ENERGY, prisons, civil liberties, tax and spending were just a few of the subjects thrown at David Cameron when he visited a Poole school on Thursday.

The leader of the Conservative party stopped off at Haymoor Middle School in Canford Heath for an hour to answer questions from a 200-strong audience, made up of people mainly of middle and old age, but with some young faces.

He took questions on a range of topics during the session, which was also being filmed for a Party Political Broadcast.

Mr Cameron said he would scrap the identity card scheme and would clamp down on the use of terrorism laws. The leader of the opposition also pledged to move more military resources to the front line and toughen up sentences for crimes – he said carrying a knife should mean a prison sentence.

When questioned about housing targets and building on green belt, such as that mooted for land around Dorset, Mr Cameron said he would tear up targets and let councils decide between them and the people what was needed in their area.

Mr Cameron said prisons needed to work more on rehabilitating offenders to reduce reoffending rates and that the criminal justice system needed a “radical look” at the way it worked.

Although the man who could be Prime Minister this time next year has almost certainly faced tougher audiences in his time, audience members seemed impressed.

Karen Sherman, 64, from Wimborne, said: “I was greatly encouraged, particularly in the area of work that I do, I work with drug addicts and ex-offenders and I was really encouraged by his responses about prison reform.”

Duncan Sowry-House, of Broadstone, added: “I thought he seemed very in touch, more in touch than I thought he would be. I felt he understood the issues rather than giving the generic answers you tend to hear on TV.”

Jessica Handscome, 23, also from Broadstone, said: “He was open and honest and charismatic. He doesn’t pander to anybody’s beliefs and he gave his opinion and didn’t say just what people wanted to hear.”