The first few days - a few thoughts

So, we're now a couple of days into the new political reality and the biggest fuss seems to be about the difference between 50 and 55% and the unhappiest people so far seem to be the conservative backbenchers. Little of real surprise.

To start with, one of the first acts of the new cabinet being to vote themselves a 5% pay cut, seems a promising start and taking a lead by example with all the cuts that will be coming down the pipe line soon.

Similarly, Mr Cameron's trip to Scotland seemed to offer at least an attempt to engage constructively with the SNP administration at Holyrood. There will doubtless be many battles to come on this particular front, but so far Mr Cameron seems serious in his intentions to devolve more power and engage in a constructive dialogue with Mr Salmond. This can be contrasted to the battles between the SNP leader and Holyrood Labour leader Iain Gray in the Sottish parliament where neither seemed particularly keen to work together in a common cause or engage the new politics.

Which brings us to the main point of controversy so far - plans to raise the size of the vote needed to bring down the government from 50% +1 vote to 55% of MPs. By way of context, it should be pointed out it would take 66% of MSPs to bring down the Scottish government, which was the set up supported by Labour, who are now not too happy at the proposed changes at Westminster. I have to smile a lot at the fact that they are being supported in their moaning by a number of Tory backbenchers, who after 13 years in opposition are compaining at it being made more difficult to bring down their own government. So soon - no better illustration could be given of why Mr Cameron was so keen on a coalition rather than going it alone. As to the issue itself, I can see why in the current situation, the increased stability would be desirable. I have some reservations that the figures seem designed specifically to suit this particular parliament (the Tories having 47% of seats), which is maybe not the best way of legislating, but at the moment I don't see it as a significant weakening of democracy within parliament. If anything, it could be a useful tool of voting reforms are brought in and hung parliaments become more common.

So - so far, so good, but the jury is still very much out.