Overshadowed by the US-British military strikes in Afghanistan and the third recall of Parliament, the Conservative Party Conference opened yesterday with MPs and delegates reflecting the sombre mood of the nation.
In his first appearance at conference as party leader, Mr Iain Duncan Smith reaffirmed Conservative support for military action in the campaign against terrorism while declaring "the business of democracy" must continue.
"To do anything else would be to hand to terrorism that which it prizes most: the complete disruption of normal daily life," he said in a low-key opening address to party members in Blackpool. "That is why our conference - a conference the IRA bombers couldn't halt - will go on."
That defiant message might have gone down well with the party faithful, but the public's thoughts were elsewhere as British forces engaged in military action. Consequently the impact of Mr Duncan Smith and his new Shadow Cabinet on the wider electorate will be minimal.
But it is not just military strikes that have blunted the Tory message.
Conservative morale has taken a battering since the party's humiliating defeat in the June election and the long, often bitter leadership contest that followed.
And, while three former prime ministers - Lady Thatcher, Mr John Major and Sir Edward Heath - will be staying away from a truncated conference this year, the results of an on-line poll in yesterday's Daily Telegraph will hardly have boosted party confidence.
Asked to choose a selection of phrases that best described the Tories, 73 per cent of respondents said the party was "out of touch" and only 19 per cent said the party was "in touch" with the electorate.
And another reminder of the difficult task facing Mr Duncan Smith was the response of 79 per cent who felt the Tory image was "old", with the same percentage declaring the party was "weak."
After Mr Duncan Smith left the conference to attend parliament - he will give his keynote speech tomorrow - the new party chairman, Mr David Davis, told delegates they should stop apologising for the past and look to the future.
However, change was not about "aping" New Labour or abandoning the party's principles; "that is superficial and wrong", he said. But it did mean focusing on public services and challenging the government, rather than targetting public servants, on health, on education, crime and welfare.
He also had a tough message for those in the party who wanted to exploit divisions:
"We have had our debate. We have elected Iain overwhelmingly. Now is the time for everyone in our party to put aside past differences, work together and give our new leader the united and loyal support he deserves."
And delegates clapped long and loudly when Mr Davis announced the Liberal Democrats had been "let off too lightly" and he revealed a new Tory group would be established to tackle the Liberal Democrats head on.
The chairman of the Liberal Democrats, Mr Mark Oaten, said: "We await the inauguration of the new anti-Liberal Democrat unit with interest. It'll be a convenient way for Mr Davis to stay in touch with those moderate Conservatives whose natural home is the Liberal Democrats."