Government's talk of empowering Parliament were empty words

The government's defeat last night in the House of Commons says much about the hollow words of change from the Prime Minister and Government.

The subject matter of the vote is hardly relevant. They refused requests for any debate: the "lawmakers" as the Japan Times reminded me they are, were expected to rubber-stamp the intention of the Government without a word of discussion, even when they had asked for a debate. With a paltry total of 202 votes cast, the government showed its arrogance by not even seeing this defeat coming.

We now have a new Speaker, with a reforming mandate. Cannot Parliament have the final word on its own agenda? Should the Government not set an agenda by consensus, not by dictate?