It may yet turn out to be the ultimate irony of the Blair era. After reforming the House of Lords by removing many of the inbred old farts and stuffing it with cronies, the upper chamber has shown itself to be more pugilist than poodle and more responsive to public opinion that the democratically elected Commons. They have overturned the irrational decision to build the new, lucrative Supercasino in Manchester.
Nobody will ever know the grounds upon which such an indefensible choice was made but you can bet the treasurer of the Labour Party is wondering how to fill a big hole in the budget this morning and a few M.Ps. are wistfully thinking of the farmhouse in Tuscany they planned to buy with the bung or the offshore trust they intended to set up to mask the income from that promised non-executive directorship that will now never come their way.
Do you think I’m suggesting gambling is corrupt? Honestly, would I?
Fortunately members of The House of Lords are too rich to be influenced by bungs and too demented to be influenced by political pressure so driven by resentment of the control freaks in government they have managed to do the right thing.