Politics: Britain’s new gang of four

We have a new system of rule in Britain: Quad government. The coalition has not, as is often claimed, restored Cabinet government after 30 years of personality-charged premierships. But the Quad, which consists of the Prime Minister, the Deputy Prime Minister, the Chancellor and the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, plays the Cabinet’s traditional role. It decides all major matters of policy, inviting other ministers along where necessary.

The Quad will determine the contents of the Budget. It has already met twice to discuss its priorities for the statement on 21 March. As its members will proudly tell you, the Quad doesn’t have its meetings in the Prime Minister’s den. This is not, they stress, sofa government. When it meets officially, its members are each chaperoned not only by a political adviser, but by a civil servant. But not all Quad meetings are official. On Monday night, the four men dined together informally in David Cameron’s Downing Street flat.