The raven-haired poet (and former ice cream seller) who wrote the PM's big speech

Trying to earn a living as a twentysomething, Clare Foges could be found driving an ice cream van around Guildford. Today, a mere six years after selling her last Cornetto, she is modestly ignoring all the plaudits crediting her as the main author of David Cameron’s historic speech on Europe. Clare, 31, is said to have been the key No 10 speechwriter behind such memorable phrases as ‘it will be an in-out referendum’ and Mr Cameron’s stirring vow to fight ‘heart and soul’ to keep Britain in the EU. Perhaps this is not surprising, since Clare is also a respected poet who has strong views on the power of public speaking. Indeed, she has bemoaned the decline of rhetoric and the ‘slow sterilisation of public debate’, which, she has said, risks ‘impoverishing politics and perhaps endangering democracy itself’. Scroll down for video Strong views: Clare has bemoaned the decline of rhetoric and the 'slow sterilisation of public debate' Strong views: Clare Foges has bemoaned the decline of rhetoric and the 'slow sterilisation of public debate' Among those she blames is Gordon Brown, whose speaking skills she once described as ‘prosaic, spouting a dull catalogue of platitudes delivered with auto-pilot gravity’. However, she has heaped praise on Margaret Thatcher for boldly entering No 10 for the first time as prime minister in May 1979 and launching her premiership with a quote from St Francis of Assisi (‘Where there is discord, may we bring harmony; where there is error, may we bring truth; where there is doubt, may we bring faith; and where there is despair, may we bring hope.’) A winning way with words: Clare Foges on her way to work at no 10 A winning way with words: Clare Foges on her way to work at no 10 Clare has also despaired of what she calls ‘antiseptic oratory’: where high-profile politicians ‘must toe an invisible line when speaking in public’. She says the result is ‘political speech cleansed of anything remotely contentious, anything colourful, anything impulsive, anything that might be deemed offensive to anyone’. Clare joined Cameron’s team four years ago. The only political speech writer in his inner circle, she crafted the first draft of this week’s Europe speech at the end of last year. The text went through dozens of rewrites as it was passed around the No 10 team. Then, in early in January, Clare added the last rhetorical flourishes. Crucially, she understands Cameron’s instincts and vocabulary — to such an extent that colleagues have described her as ‘the Prime Minister’s larynx’. Because of her dark hair, she has been mistaken several times for Samantha Cameron when entering and leaving No 10. (Incidentally, like Home Secretary Theresa May, Clare is well-known for her love of leopard-print shoes.) In a rare interview before the last general election, she spoke about the dynamics of her working relationship with Mr Cameron. ‘I’ve picked up on how David talks just through listening to him,’ she said. ‘I find it quite easy to get his tone. He’s really straightforward and clear about what he wants from his speeches. And he’s funny, too.’ Clare went on to say that a ‘career highlight’ was when the PM used one of her jokes in a speech. Working for Cameron, she says, is ‘friendly and buzzy, nothing like the TV satire The Thick Of It’. As a ‘special adviser’, Clare earns a taxpayer-funded salary of £63,000 and is a rare creature in Cameron’s Downing Street operation, which is mainly staffed by public school-educated types. A devout Christian, she went to a comprehensive school, gaining a First in English at Southampton University, followed by a Masters in Poetry at Bristol. After university, she set up her own Christian clothing company and designed the jewellery herself. The crucifix at the centre of the recent controversy over British Airways banning a female employee from wearing it over her uniform was Clare’s design. Working for Cameron, Clare says, is 'friendly and buzzy, nothing like the TV satire 'The Thick Of It' Working for Cameron, Clare says, is 'friendly and buzzy, nothing like the TV satire The Thick Of It' Clare joined the Conservative Party in 2003, when Tony Blair was prime minister and at the height of his leadership. The Tories were not only unpopular with voters but were also embroiled in yet another civil war following the overthrow of party leader Iain Duncan Smith. Clare is on the same traditionalist wing of the party as Mr Duncan Smith, with her beliefs forged as a young girl when she watched her mother, a foster parent, care for children in their family home. She has said: ‘I used to think about what happened to the children when they left care, and how the State works in terms of welfare. Many of my views were closely allied to how the Conservatives think.’ Straightforward: Clare has said David Cameron (pictured speaking to the assembly of the 43rd Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum in Switzerland) is 'clear about what he wants from his speeches Straightforward: Clare has said David Cameron (pictured speaking to the assembly of the 43rd Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum in Switzerland) is 'clear about what he wants from his speeches' The Prime Minister's larynx: Clare understands Cameron's instincts and vocabulary. She crafted the first draft of this week's Europe speech at the end of last year 'The Prime Minister's larynx': Clare understands Cameron's instincts and vocabulary. She crafted the first draft of this week's Europe speech at the end of last year Her Christianity is very important to her and she is described as a ‘down-to-earth, social conservative.’ As well as speech-writing, her duties include helping with Downing Street correspondence. After the death of the Camerons’ six-year-old son, Ivan, in February 2009, it was Clare who dealt with many of the sympathy letters sent by members of the public. One mother, who had also lost a child, described the reply from No 10 (written by Clare) as the most ‘moving’ letter she had ever received. An accomplished poet, Clare won second prize in the online MAG Poetry competition in 2011 with a poem called Bank Holiday (inspired by a visit to a military show). In a blog on the competition page, there was no hint of her day-job. It simply read: ‘Clare lives and works in London.’ While she never mixes socially with David Cameron outside Downing Street, she is on call every other weekend and attends speech-writing sessions at Chequers. Clare went to a comprehensive school, gaining a First in English at Southampton University followed by a Masters in Poetry at Bristol Clare joined Boris Johnson's campaign to be London mayor Clare joined Boris Johnson's campaign to be London mayor, and was then hired to be part of his team It was while selling ice creams that the seeds were sown for her political career. She took a part-time job with the Tory MP John Hayes, who was a key figure in the Cornerstone Group, whose members support traditional values and oppose gay marriage. She later joined Boris Johnson’s campaign to be London mayor, and was then hired to be part of his team at City Hall. In due course, a friend told her that a job was available with David Cameron, who was then leader of the Opposition. After four interviews she was selected. Boris Johnson was desperately disappointed to lose her. A few years ago, she set out her beliefs about what was important in political speeches. In an article for ConservativeHome website, she lamented the death of rousing political speech making. Referring to her hatred of ‘antiseptic oratory’, she said it had many causes. She believed it was the ‘natural successor to spin’, and she attacked politicians for their reluctance to use rhetoric in case they were seen as ‘pretentious’. Clare went to a comprehensive school before gaining a First in English at Southampton University Clare is on the same traditionalist wing of the party as Iain Duncan Smith Traditionalist: Clare is on the same wing of the party as Iain Duncan Smith. Her beliefs were forged as a young girl when she watched her mother, a foster parent, care for children in their family home She said: ‘So, though no less educated than Gladstone or Churchill, they appeal to the lowest common denominator. ‘Like private school kids shedding their blazer at the bus stop to look cool, they shed the heavy mantle of their education to emulate — and hopefully appeal to — an imaginary “everyman”.’ She also complained about the way the political class has devised its own language that means little to those outside the Westminster bubble. Thus people are called ‘disadvantaged’ instead of ‘poor’; ‘vulnerable’ instead of old or disabled; communities are in need of ‘cohesion’; government must be ‘joined-up’. ‘When a politician’s rhetorical range is limited to a narrow, muted vocabulary and uniform understatement,’ she added, ‘their listeners hear “blah”. Antiseptic oratory breeds apathy. Part of a politician’s job is to excite people — to engage them in the issues and encourage them to vote.’ As a result, this absence of integrity and oratorical skills offered a great opportunity for David Cameron. Her comments were made more than five years ago but they still resonate today. Lucky man: Cameron (pictured walking away after making a speech on holding a referendum) is fortunate to have Clare behind him Lucky man: Cameron (pictured walking away after making a speech on holding a referendum) is fortunate to have Clare behind him ‘David Cameron will only convince the electorate that the Conservatives are the natural party of government if he rouses the sleeping “whole-souled, sentimental equipment” that is the heart of British Conservatism, and to do this he must scorn antiseptic oratory for a style that is both more grand and more genuine.’ She urged politicians to abandon cliches and to ‘trust in the imagination and intelligence of the British people’. Above all, she urged Mr Cameron to ‘be brave enough to speak with the safety-catch off’ — which is precisely what he did on Wednesday in delivering the speech of his life on Europe. With the Downing Street Bard, Clare Foges, behind him, David Cameron is a very lucky man — and is clearly armed with the rhetorical weapons to vanquish any foe, whether they are on the Tory backbenches or in the corridors of Brussels.