Amazingly, the forces of conservatism derided by Tony Blair, are in the ascendant, their
enemies scattering and in retreat. Bin Laden is dead, the oil price tumbling, the Royal Wedding was a triumph and now Labour and the Lib Dems beaten at the ballot box. Surely, we tell ourselves,
this is an alignment of the stars, a Conservative moment. David Cameron must seize the day, or at least the year, by abandoning the Coalition and calling a general election soon. Landslide, here we
go!
Hold your horses. Britain’s electoral machinery is off the road, its parts all over the workshop floor. Thanks to the constitutional tinkering of the Coalition, the procedural and practical obstacles to holding a general election in the next four years are substantial and rising. Indeed, before long, if Clegg & co have their way, it could actually be illegal.
To understand why, go along to the House of Lords on Tuesday, May 10th, where business will be dominated by an abominable piece of legislation called the Fixed Term Parliament Bill.
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