“Accounts of the reaction of this evening’s Parliamentary Party meeting to one of the most sensational about-turns in the Party’s history are starting to trickle out.

One might have expected the newly-elected Conservative MPs to rise up in revolt against Team Cameron’s astounding about-turn on the alternative vote.

However, it appears that those present didn’t want to do anything that would make it more difficult for David Cameron to cross the threshold of Number 10 – a possibility that seemed tantalisingly close earlier today.

I understand that “big beasts” were called earlier to back the leadership’s position, including ex-Cabinet Minister Stephen Dorrell and former Shadow Cabinet Minister Oliver Heald.

John Whittingdale, a key player on the right of the Party, was also broadly supportive.  John Hayes agreed with Stephen Dorrell.”