Although this isn’t a second-term administration in the classic sense of the word – having shared power in coalition with the Liberal Democrats for the duration of the previous Parliament – the Conservative majority government’s legislative programme was certainly one of continuity.
This contrasts sharply with the situation five years ago, when commentators were struggling to get to grips with the almost Maoist sense of permanent revolution from an administration in a hurry to exert control of the levers of power.
In this context, the unexpected General Election result that returned David Cameron to power – without the need for the kind of protracted political horse-trading most analysts were anticipating – has left the prime minister master of all he surveys and free of constraints.
But it has also left him with the embarrassing problem of being tied to deliver more true blue manifesto commitments than he might have anticipated.
Want full article access?
Receive The MJ magazine each week and gain access to all the content on this website with a subscription.
Full website content includes additional, exclusive commentary and analysis on the issues affecting local government.
Already a subscriber? Login