Howard's easy way

By Nick Assinder BBC News Online political correspondent

Inevitably, he arrived as the sun set.

The man some love to call Dracula turned up in the parish hall in Roehampton to prove (a) That he did not have anything of the night about him and (b) that real people need not fear him.

Outside the fading little venue, however, there were others determined to prove the opposite.

Howard must maintain Tory unity

A tiny protest of local union members waved banners declaring "welcome to Wandsworth Dracula" and "Wandsworth home of the nasty party".

As the waiting journalists mingled with the demonstrators and a handful of bemused passers by, all the jokes were about the prince of darkness.

But it's ok. This was a serious gathering to launch Mr Howard's Tory leadership, but in his speech, he gave us all permission to make jokes about his image.

Taking a potshot at Tony Blair's alleged failures over public services he said: "For too many of his MPs words like choice and competition are about as welcome as a clove of garlic to dracula."

It's not a bad strategy, this. It's like telling the same bad old joke over and over again.

It's funny the first few times but very quickly wears thin with persistent retelling.

Michael Howard must be hoping the same will happen to his old reputation and that, by encouraging us to poke fun, the novelty will soon wear off.

So far, of course, Mr Howard has not put a foot wrong and his choice of leadership launchpad was deliberately designed to be low key.

And low key was what he got. It was all a bit more like a local council hustings than the official coronation of the country's Opposition leader.

Mr Howard offered his vision for a new Conservative Britain with genuine passion and some effectiveness.

Of course, it seems the easiest part of his Tory leadership job was getting elected.

Signal

The careful, highly-choreographed way in which he handled his campaign to ensure there were no rivals must have impressed voters and spooked Labour.

It was the clearest possible signal that the Opposition has finally snapped out of its destructive navel gazing and decided to go after the government.

The tough bit for the new leader starts now, however.

First off he has to cement the new found Tory unity so there is no re-emergence of the damaging old splits.

He will try to do that first with his shadow cabinet re-shuffle which will look to offering power and influence to all wings of his party.

Eye-catching

He has been helped no end by Iain Duncan Smith's greatest success - the ending of the interminable rows over Europe.

The differences may not have gone away but, the new EU constitution aside, it is just not the issue it once was.

With the euro apparently off the agenda, there is no need for the factions to re-kindle their civil war.

Mr Duncan Smith started policy review

The constitution is a big issue, but the party is united behind the populist call for a referendum.

Next, Mr Howard must continue the policy development started by his predecessor.

There is already a raft of new, eye-catching policies available to him on everything from health and education to crime and taxation.

He must underpin those, flesh out some new ones and provide that real alternative to Labour.

Real damage

Then, as he is clearly aware himself, he has to continue the work on his image.

He has already shown he intends to shed the old, right-wing "something of the night" image he won so enthusiastically in previous Tory governments.

He says it is time to move on and suggests he will be adopting the more liberal social policies demanded by the party's left.

Michael Howard certainly looks eager to get on with the job.

But he will face repeated reminders about his past - particularly as a hard-line home secretary - from Labour.

He will be judged by his actions and policies.

Then, and possibly most importantly, he must inflict real, lasting damage on the government and Tony Blair in particular.

In that he may find the Gods smiling on him.

His election coincided with the astonishing public row between Gordon Brown and Tony Blair.

This split between the two most powerful men in government has huge potential to do damage.

He must, and certainly will, attempt to exploit it for all it is worth.

Equally, he will try to highlight the internal Labour divisions over reform of the public services.

Far worse

And around the New Year he will also be handed the report from Lord Hutton into the circumstances surrounding the death of scientist Dr David Kelly and the war on Iraq.

This too has the potential to inflict real harm on the government.

The opposition needs a leader capable of making the most of it.

Michael Howard certainly looks eager to get on with the job.

The slog starts now.