Well, those of us who supported David Davis and who hoped ardently for his victory will be feeling a bit hung-over after the Conservative Party’s leadership contest result.

We believe our man had the gravitas, the punch, the experience and the maturity of his years to be New Labour’s Grim Reaper whilst also believing that Mr Cameron lacked all these qualities - and that he may continue to lack them for the foreseeable future.

Criticism of Mr Cameron wasn’t necessarily personal. If the Conservative Party was looking for an image make-over - that ‘change’ we have been endlessly told we need - then David Cameron was a good choice. He’s young, he’s got a nice family, he won’t frighten the horses and has banged on so much about how we’ve got to change and be compassionate that, maybe, he’s convinced the electorate that that’s what we’ve actually done. Further, Mr Cameron isn’t a dope, isn’t an incompetent and he isn’t a fool.

Trouble is, in some areas we’re not sure what he actually is. More dangerously, for those of us who believe, for example, that a firm line must be taken on drug use and an uncompromising line be taken with our Lords and masters in the EU, Mr Cameron seems, so far, decidedly unsatisfactory.

So how should conservatives view Mr Cameron’s ascension to the Party’s leadership?

First of all - and most of all - we’ve got to accept the result of the leadership election and support the Party’s leader. Regardless of preference before the election, we’re now after the election and Mr Cameron isn’t the enemy, he’s an ally against the enemy. Labour is the enemy and it is that Party on whom we should train our guns. We must direct our fire ferociously against a government that represents nothing that is decent or good in England but which is, in fact, conducting a huge social trick on us, one designed to keep them in power and us in their power. We should consider anybody who opposes Labour to be a friend.

Second, there is room for optimism. I’m not talking about his maiden performance in the Commons the other day which, I understand (I haven’t actually seen it), was well-delivered and scored points on the government. The optimism I’m especially referring to is with regards to the cabinet appointments - Hague, David Davis and Liam Fox, particularly. The latter two will help keep the Party - and, hopefully, a future Conservative government - in line in case Mr Cameron has a Blair flush now and again. And they’ll give the Party necessary experience and gravity without appearing old and grouchy.

Another reason for optimism is that Mr Cameron takes over when the government’s tax-and-spend habits and all the rest of its lunatic mentality are coming home to roost. Further, Blair’s in trouble because Mr Cameron may well support parts of his education Bill while parts of his own party will vote against it. A Labour leader pushing through legislation only because the Opposition supports it is asking for trouble from his own party - and he’ll get it.

But, of course, just because things aren’t looking good for the government doesn’t mean they will look much better for the Conservative Party if the Conservative Party doesn’t (a) properly capitalise on the government’s numerous failings and (b) offer a concrete, precise and compelling vision for this country’s future.

Mr Cameron must now prove to those of us who currently feel he is too whimsical and vague in his pronouncements that he has solid ideas and a clear-cut philosophy on all areas of government. It is, after all, from these ideas that we would expect meaningful and effective policies to spring. The difficulty for members of the Conservative Party for too long has been that we just don’t know where we stand on anything that matters. At the moment we still don’t and, even if it’s too early for detailed policies, we must at least have a clear policy direction. The canvas is pretty blank and we must start filling it.

The friendly, internal fight is over. The real fight now begins. Our enemy is leftist Labour and our principles are the tried and tested, rooted-in-reality traditions and values of England and the English. Whatever else we might feel there seems to be a mood - and mood matters - of optimism, renewal and possibility in both the Party and in much of the press. If that’s what it takes to have our ideas listened to with anything approaching an open mind then it’s all for the good. Let’s use the opportunity to remove this government and install something a little more sane. Before it’s too late.