After all that

Ratification of the Constitutional Reform Lisbon Treaty was of absolute importance, it was pronounced on Wednesday in the House of Lords, when Lord Howell tried to postpone the Third Reading in the light of the Irish Referendum result. The Prime Minister needs a strong hand when he goes to the European Council (though what for was not clarified).

Well, apparently not. The same Prime Minister has announced that ratification was being "suspended" while the High Court deliberates on whether a referendum needs to be called or not.

But a judge in the case earlier put a statement expressing "surprise" that the government had pressed ahead with the ratification process.

The prime minister responded by saying "ratification will not take place of course until we have the judgement".

I am a little surprised at the judge's "surprise". Maybe he was indulging in judicial irony.