(04 Apr 2017, 7:56 pm)James101 wrote Brian Souter has previous on making bus franchising proposals disappear through threats or persuasion. I'm surprised he's not waded in yet considering it's his largest bus operation at stake.

Looks like he's managed to get Theresa May to do it after all - even if by default. Difference of opinion depending on who is commenting, but with a limited time left, the MEN suggests the Bus Services Bill will be "washed up" (Parliamentary jargon, apparently), as it would take only the slightest contention to stop a bill before the "snap" General Election. As Chris Grayling doesn't support the bill - and why would he, as yet another Transport Secretary from a super-rich, high car ownership Home Counties constituency - that would be enough to scrap it without any time to negotiate. Shades of 31+ years ago, when it was widely believed in political circles that we got "Hard De-reg", due to one person; Sarah Keays, remember her. Still, that's modern democracy for you; Ask Messrs Putin, Trump, Erdogan and Kim.