So Gordon has averted a car crash of a vote on the Bill in the face of a concerted campaign from Guido’s co-religionists. The prospect of three Catholic cabinet ministers rebelling when Gordon is double digits behind in the polls forced him to be flexible. Whatever possessed him to think of whipping this through?

Does make you think why aren’t more votes free votes. The party whip is too strong in Britain, in legislatures where laws are negotiated more pragmatically and in a less partisan fashion the laws are better made. To Guido it seems right that if it isn’t in the manifesto, every issue should be a free vote.