[Kizzy]

'O'Donnell says Cameron signed off on rules saying largest party does not automatically form government

On the Today programme this morning Gus O’Donnell (or Lord O’Donnell, as he is now), the former cabinet secretary, made it clear that there is nothing illegitimate about the second largest party in the Commons forming a government provided it can command the confidence of the Commons. Tories are challenging this idea, and it is due to become a central issue of debate after the election.

On the Daily Politics O’Donnell repeated this line and added some new points.

O’Donnell said that David Cameron himself had signed off on the rules that say the government does not have to be led by the largest party.
One thing I should say about the cabinet manual. People keep saying it is my cabinet manual. It is the government’s cabinet manual. It is the cabinet’s cabinet manual in particular, and the preface is there signed by the prime minister, David Cameron.'

What is this cabinet manual..why was it written, were the statutes used by previous governments not sufficient? This govt also fiddled with the length of terms, how was this allowed to happen that whoever is in power can manipulate the existing rules of democratic governance in the UK?