The first cheer is for clashing with Osborne over welfare cuts.
“There is in my view no such thing as an easy target in welfare,” he said. “Some people think there is: until I show them where we spend the money.
“My view is that you have a responsibility to support people in difficulty. It’s a prime concern of ours – we can’t run away from that.”
The second is for giving his support to gay marriage, albeit in the context of some rather censorious comments:
In an interview with The Times today, Mr Duncan Smith confirmed that he would vote for the legislation in the House of Commons explaining: “I’m for things that are about stability. I think our biggest problem is actually with cohabiting parents breaking up at the rate they do — heterosexual cohabitees, not gay couples — because they’re the ones leaving the trail of devastation afterwards.”
Duncan Smith is a Catholic, and has previously voted against various reforms such as Civil Partnerships. It is suggested that he might have come under pressure to support gay marriage – but it would be nice to think that he has had a genuine change of heart.