The political weather

IF there were a political weather vane on the roof of No 10 Downing Street it would need very frequent maintenance, so strong and variable are the changes in the direction of the policies emanating from the rooms below. After almost hurricane conditions for National Health Service reforms earlier this year the political weather seemed settled for the Health and Social Care Bill to proceed calmly through Parliament. However, a small storm has blown up over an amendment by the Conservative MP Nadine Dorries who wants the task of providing advice to women considering abortion to be removed from charities that have given such advice for many years and instead handed to unspecified “independent” counsellors. There are religious dimensions to this squall and it was surprising that the Department of Health appeared to support Ms Dorries without consulting sufficiently about the effect her amendment might have on voting on the Bill in the Commons. The No 10 vane spun this way and that until a statement made clear that the prime minister, his deputy Nick Clegg and other senior ministers will all vote against the amendment and advise other Conservative MPs to do the same.

Now, the long-distance weather forecast: very unsettled conditions as the government faces opposition from Conservative rural constituency MPs to its proposed changes in development legislation to ease restrictions on building in the countryside.