[user104658]

Is it just my imagination, or are the Tories backing down on an awful lot lately? Just read they've now backed down on making all schools into Academies. After backing down on the refugee children thing, and then there was the Tax Credits taper rate thing...

Are they in PR mode at the moment or something? They usually see people complaining and just "meh, do it anywayz".

[bots]

IDS is no longer in the cabinet

[Shaun]

Was hoping there was some unknown feud between the Conservatives and Snoop Dogg for a second.

[Crimson Dynamo]

Originally Posted by Shaun

Was hoping there was some unknown feud between the Conservatives and Snoop Dogg for a second.

[joeysteele]

Let's just all be glad they only just scraped a 12 overall majority and nothing larger, and that the more decent backbench MPs are now it seems also getting fed up of the dictatorial and at times unjust way the leadership has tried to govern.

That is the reason for the U turns, the fear of defeats in Parliament,not down to listening to anyone outside of Parliament.

[Cherie]

I've though for a while some of the climb downs are a "we are listening to the people stunt" or am I too cynical

[Kazanne]

Originally Posted by Cherie

I've though for a while some of the climb downs are a "we are listening to the people stunt" or am I too cynical

Too cynical Cherie,they are listening,rather that than people who wont back down in any circumstances

[user104658]

Originally Posted by Cherie

I've though for a while some of the climb downs are a "we are listening to the people stunt" or am I too cynical

Originally Posted by Kazanne

Too cynical Cherie,they are listening,rather that than people who wont back down in any circumstances

Nah, not too cynical at all. They're backing down when they have no real choice but to do so and then pretending it's because they listen / care in order to save face.

[user104658]

Originally Posted by Shaun

Was hoping there was some unknown feud between the Conservatives and Snoop Dogg for a second.

Snoop Lion, and of course they would back down.

[Kazanne]

Originally Posted by Toy Soldier

Nah, not too cynical at all. They're backing down when they have no real choice but to do so and then pretending it's because they listen / care in order to save face.

Your version,not mine

[Shaun]

Originally Posted by Toy Soldier

Snoop Lion, and of course they would back down.

He's reverted from his ill-advised reggae name I'm afraid

[bots]

Every decision has a fallback plan. That's how its always been and how it will always be. At least the present government are being open about what they are doing. People have the option to not like it. How quickly people forget the tactics of public deception used by the Blair governments

[joeysteele]

Originally Posted by Cherie

I've though for a while some of the climb downs are a "we are listening to the people stunt" or am I too cynical

It is fear of being defeated by a rebellion of their backbenchers Cherie.
Apart from the junior Doctors, if this pause is genune from the govt, then it is because they realise that public opinion has remained strong for the Junior Doctors.
As for the Academies and also the refugees along with the PIP cuts and hardened criteria, they were threatened with backbenchers even voting against.

So only to avoid the humiliation of being beaten on a Commons vote, they do a U turn.
Only last week Cameron was firmly stating that all schools to be forced to be academies would be in the Queens speech.
That is until the backbenchers made it clear they were moving against the policy of enforcement.

However that is good and I applaud the U turns, I only wish there were more from this particular govt.

[DemolitionRed]

There have been huge campaigns putting pressure on the government to back down over this. 38 Degrees is just one campaign group who sent a 150 thousand signature petition to Cameron and shared around 50 thousand posts on FB informing the public about why the government were doing this. The one thing the government didn't want was huge public awareness but that's what they got and that's why they are bowing out. The message from the public came across to the conservative lobbyists running up to Thursdays pole.

[Livia]

It all depends on whether you support them or not. If you don't, they're "backing down". If you do, they're "reacting to public opinion".

[arista]

Originally Posted by Livia

It all depends on whether you support them or not. If you don't, they're "backing down". If you do, they're "reacting to public opinion".

Yes a Very Good Thing

[Livia]

Originally Posted by arista

Yes a Very Good Thing

You'd think so, wouldn't you, arista?

[smudgie]

Originally Posted by Livia

It all depends on whether you support them or not. If you don't, they're "backing down". If you do, they're "reacting to public opinion".

Yes, I have to agree Livia.
I would gather the government listened to others and were prepared to change their mind rather than live with a dictatorship.

[Beso]

it can only be a good thing.

[user104658]

Originally Posted by Livia

You'd think so, wouldn't you, arista?

I'm not saying it isn't a good thing, I'm asking "why now" when they spent the five years previous cruising around in a steamroller.

I'm inclined to agree that it's because their steamroller has been crippled by a fragile majority government coupled with a few too many rebelious backbenchers. Even though the past govt. was technically a coalition, they seemed to be able to whip up votes for whatever they wanted without breaking a sweat.