Labour’s swift pubs U-turn shows government learning – and repeating Treasury mistakes

Some backbenchers see a common thread in major U-turns: a Treasury endeavouring to save money and not fully thinking through the consequences. Photograph: Dan Kitwood/Getty Images

Political U-turns come in various forms, and as news of the latest government reversal drifted out, this one connected to the plight of the pub trade, Labour MPs could take comfort in one thing: at least it happened quickly.

While last summer’s change of stance on benefit reforms was forced on Downing Street by open rebellion, and those for pensioners’ winter fuel payments and inheritance tax for farmers followed months of dissent, the decision to revisit decisions on business rates took a matter of weeks.