Conservatives must take off the "hand brake" and accelerate the reform agenda, Archie Norman has said.

The modernising MP has warned that "short term" opinion poll gloom must not become an excuse for the Tories to turn their back on change.

"We are a long way from having a coherent new agenda and need to step up the pace," he told this website.

"We are still driving with the hand brake on: the reform agenda is fragile and there are many who would use short term opinion polls as an excuse to resile.

"Many Conservatives still cherish the notion that past solutions can resolve present problems."

In an ePolitix.com interview, the former Asda chief said that 2003 is the "last opportunity" for the Conservatives to make progress before general election campaigning begins in earnest.

"This year is probably the last opportunity to set new directions - after that the election drumbeat takes over," he predicted.

The former shadow environment secretary urged that the reform agenda be rooted in two basics - principle and "relentless" purpose.

"The reform agenda depends on two things: firstly it has to be authentic: driven by Conservative principles and passionate commitment to reform public services, bring freedom and opportunity to those who do not have them today, and respect for all our citizens," he stressed.

"Second it has to be relentless, no slipping no backsliding, and no ambiguity. Recent history relates that hesitancy will sow division. When we slip back people conclude that the mask has slipped. Without passion and without consistency we will inspire nobody: people will assume it is all a manoeuvre to improve our position in the opinion polls."

Despite backbench rumblings, Norman is not convinced that there is a case for reopening the Iain Duncan Smith "leadership question".

"Iain Duncan-Smith would be the first to recognise that no leader has a freehold on the party," he said.

"But the party elected him through a process devised by the 1922 Committee and overwhelmingly approved by both MPs and members in 1998."

"He has as far as I can tell been true to his mandate and more than that set a brave new agenda on public services. He is the person the party chose and we would need very convincing reasons for inviting people to change their minds."

Asked whether IDS will still be in the top Tory job come the next general election - the Tunbridge Wells MP replies: "I expect so: assuming he wants to be - and it would be quite understandable if he decided he had enough!"

Norman does not back the view that next May's local elections will be "make or break" time for Duncan Smith - a stance held by some dissenting Conservative MPs.

But the leading moderniser would like to see "at least one notable success".

"What I would like to see is at least one notable success in the northern or Midlands urban heartlands which have become virtual no go areas for Conservatives. That would be a measure of whether we are 'breaking out of the laager'."