Isabel Hardman Isabel Hardman

Forget coalition: forcing a Snooper’s Charter would be poor politics overall

Optimists might think that a wariness on the part of senior Tory ministers to push through the Communications Data Bill without the Lib Dems’ consent is at least a sign the parties are starting to appreciate the practical limits of Coalition. They clearly listened to the party when the row about an EU referendum bill flared earlier this month. Then, a Lib Dem source told Coffee House:

‘If you are going to start saying well the different parties in the Coalition can now bring forward any bills they like, then enjoy the mansion tax and 50p votes. That sort of thing would be of no benefit to either party in the Coalition or to the government.’

Trying to force a bill when one Coalition partner is not signed up is one way of ensuring chaos, but the ministers who have spoken to the Times today, as well as former policing minister Nick Herbert (who has written an op-ed that takes issue with one of Fraser’s posts on this proposed legislation), seem to forget that the ‘paranoid libertarianism’ that they criticise lurks within their own party, too.

Comments

Join the debate for just $5 for 3 months

Be part of the conversation with other Spectator readers by getting your first three months for $5.

Already a subscriber? Log in