If I were Philip Hammond I'd be rather surprised that the Tories suddenly care about the manifesto

[noblegiraffe]

There's all this fuss about Philip Hammond's Budget and how it was terrible that the National Insurance rise for the self-employed went against the manifesto and that he was an idiot not to realise this and now there has been an embarrassing u-turn.

Except since when have the government of the time given a toss about what's in the manifesto? The Conservative Manifesto 2015 clearly said 'we say yes to the single market' and bangs on about protecting the single market and how important it is. Yet here we are, barrelling out of the single market and no hint of a u-turn.

The Tories have already broken a bunch of stuff which was in the manifesto about education.

So why does the manifesto matter in this instance?

Indeed!

The manifesto matters right up until you have tangible proof the people don't want it. Brexit says we have to leave the EU - its up to he negotiations as to whether we stay in the single market.

People seem to be confused - in a negotiation both sides have to agree.