If any journalist, voter or Tory activist was in any doubt about David Cameron's determination to produce a more compassionate conservatism this week should have given them belief.
Global poverty: Monday saw the launch of the Conservative Party's commitment to the poorest people of the world. It is right that this budget is protected from cuts and encouraging to read Andrew Mitchell's ideas on using technology and private sector expertise to produce more effective aid. This video was a great two minute introduction to the Conservative approach. I agree with the many dissenting ConHome readers that free trade is more important for the elevation of the developing world but help in providing clean water, anti-malaria protections and AIDS drugs is needed now. It need not be trade or aid but trade and aid.
Supporting the family: On the same day we saw Iain Duncan Smith's policy paper on supporting the family. I intend to write more about this at lunchtime because a lot of nonsense has been written about it in the last few days.
Caring for military veterans: On Wednesday Liam Fox held an important summit on the mental health issues facing Britain's servicemen. In an article for The Sun the Tory leader promised help for "those whose battle never ends". See this video for Liam Fox's review of the conference.
Children with special needs: And yesterday David Cameron promised a massive simplification of the bureaucracy that currently faces parents with disabled children. The Conservatives are looking to introduce an Austrian system of "one-off" assessments that ensures parents are rapidly assessed and given the help they need. If you haven't already read it do take two minutes to read David Cameron's powerful piece in yesterday's Independent in which he talked about his own experience of caring for his much missed son, Ivan.
It follows David Cameron's outreach to gay people and also the Conservative Party's social action conference - both two weeks ago.
Tim Montgomerie
