It’s unlikely to last, but for one week only London mayor Boris Johnson, Liberal Democrat deputy leader Simon Hughes and Labour MP Karen Buck have wheeled out their reinterpretation of the three musketeers.

The trio won’t be spending the summer recess at each other’s holiday homes but they’re united in their concern about the plans for housing benefit reform.

In dramatic developments this week Mr Johnson revealed he had written to work and pensions secretary Iain Duncan Smith outlining his concerns about the impact the changes could have on London. The story broke as Conservative leader David Cameron unveiled his plans for the creation of a ‘big society’. By contrast Mr Johnson outlined a future that sounded more like a broken Britain - or certainly a broken Bromley.

The unintended consequence of the changes could see arrears, evictions and homelessness rise in the capital, he suggested. The significance of objections from one of the Conservative Party’s biggest hitters reveals for the first time quite how controversial and damaging the changes could be for both society at large and the party itself.

Mr Hughes’ intervention - in an interview with London’s Evening Standard newspaper - should come as an even greater shock. As deputy leader of the Liberal Democrats, he is a key player at the very top level of that party. His warning that the government must think ‘very carefully’ about how it implements benefits changes should set alarm bells ringing for Mr Clegg and Mr Duncan Smith. And this is where Ms Buck comes in.

According to reports she will work with Mr Hughes to assess the impact of the cuts.

Inside Housing will continue to protest strongly against the reforms with our What’s the Benefit? campaign. A remarkable 498 readers have signed our petition in the first 10 days alone.

We hope the government will be swayed by such strength of opinion. If not, they should think again about a phenomenon which - however briefly - has made Mr Johnson,

Mr Hughes and Ms Buck sound like they’re all for one and one for all.

Visit our What’s the Benefit? page for more information or sign our petition to support the campaign.

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