Although this isn't a second-term administration in the classic sense of the word – having shared power in coalition with the Liberal Democrats for the duration of the previous Parliament – the Conservative majority government's legislative programme was certainly one of continuity.

This contrasts sharply with the situation five years ago, when commentators were struggling to get to grips with the almost Maoist sense of permanent revolution from an administration in a hurry to exert control of the levers of power.