Ed Miliband – remember him? – has just told the House of Commons that the government’s proposals for so-called English votes for English laws (EVEL) are a betrayal of everything for which the Conservative party is supposed to stand. Well, that’s certainly one way of putting it.
According to Miliband, EVEL is “not true to the great traditions of the Conservative and Unionist party” but since the foremost of those traditions is a keen and ruthless appreciation of the best interests of the Conservative party I suspect Miliband, not for the first time, misunderstands the Tory party.
“You’re the Conservative and Unionist party”, Miliband said. “This is neither for Conservatism nor Unionism.” There are grounds for disagreement on the latter point but, surely, none on the former. EVEL – even of the modest, watered-down beer type proposed by the government – is entirely for Conservatism. Not just for this parliament but for all parliaments to come.
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