Where the Tories have rallied in Scotland, Labour appear to have done so here. There is a broad range of possible Conservative targets, but only a few anticipated gains.
By Matthew BarrettFollow Matthew on Twitter. The Daily Mail this morning reports on the 118 Conservative MPs who have written to constituents indicating their opposition to gay marriage proposals. The Mail says "Their opposition has been expressed in letters and emails sent to constituents who have contacted them with their own concerns", and points out that […]
By Matthew BarrettFollow Matthew on Twitter It's the London Marathon tomorrow, and five Conservative MPs have decided to take on the great task of completing it for charity. Last year, Edward Timpson and Stephen Crabb ran the Marathon, and this year, Timpson is competing again – with four other MPs who will join more than 35,000 other runners […]
By Joseph Willits Follow Joseph on Twitter Under proposals by the Welsh Boundary Commission, three Conservative seats will be abolished, one will be lost, and two would be gained from Labour. Those being abolished are: Aberconwy (Guto Bebb) Montgomeryshire (Glyn Davies) Preseli Pembrokeshire (Stephen Crabb). The seat largely returns to its pre-1997 boundaries. The new seat of […]
Yesterday the House of Commons staged Welsh questions. Shadow Deputy Leader of the House of Commons Shailesh Vara and Wellingborough both asked about the treatment of Welsh and English residents in the other country's hospitals: "The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Wales (Mr. Wayne David): My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State and I […]
Yesterday saw Foreign Office questions. Shadow Deputy Secretary of State for Wales David Jones and former Foreign Secretary Sir Malcolm Rifkind both asked about Iran's nuclear ambitions: "The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (David Miliband): The International Atomic Energy Agency’s latest report of 19 February shows that Iran continues to refuse to […]
Defence Questions came around again yesterday. Conservative members dominated the session and exhibited excellent technical knowledge. James Arbuthnot (MP for North-East Hampshire) chairs the Defence Select Committee. He asked about Pakistan: "Does the Secretary of State accept that the events in Lahore today show that instability in Afghanistan and Pakistan extends far beyond the border […]
It was Welsh questions yesterday. Congleton’s Ann Winterton asked about manufacturing: "Ann Winterton (Congleton) (Con): What recent assessment he has made of the state of the manufacturing sector in Wales. [261324] The Secretary of State for Wales (Mr. Paul Murphy): The manufacturing industry is, of course, very important to Wales. According to the latest available […]
Preseli Pembrokeshire MP Stephen Crabb secured a Westminster Hall debate for Tuesday, on the subject of gas storage in the UK. Herewith some highlights from his speech: "I am grateful to have secured this short but timely debate on the adequacy of UK gas storage. We are experiencing another winter of tight gas supply with […]
It was time for Welsh questions in the Commons yesterday. Monmouth MP David Davies was concerned about onerous rules on the use of Welsh: "Does the Minister agree that enacting legislation that will require all companies, or at least private companies, to use the Welsh language in all forms of business could prove very detrimental […]
Yesterday the House of Commons debated democracy and human rights. A number of Conservative MPs made interesting contributions. Tony Baldry, chairman of the International Development select committee, highlighted the desperate situation in Sudan: "Before we move on from Sudan, let me point out that Darfur shows the fragility of the international community’s ability to support […]
In this crucial time, we must continue to provide investment and leadership in this area, which is what British voters want.