Reasons to be cheerful
It would be absurd to say that Conservative MPs were anything other than cheerful at the moment; the Budget has not exactly electrified the electorate.
Last night Alan Duncan, the perfectly formed Shadow Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, had an enormous 50th birthday party. Margaret Thatcher came, William Hague was his usual and funny speaking self, and Rory Bremner came to imitate Tony Blair, Gordon Brown and other politicians who were not present.
Afterwards we all went to a dinner at which Michael Heseltine spoke. I well remember how brilliantly he lifted spirits in the House of Commons when we were in Government, and in a similar state in which Labour now find themselves. He amusingly gave us some sound advice on being in opposition.
The will to win is back. Nobody is being remotely triumphalist – there is still a long way to go. However I can think of no time in my fifteen years as a Member of Parliament when Conservative MPs have been in better spirits.