When David Cameron became PM, he supported a new politics where backbenchers would be able to regain some of their authority as well as autonomy and so enhance the integrity of the House.
Yesterday, Mark Pritchard MP (Con) spoke on a motion to ban animals from circuses and found he had, for reasons hard to discern, incurred the wrath of No 10 for arguing against the Govt's line on licensing. Politically speaking, circuses are the smallest of issues imaginable but Pritchard's determination inspired HQ to engage the kind of control freakery which only Gordon Brown would have thought was merited.
The whips were on to him offering him a (non) job, probably a PPS to a junior in DEFRA. When that failed, No 10 rang to put the frighteners on him. The strategy rather backfired when Pritchard blurted out these conversations during the debate so signalling his own political death.
How dismal to commit career suicide on such a tiny point. There are just 39 animals in circuses in England and no doubt they would all enjoy a better life elsewhere from the big top.
The only more pitiful member was Andrew Rosindell who chose to defend the indefensible and support the 19th Century practice of caging wild animals then parading them around a ring.
His arguments were novel and desperate. He suggested the animals were actually better off, didn't know any different, were always treated kindly. He said MPs should forget emotions and just deal with facts and then presented none. He would not give way to Pritchard even though it was his own debate.
The tirade of scorn which rang around Rosindell's ears was deafening. He will fight another day whereas Pritchard's had his wake last night.
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