By John Rentoul

What has happened to Sunny Dave, who told his first Conservative conference, "Let sunshine win the day"? His article in The Times this week, responding to a stinging leading article by Daniel Finkelstein, new chief leader writer and normally ardent Cameroon, was dismal.

Not just because its first sentence was ungrammatical (Times sub-editors should surely have corrected it). But because the message was both negative and empty.

After 11 years of Labour Government, Cameron says, "precious little has been achieved". Negative. "Our society is broken." Negative. "Despite all the amazing opportunities of modern Britain, life can be pretty grim." Negative.

The task of a Conservative government, he says, would be "lifting up our society". And he asks himself, "How exactly are we going to do it?" By setting out "three agendas - for opportunity, responsibility and security." Empty. "They are all intimately connected." Cliche. "We will give more power to charities and social enterprises." Empty. (As well as being existing Government policy.) So that leaves him with: "We will give parents the power to set up new schools." Tick.

The negativity is a matter for political judgement. I think it is a mistake. However crass "Let sunshine win the day" might have been, it was the right message. But that is a matter of opinion. The emptiness is worse than a mistake; by failing to answer the very charges made against him in the leading article, that he is insubstantial and unclear, Cameron confirms them.