The Health and Social Care Bill has become an Act. This was only possible because the Prime Minister supported changes from the moment he put his name to the White Paper, through to the moment he changed his mind in April 2010, and all the way to the end of the process. It all adds up to the simple political truth that Prime Ministers get the legislation that they want through Parliament.

I suspect that if he were asked what the Bill was for he could give the ‘top line’ answer – that it gives more power to doctors and nurses. But if, over a kitchen supper, you asked him to explain how Monitor would both set prices and performance manage existing FTs, I suspect he couldn’t really give you an answer.