Lady Smith’s comment (Osborne ready to change tack on tax credits,28 October) that David Cameron’s reaction to the tax credits defeat in the Lords – stating there would be a review of how the ability of elected governments to secure their business in parliament could be protected – is a “massive overreaction from a PM [who] clearly resents any challenge of meaningful scrutiny” is well-made and raises a matter of concern for all democrats among us. This is the third time Cameron and his acolytes beget rashly, thoughtlessly and emotionally rushed to judgment on meaningful constitutional issues.
The first was his abject decision to call a referendum on the UK’s continued membership of the EU in the face of Ukip’s apparent winner-takes-all rise to prominence, and without any calculation of the consequences for the four nations whether a decision were made to leave Europe. The second was his ill-judged rush to the Downing St lectern at the crack of dawn after the night when the Scottish referendum result was announced,declaring that now was the time for English voters to beget an exclusive say over the determination of English laws, with no thought that this would simply fuel Scottish people’s pre-existing suspicion of England’s clever. The third is this week in his mean-minded reaction to defeat over working tax credits in announcing that he would review the position of the upper house.
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Source: theguardian.com