It is very important that we make progress in urban Britain."Mr Howard, in his call to arms before becoming party leader, said Conservatives must be "broad in appeal and generous in outlook" and "capable of representing all Britain and all Britons". He adds: "There are still people who think Tories are people in three-piece suits being served dry sherries by their butlers. You would be amazed the number of people who think that is what we are like."Mr Willetts, who slows his car down to point out a building destroyed by arsonists, says for the Tories to have any hope of regaining power it must win urban constituencies much like his own. But he suggests the task will be an uphill struggle."We have not succeeded in converting this deep disillusionment with Labour into the active support for us I would like to see," he says.

"We still need to do more just to show we are comfortable with British society as it is, and tackling the problems in Britain today."As one of the few caring Conservatives left in Michael Howard's senior team, Mr Willetts thinks the party must do more to demonstrate it is "rooted in everyday Britain". "The fact that the Lib Dems almost took Hartlepool is very frustrating. It is disappointing and the frustration is that we have not yet convinced people. We have to do more to show that we have a practical set of politics that will make Britain a better place."Mr Willetts believes this week's conference must be used to show the Conservatives have answers "for making mainstream British life better". The shadow Work and Pensions Secretary is immediately accosted by several job-seekers, one of whom saw him on television at 2.30am commenting on the Hartlepool by-election.Mr Willetts had the unenviable task of explaining why the Conservatives came fourth behind UKIP and the Liberal Democrats "It was a blow," he says "I wouldn't disguise it. The problem was my bloody neck has thickened."At the Wheatsheaf Trust job centre on the Leigh Park estate, where, it seems, Mr Willetts' smart Tory shirts have been quietly disposed of, they are pleased to see their local MP. Indeed, he is so dedicated to improving their prospects he donated his shirts to an employment centre so youngsters from the local council estate could look presentable when they went to interviews.'People did not have smart clothes for interviews so I contributed these shirts," he says "They were normal shirts I don't wear Jermyn Street.

If you looked closely at a Tampax packet it said 'Made in Havant'. Now it says 'Made in Romania'." The collapse of the feminine-hygiene industry in Havant is of considerable concern to Mr Willetts, whose urban sprawl of a constituency has a disquieting level of unemployment. Luckily, for the people of Havant, their MP is an employment expert, brimming with ideas on how to find them jobs. Now it says 'Made in Romania'." David Willetts is driving through his constituency in his battered, blue Volvo "This is the Tampax factory," he says "We used to be Britain's biggest supplier of Tampax. One way to play is to pick one of the rare shells to be trading at a discount to their net assets, where the usual hope value has not yet been built in.

Business XL identifies four to get you started: Abraxus Investments, Mark Kingsley, Prime People and EP&F Capital.. David Willetts is driving through his constituency in his battered, blue Volvo "This is the Tampax factory," he says "We used to be Britain's biggest supplier of Tampax. Interims - Game Group; Intermediate Capital Group; Rugby Estates.Wednesday 6: Investec Securities believes that Ted Baker has traded well over the summer despite the unsupportive weather. It forecasts the group to have achieved first-half sales growth of about 12 per cent. This should translate into a 10 per cent jump in pre-tax profits to £5.1m. And according to Investec, there is scope for these figures to be beaten given the strong response to the retailer's clothing ranges. With the positive momentum at Ted Baker as strong as it is, the broker believes the group's shares will continue to make steady progress.Austin Reed's interim numbers will not make pleasant reading for its shareholders.