Are The Coalition Eclipsing Even Labour's Electoral Deceit?

Cast your mind back to that May press conference in the garden of number 10. Cameron and Clegg, the shiny new boys offering us a 'new politics', spoke of how their respective election promises shouldn't be taken too literally since they were now expected to work together.

Cameron, particularly, was clear about that.

"If it means swallowing some humble pie, and it means eating some of your words, I can't think of a more excellent diet."

Since then, we've had Lib Dems pretty pissed off with coalition policies and berating their party in Liverpool as a result. Likewise, Tory rank and file have been frustrated at Lib Dem ideology bleeding into what they see as a predominantly Tory government.

To be expected, really. Some pre-election promises are always going to fall by the wayside when faced with working in coalition. But surely it should be different if both parties were advancing exactly the same reservations before May 6th?

Perhaps not, despite the wise words in opposition.

Liberal Democrat Shadow Health Secretary Norman Lamb said [the tobacco display ban] was "the nanny state going too far."

One presumes he was briefed by his party before saying that.

Fortunately, their coalition partners agreed.

Mike Penning, the shadow health minister, told the National Federation of Retail Newsagents: "I am not a lawyer but I have always been concerned whether the Government's legislation on this is legal. Therefore a challenge by way of a Judicial Review seems a sensible thing to do."

Mr Pelling said the Conservatives, if elected, would bring the matter back before Parliament.

Well, that's the end of that nonsense, then. Lumpen-headed, evidence-free, fake charity-led, dictatorial insult to personal responsibility and freedom that it was.

But hold on, what's this?

The government is planning to reverse its decision to ditch a ban on the display of tobacco in shops, the Mail understands.

The previous Labour government passed legislation in 2009 to ban retailers from having cigarettes on display from 2011, with the Coalition parties voting overwhelmingly against the proposals.

A Department of health spokesman said the government was considering all options.

Err, what is there to consider?

Both parties now in government were united in condemnation a few short months ago, and quite rightly, too. It's a no-brainer, isn't it?

Especially since there was no call for the measure by voters, it wasn't in any party's manifesto, the 'public' consultation was rigged, one of the most prominent Scottish pro-ban advocates has admitted there isn't any concrete evidence, research shows its effect to be possibly ruinous to corner shops, and the act was only passed in the first place after a clever misleading of parliament by a coalition of fake charities, civil servants and quangocrats.

Add into the mix that we're supposed to be in an age of austerity, with unnecessary expenditure being cut (it's incontrovertible that this law will cost the country in both private profits and public sector enforcement) and the notion becomes quite inconceivable.

As I mentioned last month, though, this administration are giving off signals that they are actually considering letting this crap through.

Funny that. I didn't think for a minute that when they talked of the 'new politics' that it involved raising the bar on deceit.

Watch this space, 'cos if this isn't scrapped there are some serious questions which require answering (and a stubborn Lib Dem Minister who deserves a public spanking).

H/T The excellent Belinda at F2C Scotland