Politics has been the loser in the last week. I do not just mean that our democratic system is debased in the eyes of the electorate. It is also the case that MP’s expenses have taken our focus away from our shaky economy and our many social ills. And as the European elections approach, discussions about European policy are practically non-existent.

Few will therefore have noticed the story that broke last week about the Conservatives’ potential partners in the European Parliament after the election. Sources have suggested that our new allies may include the Czech Civic Democrats, Poland’s Law and Justice Party and the Latvian For Fatherland and Freedom.

Nick Cohen, in yesterday’s Observer, gives us a taster of what we can expect from our opponents if these reports are true. A long list of quotations from these parties and their representatives include the contentions that the election of Obama represented the “end of the civilisation of the white man”, “homosexuality will lead to the downfall of civilisation” and that “global warming is a false myth and every serious person and scientist says so”. If that wasn’t enough, Cohen goes on to report that MP’s from the Fatherland for Freedom party marched with Latvian SS veterans this year.

Before we get carried away, the Conservatives have not confirmed these reports. Last week, a Conservative spokesman said that we would be providing a voice for “a modern, open flexible Europe” and “we do not intend to comment on potential allies”. I believe in this flexible Europe, and I respect David Cameron’s straightforward assertion that “under my leadership, we wouldn’t say one thing in London and a different thing in Brussels”. As modern, liberal Conservatives we must hold David Cameron to this pledge.

My thoughts and prayers are with David and Samantha Cameron after the tragic death of Ivan.

I often find solace in poetry. This poem, written by Ben Jonson in 1603 following the death of his first son at age seven, is a poignant reflection on a loss that we all hope we never experience.

On My First Sonne by: Ben Jonson (1572-1637)

Farewell, thou child of my right hand, and joy,

My sin was too much hope of thee, loved boy;

Seven years th’ wert lent to me, and I thee pay,

Exacted by thy fate, on the just day.

O, could I lose all father now. For why

Will man lament the state he should envy?

To have so soon ’scaped world’s and flesh’s rage,

And, if no other misery, yet age?

Rest in soft peace, and, asked, say here doth lie

Ben Jonson his best piece of poetry;

For whose sake, henceforth, all his vows be such

As what he loves may never like too much.

Tony Blair memorably railed against what he called “forces of conservatism” in his 1999 speech to the Labour party conference.

This was a memorable speech not for its (sometimes offensive) partisan attacks on the Conservative party, but for its analysis on how conservatism in our public services was holding back much needed reform.

As Blair put it,

“Let us take on the forces of conservatism in education, too, the greatest liberator of human potential there is. [...]

“Not the right. But not the old Left either: no tolerance of failing LEAs.

“No truce on failing schools.

“No pupils condemned to failure.”

Philip Collins, Blair’s former speech writer, who may have written sections of this speech, has written an important piece in today’s Times. He argues that Brown has abandoned the reform agenda and surrendered it to the Conservatives.

This is an interesting time in British politics. The Cameron strategy has put us in a position to benefit from public dissatisfaction with Labour, giving us a 20-point lead. But more than this, the modernising instinct that we should support the government when it is right, is good politics from the perspective of public policy and electoral politics.

As Collins has it, Blair came to support essentially Majorite policies on public sector reform, as the means to improve these services. When David Cameron chose to support Blair’s school reforms, he was criticised for not opposing the government. But he was doing the right thing from a public policy perspective by backing necessary reform (albeit reform that didn’t go far enough).

The electoral advantage has come because Brown has foolishly backed away from the reform agenda. He has moved Adonis and lost Freud. This has allowed us to pick up the mantle of public sector reform and regain the initiative. The ideas and the energy, the momentum, in British politics is with us because we have chosen this course and Brown has roadblocked it.

All those who back the progressive end of defeating the forces of conservatism that hold back our public services have been abandoned by Labour and now have a home in the modern Conservative Party. If you’re reading this, Lord Adonis and Messrs Milburn and Field: I’m talking to you

Danny Finkelstein is in characteristically great form today with this must read piece in The Times.

The new Conservatism that  David Cameron has brought us is, as Danny writes, not a mere strategy that can be tossed aside when times get tough. It is a way of seeing the world and a new approach to politics, not a lick of paint over the same old Tories.

That is why those who think that now we’ve had the image refresh we can go back to the same old policies just don’t get it.  Of course, we must adopt our policies to the changed economic conditions. But we must not throw the baby out with the bath water.

I am relieved to know that I am not alone in my dismay at what happened to Damian Green last week. I was going to write “shock” rather than “dismay”, but sadly I am not shocked. Labour’s repressive legislation is all too often used by the police in a totally disproportionate way against ordinary citizens. Common sense – which would have told us to pick up the telephone to Damian Green – seems to have gone out the window.

The thing that caused me the most exasperation about this whole sorry episode was the behaviour of so many Labour Ministers. I literally screamed at my radio as I listened to Geoff Hoon on Any Questions. My frustration was about why these people couldn’t just say that they regretted the manner in which this happened, or express some surprise or shock. Have we really become so partisan that as long as it happened to a political opponent it is okay? I know these public servants did not go into politics to create a society in which this kind of thing happens, so why can’t they just say so?

It got me thinking. We may well be in government in a year or two. If we make it, we must not allow ourselves to become twisted like this. If something happens which distresses a reasonable person, we should put our hands up and say sorry. This should be as true if something unfortunate happens a Labour opponent as a Conservative Minister. This will be a daily battle to do the right thing in difficult circumstances. We will fall short, but at least we can try.

We could do worse than having Google’s motto in the back of our mind every day in everything we do: “Do No Evil”.