordinator David Cameron said he
found "depressing" music by The Smiths and Pulp "strangely uplifting".
The Tories were also asked about their
hobbies and "first kiss" in a film aimed at projecting a more "fun"
image.
'Scarred for life'
Most of the shadow cabinet refused to say
who their first kiss was, although party leader Michael Howard said it
had happened at the age of 10.
Fox's favourites The Scissor Sisters
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Mr Soames said: "I made a frightful hash of it and it
may have scarred me for life."
The shadow defence spokesman said he
"admired" Dido - whose singles include White Flag - "very much".
Other revelations included Michael
Ancram's passion for Meatloaf and Shadow Education Secretary Tim
Collins' recent purchase of Will Young's new album, although he
insisted it was for his wife.
'Strangely uplifting'
Shadow chancellor Oliver Letwin said the
last book he read was Downing Street strategist Philip Gould's book on
Labour's 1997 election victory.
Mr Howard said the last book he read was
historian David Starkey's biography of Elizabeth II.
Dr Fox prescribes Tory fun
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But perhaps the most surprising revelation was David
Cameron's penchant for "miserable" music by Radiohead, Pulp and The
Smiths - all well-known critics of the Conservatives. Smiths singer
Morrissey once recorded a song about Margaret Thatcher called "Margaret
on the Guillotine".
Mr Cameron said he found music by these
bands "strangely uplifting".
"The more depressing the better," he
added, describing his music tastes.
Mrs Thatcher famously named Telstar, by
1960s beat group The Tornadoes and "How Much is That Doggy in the
Window?" as her favourite tunes of all time.
'Few surprises'
This year, the Tories have ditched
traditional debates based around Whitehall departments in favour of
"thematic" topics such as "freedom from fear", which includes pensions,
crime and long-term care.
They are also hoping to get more young
people beamed on the conference screens, in a series of interviews
filmed around the UK.
Dr Fox, whose claims to fame include
briefly dating pop singer Natalie Imbruglia, promised journalists "a
few surprises" and said the week would be "more fun" than traditional
party rallies.
Unveiling the conference set to the
strains of remixed Elvis hit "A Little Less Conversation (A Little More
Action)", he said the aim was to be "intimate and engaging".
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