A Norwegian MP once told me that every time he thought life on the opposition benches
was terrible he would think about life on the government backbenches – and realise how much he enjoyed his job. Life as a government-supporting backbench MP is difficult; if you are not
willing to cap your ambition, you have to support the government, keep criticism muted and hope for elevation to ministerial rank in any future reshuffle.
It is doubly difficult for the hard-working Tory MPs who lost out on government jobs because of the need to find space for Lib Dems, rather than because of their personal abilities. I can think of at least half a dozen MPs who would have made excellent ministers.
What should they do now? Debate in the parliamentary chamber is one way, but not all MPs cut out for the archaic style of the House of Commons.
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