Tories ditch broadcast for charity appeal

London: The Conservative party is to break with convention today with a party political broadcast appealing to voters to give money to charities working to relieve the drought in east Africa.

Ministers including George Osborne, Kenneth Clarke, Michael Gove, Cheryl Gillan and Andrew Mitchell are to deliver one-liners before switching tack, saying some things are more important than politics. They will then describe the famine in Africa. At the end David Cameron will appear, saying all the people appearing in this broadcast have given money to relieve the famine in east Africa, before urging viewers to consider doing likewise.

It is understood that Steve Hilton, Cameron's strategy director and "blue sky thinker" is behind the idea.

He has long been turned off by the traditional party election broadcast, and has been an advocate of social action in which party politicians volunteer and donate. Viewing figures for political broadcasts have shrunk as trust in politicians has declined.

All main parties are given airtime by broadcasters during the conference season, but the Tories have chosen to pass up the opportunity to transmit an overtly political message.

The broadcast will also avoid explicitly calling for viewers to vote Conservative or criticise Labour party.