A coalition first
History in the making tonight in the Commons.
Conservative MP Christopher Chope has secured the first adjournment debate of the 2010 Parliament, on the "process for seeking a dissolution of Parliament" - doubtless focussing on the proposal to require a 55% majority of the Commons to force a General Election.
Answering him will be the new Deputy Leader of the House, David Heath. And he will be the first Liberal (or, to be pedantic, Liberal Democrat) minister to address the Commons, since the then Liberal leader, Sir Archibald Sinclair, the Secretary of State for Air in Churchill's wartime coalition. That was on 16 May 1945. I wonder if Sir Archibald's descendent, the Lib Dem MP John Thurso, will be in the chamber for the occasion?
I'm Mark D'Arcy and I'll be writing about what goes on in the chambers and committee rooms at Westminster.
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