Over the past few weeks the Prime Minister has made a number of speeches which have deliberately focussed on the domestic agenda.

They represent a modernisers call to arms. As the Prime Minister himself said, “now is not the time for a quiet life. It is the time to hold firm to the path of radical reform”.

The words are good but for the electorate it is actions that will count. Some of those tough choices that politicians like to talk about will need to be taken. And with an electoral cycle that means we are probably closer to the next general election than we are to the last, decisions will need to be taken sooner rather than later.

I believe the choice the Prime Minister now faces is a stark one. To be a government of incremental change, essentially a ‘steady as you go approach'; or being prepared to accelerate the programme of reform in order to fundamentally change our country.

People increasingly recognise that government in the modern age isn't easy but is about providing answers to what are often difficult and complex questions. There is also a growing acceptance that there are times when decisions which might be unpopular in the short term are nevertheless necessary in the longer term national interest.

Now in the world of politics such an approach is not without risk. There will always be those who resist change.

And of course in the Labour Party itself there are those who have never accepted or come to terms with the concept of New Labour. They see it as a cynical corruption of the true socialist faith. Only to be tolerated in order to start winning elections but once back in power to be discarded at the first opportunity.

Some of those now shout betrayal and lead the talk about reclaiming the Labour Partybecause in government Tony Blair has moved decisively away from the position of the old Left. Instead in office he has sought to reconcile what at one time were seen as conflicting views: patriotism and internationalism; rights and responsibilities; wealth creation and social justice.

So as we consider what can be achieved between now and the next election and how we can construct an ambitious manifesto which demonstrates that we are in tune with the needs and aspirations of the British public, it is crucial that we continue to demonstrate that New Labour was never a clever marketing device but marked a fundamental change in our party that was necessary not to lose our identity as a political party but to keep our relevance to the electorate.

Given the difficult period that the government has been through over the past few months a period of consolidation and calm reflection will be seen by many as an attractive option. But this would be a dangerous shelter. Now is not the time to stand still.

On the contrary, the government must move forward with a real momentum and share with the country a vision as to what will be achieved over the next two years or so and beyond into a third term of government.

Under the tyranny of the ministerial red-box it is all too easy to lose sight of the bigger political picture. Politics and government is at its most relevant when its about conviction and passion not managerial and technocratic.

The government needs to recognise that you cannot win an argument unless you go out and make one. I accept that with a weak political opposition this can be difficult but nevertheless it is essential that the government constantly makes the political case and claims the credit for the difference it is making.

Over the next few months the government should complete some of the unfinished constitutional changes e.g. by removing the remaining hereditary peers from the House of Lords.

On the single european currency the government must move away from its present policy of prepare and decide, to one of campaign and convince.

This will involve the Prime Minister and the Chancellor of the Exchequer going out and taking people through the case for joining the euro, provided the economic conditions are right and it would be in the national interest to do so.

The experience of other western democracies show that there is a holy trinity of issues that matter to the public come polling day. They are: the economy; public services – especially education and the health service; and safety in the home and security on the street and at the national border.

In addressing each of these we need to ensure that we act for all our people and don't give in to sectional vested interests. Only by adopting such an approach can we maintain that coalition of support that Labour had in the 1997 and 2001 elections.

Whilst we must never take risks with the economy, it is vital that credit is claimed for the strong economic performance that has been achieved over the past six years and that the public are shown that this hasn't come about by accident but flows from some difficult decisions taken in the early days of government in 1997.

For public services and on crime, asylum and immigration, we need to offer bold and innovative reforms and not just incremental change.

In order to respond to higher expectations and new demands coming from a public that rightly won't tolerate second best, greater choice needs to be available and this can only come about through diversity of provision and increased capacity.

We also need to move from the one size fits all approach to public service provision in for example schools and hospitals, to one which gives greater freedom to the best performing whilst intervening to give support and assistance to the under performing.

Such a course of action is never going to be easy but I'm increasingly of the opinion that the British people want a party to govern that tackles problems with practical solutions and speaks with a clear sense of national purpose.

The Prime Minister did this over Iraq. Over the next two years he must do the same in relation to the domestic agenda.