They do not like to hear the truth, which is that there is only one thing that the Secretary of State should do to meet the Poll Tax Crisis on his return to the Dispatch Box: commit himself and the Government to abolishing the poll tax and tell us clearly what is to be put in its place.

That point is emphasised by the fact that the Scottish Office knew nothing of the changes in advance of the Poll Tax Crisis and has had to invent educational reasons for them.