David Cameron looks to reassure backbenchers with letter of thanks

David Cameron has reached out to disgruntled Tory MPs by writing an end-of-term letter in which he hails the coalition agreement for delivering key Conservative policies. Amid rising discontent, particularly on the right of the party, the prime minister thanked his MPs for their support as he reeled off a series of Conservative manifesto commitments now being delivered. Cameron, who was criticised by some Tories for failing to win an overall majority against a 13-year-old Labour government, said he had been disappointed with the outcome. "Of course we all wanted to secure an overall majority of seats, and the result fell short of that," he said, but added that the Tories had achieved the greatest increase in their number of seats since 1931. The prime minister said that after failing to win a majority, the "right thing" to do was to form a strong, stable coalition government: "Ten weeks on I believe the government is delivering for the Conservative party, and we have made a good start in tackling the problems faced by the country. "You can see our manifesto priorities set out in the coalition agreement and Queen's speech: radical welfare reform, free schools, protecting the NHS, scrapping Labour's jobs tax, a cap on immigration, and a referendum guaranteed by law on any future European treaty that shifts powers from Britain to the EU." Cameron's letter comes as the Tory right steps up its opposition to key commitments designed to keep the Liberal Democrats on board. David Davis, who was beaten by Cameron for the Tory leadership in 2005, this week signed a Commons motion seeking to change the date for the proposed referendum on electoral reform. The prime minister's words of thanks illustrated the belief in Downing Street that the party needs to do more to sell its message to its own backbenchers. He said: "I want to take this opportunity to thank you for the support you have given me as prime minister, and for all you have done for our party since Gordon Brown stood on the steps of Downing Street four months ago and called a general election. It has been a tough few months and I hope you get a good break." Cameron recalled an emotional meeting with Conservative MPs on the night he became prime minister at the end of five days of negotiations with the Liberal Democrats. He said: "I will never forget the parliamentary party meeting we held late at night in Committee Room 14 on 11 May – an hour after I became prime minister – and the welcome you gave to Samantha and me. After all those years in opposition, to witness the energy and confidence of our new parliamentary party that night was an amazing experience."