Restrictions, liberties and a growing sense that we have been here before.
Study history, history, history. “In history lies all the secrets of statecraft” - so said Winston Churchill and yet again this saying was proved right as the political parties returned to familiar, even historic territory.
Tuesday saw the SNP publish their long awaited vision for what an independent Scotland would look like. But far from a great transfer of liberties from Westminster to Edinburgh, Alex Salmond's party failed to answer any of the big questions. The nationalists seem happy to surrender control of their currency and interest rates by retaining Sterling while, ironically, proposing to join the EU with inevitable transfer of power.
And talking of Europe - Team Dave had thought that with the Australian wizard Lynton Crosby at the helm of the Conservative Party machine coupled with James Wharton's Referendum Bill progressing nicely, the plaster might just stick.
No chance.
In the wake of former Tory supporter Paul Sykes's pledge last week to back UKIP with his millions, and a slew of polls showing high levels of concern about immigration from Romania and Bulgaria, the PM was forced to announce a crackdown on benefit tourists.
The modest measures were welcomed by most of Fleet Street, but not all; they drew sharp criticism from the EU, with the Hungarian Commissioner even dubbing the UK “nasty”.
No 10 will not be fazed by this as it sets up a new show down with Brussels that could give the PM a welcome bounce ahead of next year's Euro election if he holds his nerve and wins the day.
There was however a growing sense of unease on the backbenches as to whether the restrictions were enough. The feeling was made worse by a devastating poll of marginal South Thanet. Expect the Conservative right to push hard when the issue returns next month.
Labour, who have been largely absent this week, did bring forward a report on policing, but not unlike the SNP report it failed to answer any of the really big questions facing the UK's police, namely the leadership crisis and whether we should move to a two, or three tier model.
On Wednesday, tucked away in Parliament's Jubilee Room, a new cross-party campaign was launched to amend the Government's Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Bill.
The draft legislation is opposed by civil liberty groups, The Christian Institute and the National Secular Society. They were joined at the launch by Sir Edward Leigh, former Shadow Home Secretary David Davis, Peter Tatchell and former West Midlands Chief Constable Lord Dear. They all took their turn to denounce the Bill as having a chilling effect on free speech and expression due to its attempt to outlaw annoying behaviour and nuisance. But with such a wide definition of what constitutes annoying behaviour and nuisance, almost anything could fall foul of the law.
With such an unlikely coalition building, expect to hear plenty more about this campaign.
And to cap a full week off, London Mayor Boris Johnson popped up to give the annual Margaret Thatcher lecture. Mr Johnson, who called for the return of grammar schools, did just enough to remind us that he still has leadership ambitions.
With the week concluding, all eyes in Westminster will turn to the Autumn statement, but it won't be long before they’re back on the more familiar territory we saw this week.
Alistair Thompson, Managing Director, Media Intelligence Partners.