Chloe's Handbrake Stalls Revolt

At 7pm, after a largely good-natured and consensual four-hour debate on fuel duty, we were denied the entertaining spectacle of another Tory rebellion.
That's because the Government applied the handbrake on this revolt, expertly and assuredly executed by the new 29-year-old Treasury minister Chloe Smith.
One to watch, young Chloe, by the way. Future Tory leader? On this showing, quite possibly.
"I don't disparage the motion," she told MPs, before adding: "Now is not the day to change tax. Today is to listen."
Well, there wasn't much to disparage in Robert Halfon's motion, which followed an e-petition demanding the scrapping of fuel duty increases due next year.
And I'm sure the Treasury is listening. They'd be mad not to.
The motion debated by MPs merely called on George Osborne "to consider the feasibility of a price stablisation mechanism", though to be fair to Halfon he called for the scrapping of next year's duty in his speech opening the debate.
Firstly, the Government put its foot on the brake to stamp on a potential fuel rebellion by slapping a low-key one-line whip on Tory MPs.
Then came the handbrake, when ministers conceded a free vote and signalled they would not be opposing the Halfon motion.
But the revolt has been stalled, not halted, I'd say.
Halfon told me after the debate ended that the reason he toned down his motion was to get wider support. If it had been more hardline and contentious, he said, he would only have attracted about 20 backers.
I had to chuckle during his speech, though, when he said: "We must show this is a government for the many and not the few."
Really, Robert! That was a corny slogan when Tony Blair used it! Is it really worth reviving?
By the time the debate began, there were 116 MPs supporting him, including senior LibDems like grandee Sir Menzies Campbell and party president Tim Farron.
Labour lefties like Dennis Skinner, John Cryer and Ronnie Campbell were on the list too, along with Labour awkward squad members John Mann and Kate Hoey.
And the Nationalists, led by Plaid Cymru's Elfyn Llwyd, and the Ulster Unionists, led by the DUP's Nigel Dodds, were also strong backers during the debate.
Labour's Dave Watts had tabled an amendment proposing Labour policy of a VAT cut. In his speech, he branded Halfon's motion "wishy washy". But his amendment wasn't called.
What now, then? The Treasury realises the Chancellor needs to do something to help hard-pressed motorists and road hauliers.
MPs claim that because a 3p increase in fuel duty is due in January he needs to act on November 29 and not wait until next year's Budget, even though his autumn economic statement due that day is not strictly a Budget.
So there's plenty more mileage left in this issue yet.
Oh... and that reminds me... I need to fill up my gas guzzler!