The post-‘Cuban missile crisis’ coalition compromise

At the top of the coalition there’s a concerted effort to calm tensions, to de-escalate after its ‘Cuban missile crisis’. As part of that, I understand that David Cameron has indicated privately that if the Lib Dems do not get their elected peers, he won’t push the matter of the boundary reforms. I’m told he has no desire to end up in a situation where he’s sacking Lib Dem ministers en masse for voting against the government. Although, officially Number 10 is still stressing that it expects government ministers to vote for them when they come back to the House of Commons.

The Prime Minister is, I’m told, currently considering a compromise; offering Nick Clegg a House of Lords where 25 per cent of the members are elected—down from 80 per cent in the original coalition proposal. But any elected element in the Lords will not be acceptable to the Tory rebels without a referendum, and the Liberal Democrats — still bruised by their defeat in the AV vote — remain opposed to that.