Jessie Ames is the BBC’s Senior Political Correspondent. Follow her on BBC News at Ten and on the BBC Politics Live panel this Thursday.
The Prime Minister entered the chamber this morning with the grim composure of a captain who knows the lifeboats are half-empty. The rebellion over the Financial Responsibility and Regional Growth Bill —a dry title for a political firestorm—has not been quelled by promises of pork-barrel spending or whispered threats of lost whip status. As of one hour ago, the government’s working majority stands at an effective zero. jessie ames bbc
It was a needed reminder. For all the drama of resignations and ultimatums, the machinery of government is not a game. It is the only thing standing between order and the quiet chaos of a state that cannot function. Jessie Ames is the BBC’s Senior Political Correspondent