Politics: After the cuts, a growth strategy – this is an electoral as well as economic plan

On Monday night, all new Conservative MPs were summoned to a meeting with the chief whip in Portcullis House.

On Monday night, all new Conservative MPs were summoned to a meeting with the chief whip in Portcullis House. The chief, a former miner who couldn’t be more different from the gilded youth of David Cameron’s A list, impressed on them the line for the week: the Conservatives do not want to be making these cuts — they are a matter of regrettable necessity.