Major Reversals Show Government's Weaknesses

On a day when Labour's Scottish election woes might well have dominated politics, the Government has performed a spectacular U-turn on a key policy announced by George Osborne in the Budget.

The plan contained in Nicky Morgan's Education White Paper to make all schools into academies has been ditched.

Schools rated as good or outstanding now no longer have to be turned into self-governing academies free of local authority control.

Major reversals have become a feature of the running of this Government: tax credits, disability payments, union laws, hunting, short money, Sunday trading, the Dubs amendment on refugee children, and now forced academisation too.

A number of backbench Conservatives had told whips they did not back the plans for so-called "forced academisation".

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There is now a fluid grouping of two to three dozen liberal Tory backbenchers who are making it very difficult for the Government to get its business through the Commons.

This is making the lack of a majority in the House of Lords even more difficult.

The Government clearly attempted to bury this reversal on the afternoon of major election announcements.

In April, David Cameron said at PMQs this plan would be featured in the Queen's Speech this month.

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn will feel some vindication for his decision to ask the Prime Minister about the academisation issue for 12 questions on the trot over two weeks.

Privately some Government officials acknowledge that between a small majority, a minority in the Lords, a tough fiscal situation and the EU referendum, the Government's agenda is not strong.

Labour may have failed to capitalise politically on this weakness.

But it appears that the Opposition in the Commons, including backbench rebels, are having an impact on changing Government policy.