From a story in today’s Daily Telegraph about David Cameron having hissy fits about Brexit Cabinet ministers:
“Earlier this year the Prime Minister lifted “collective responsibility” rules for members of the Government, meaning that they are able to campaign on both sides of the EU argument.”
Isn’t it interesting that, when it is expedient, rules cannot only be bent but ignored.
How often have we heard, at EDDC, that something cannot be done (particularly public speaking) because it is “against the rules” or “against standing orders”. Yet one of the biggest rules (Cabinet collective responsibility) can simply be “suspended” at any time.
East Devon Watch 
East Devon MP Hugo Swire often says that he cannot speak in Parliament about his constituency because of the “collective responsibility” clause of the Ministerial Code – but if you read the code you will see that it says the opposite: Ministers can speak in parliament about constituency matters that are not related to cabinet policy providing they make it clear that they are speaking as an individual member of parliament not as a cabinet member.
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