The initial recommendations seem to involve the Scots having their shortbread and eating it. They will not only get more tax-raising powers for themselves, plus the continuation of the Barnett subsidy from Westminster – but their MPs will continue to vote on English budgetary issues. That is what you call hitting the jackpot. Downing Street now says that, in fact, proposals to address the English question will be forthcoming “within weeks”, even though Labour leaders are claiming they have had an assurance that their Scottish MPs will not be shut out of English political matters. So, either Mr Cameron is saying different things to different people or he is about to rewrite the British constitutional settlement on the hoof. I’m not sure which is worse.