Laws’ return is imminent

Tomorrow’s New Statesman speculates that David Laws is about to return to government. Kevin Maguire reckons that it is significant that Laws is turning down invitations to events after an unidentified date in mid-March. Laws is still awaiting the verdict of the Parliamentary Standards Commissioner, but he is expected to be exonerated. Preparing for a return to government, he has been writing sharp columns in defence of the coalition’s economic policy and expanding into future policy areas like the 50p rate and increased spending on the pupil premium.

Most popular

Steerpike

Morrisons turns on Rachel Reeves

But Laws has also been keeping close to Clegg in recent months, tasked with building a strategy for the next election – the so called ‘Alarm Clock Unit’. Clegg may want to keep Laws in that role, but most coalition figures would welcome his return to the frontline at this awkward moment.