David Cameron finds inspiration in Gladstone

Most discussion of Victorian politics is treated as a straight choice between Gladstone and Disraeli. (Personally, I'm a Palmerston fan, but that's a subject for another day.) And normally, Conservatives side with Dizzy, the original One Nation Tory, while Labour – and a few Lib Dems – go with W.E. Gladstone.

So as I sit in a Lambeth church hall this morning I'm struck by what I've just heard David Cameron say:

In fact, it was perhaps the most famous liberal politician in British history, William Gladstone, who best summed up what I believe a government should do.

‘It is the duty of government to make it difficult for people to do wrong, easy to do right,’ he said.

Gladstone was, of course, a classic liberal. But he also understood the power of traditional values. And in these 19 words, he perfectly defined the ideal for government.

Now, it could be that name-checking Gladstone is simply another fairly cynical play to leftish voters. But what if this goes deeper? What would a Gladstonian Conservative government look and feel like?  And what will more traditional Tories make of this?  If Mr Cameron is in Government next month, I think this is an issue that will be worth revisiting.