Very little resembling government legislation has been passing through the commons lately and this week was no exception. I have never known such legislative inaction, especially so early in a parliament. In part, this is because of the government’s highly controversial and badly drafted legislation relating to welfare and the reorganisation of the NHS being stuck in the Lords. The government is now desperately having to make thousands of amendments and as a result the parliamentary process is in complete disarray.

Both Europe and the issue of lobbying returned to give the prime minister a headache this week. On Tuesday former Tory MP Tim Collins was caught on camera boasting of his access and influence at the heart of Downing Street. Again this raises more questions about the government’s links to lobbyists as it comes so soon after the Adam Werrity affair which resulted in the resignation of the defence secretary in October.

In opposition the prime minister famously said that lobbying was the ‘next big scandal waiting to happen’ , but for this government it has been one scandal after another. Earlier this year, the minister for political and constitutional reform, Mark Harper, gave a firm promise to the House of Commons that there would be a consultation document on the regulation of the lobbying industry by the end of November. Given that it is now December and there has been no sign of the document, I called on government at business questions to publish the promised consultation paper before the Christmas recess.

Meanwhile Tory divisions over Europe exploded into the open this week. At PMQs on Wednesday, the prime minister got a Euro mauling from his own backbenchers as the Euro sceptics carried on with their manoeuvres. Cabinet members have also been openly at war. The work and pensions secretary is reportedly issuing threats over the phone, the Northern Ireland secretary has taken to the airwaves demanding a referendum while over at city hall Boris Johnson is madly stirring the pot. The prime minster must be worried heading to Brussels while Tories back home do battle over their favourite issue!

The government suffered further embarrassment on Tuesday when they lost their first vote following a debate on the economy. There were chaotic scenes in the voting lobbies when panic stricken Tory whips first dragged their MPs out of the Aye lobby and then shoved them back in again. By the time the doors were locked, Hansard shows less than a quarter of government MPs were actually in the lobby with just three cabinet ministers for company. I heard that when this defeat was announced, the cheers from the Carlton Club were louder than the cheers from the Labour benches.

In the Commons on Thursday I told the Leader of the House that whether he likes it or not, a clear view by a majority of 134 was expressed that we require more time to debate this government’s failing economic policy. I asked him to schedule further government time for a debate on the economy in the near future.

Angela Eagle is MP for Wallasey and shadow leader of the Commons