David Cameron is Prime Minister

And he begins his tenure with an unfussy speech outside the door of No.10.  All of the main Tory touchstones were mentioned: the deficit, responsibility, political reform and social breakdown.  But this wasn’t a strident or triumphant performance.  Cameron went out of his way to pay tribute to Gordon Brown and his “long record of public service,” and to highlight the role that the Lib Dems will be playing in a “proper and full coalition”.  Almost with a dash of regret, Cameron noted that this coalition will “throw up all sorts of challenges”.

Perhaps he’s had a first taste of those challenges with the protestors who greeted his entry, with banners and boos, into Downing Street.  Our new government will have to implement tough measures to deal with the very toughest of problems, and there is plenty of room for unpopularity, tension and dissent.  David Cameron is only entering that storm now.