David Cameron will urge people to pay off their credit card debts in order to help boost the economy, as UK growth figures for the second quarter of 2011 were revised downwards.
The prime minister is expected to say that the only way out of a debt crisis is for people to deal with their debts.
That means households – all of us – paying off the credit card and store card bills," he will say.
In his keynote speech to the Conservative Party conference on Wednesday afternoon, the prime minister will acknowledge that the economy has not recovered as quickly as he expected when he took power last year.
But he will stand by the austerity measures designed to pay down the structural deficit that the government believe is the core of the country's economic problems.
“The answer is straightforward, but uncomfortable. This was no normal recession, we’re in a debt crisis," he will say.
"It was caused by too much borrowing, by individuals, businesses, banks – and most of all, governments."
Chancellor George Osborne made a similar argument during his speech to the conference on Monday when he said he could not stimulate the economy through extra borrowing or tax cuts.
"Right now, temporary tax cuts or more spending are two sides of exactly the same coin - a coin that has to be borrowed," he said.
Cameron will seek to reassure the party faithful and the public at home that there is no need to change course on the economy even if the benefits are yet to be felt.
"Our plan is right. And our plan will work," he will say
"I know you can't see it or feel it yet, but think of it like this: The new economy we are building is like building a house. The most important part is the part you can't see - the foundations that make it stable.
"Slowly but surely we're laying the foundations for a better future. But this is the crucial point: It will only work if we stick with it."
But his claim that the economy will recover was dealt a blow hours before he got to the platform as the Office for National Statistics revised its growth figures downwards.
According to the ONS UK gross domestic product (GDP) in volume terms increased by 0.1 per cent in the second quarter of 2011, rather than 0.2 per cent as previously estimated.
Cameron's speech also comes as a poll showed 54 per cent of the public rated his handling of the economy as "fairly or very poor".
And 57 per cent of those asked for the ITV survey said the same of his ability to manage the crisis in the eurozone to the advantage of Britain.
There was some positive news for the prime minister though as the poll showed that 51 per cent believed he was doing "fairly or very well" in appearing statesmanlike.
Commenting ahead of his speech, the Labour said Cameron had failed to learn the lessons of the past.
"We need a plan for growth, to create jobs, help struggling families and support small businesses but the Conservatives are giving away hundreds of millions of pounds to the banks in corporation tax cuts – the wrong choice in a time of scarce resources," a spokesman said.
"The Tories can’t be the people who change the old rules because they have not learnt the lessons of the past and no plans on how to build a future based on the values of the British people."