They blinked first

Heh Labour blinked first in the traditional final week battle in Parliament.

The final session of each year is always a competition between the Government and the Opposition over who wants their holidays most and blinks first. The Government lists a huge amount of legislation to be passed under urgency and threatens the Opposition that they can speak all they like, but all they will do is keep the House sitting even into Xmas week if they delay things.

The Opposition always struts its chest back and claims that they will keep the House going until Xmas Eve itself, rather than not exercise their rights.

Both sides desperately hopes the other will blink first, and in this case Labour did by dropping the Lawyers and Conveyancers Bill until next year so MPs could get home on Friday night.