Tomorrow in Westminster Hall there will be a debate on UK relations with America. It has been tabled by Mark Pritchard, MP for The Wrekin. The 90 minute debate will begin at 11am. Mr Pritchard’s office says that it is the first time in nearly a decade that there has been a dedicated debate on […]
Yesterday Shadow Justice Minister (and practising criminal solicitor) David Burrowes spoke in a Westminster Hall debate on effective sentencing. This follows a report from the Justice Committee (chaired by the Lib Dem MP Sir Alan Beith). Mr Burrowes made a lengthy speech. Herewith highlights. "Reference has been made to the whole issue of reoffending and […]
Philip Hollobone, who was elected as Conservative MP for Kettering in 2005 at his second attempt, revels in being the country’s "cheapest MP" and is the subject of a profile published on the BBC website today. Last year his claim of less than £45,000 on taxpayer-funded allowances amounted to more than £90,000 less than the […]
Shadow Business Secretary Ken Clarke was up again in the House of Commons yesterday. He is of course not able to question his opposite number Lord Mandelson in the chamber. He asked about the enterprise finance guarantee scheme, which was launched last month and is open to businesses with a turnover less than £25 million. […]
At First Minister’s Questions today Annabel Goldie, who leads the Conservatives in the Scottish Parliament, asked what contact Alex Salmond has had with Gordon Brown (an issue that David Mundell, the Shadow Secretary of State for Scotland, raised yesterday). It turns out that the Prime Minister and First Minister last met face-to-face in the House […]
Today in the House of Commons Alan Duncan, Shadow Leader of the House, called for a debate on moral authority. This comes in light of Carol Thatcher’s sacking from The One Show for calling a tennis player a golliwog, and the Jonathan Ross / Russell Brand / Andrew Sachs affair. Mr Duncan said: "May we […]
Oral questions were put to the Scottish Office yesterday. Wellingborough MP Peter Bone asked a bold question about the Barnett Formula: "Mr. Peter Bone (Wellingborough) (Con): What recent discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on potential changes to the Barnett formula. [253059] The Secretary of State for Scotland (Mr. Jim Murphy): […]
Conservative MEP Geoffrey Van Orden has spoken out on the situation in Sri Lanka. The Tamil Tigers (LTTE) are being told to surrender unconditionally by the Sri Lankan government. The European Parliament is also calling on the LTTE to lay down its arms. Mr Van Orden comments: "The British government in particular, as well as […]
East Midlands MEP Roger Helmer has spoken in a plenary session on the Florenz Report to condemn climate change alarmism. Here is his speech:
Daniel Hannan – MEP for South East England – has spoken out on EU hypocrisy over climate change. Mr Hannan is to be highly commended for managing to combine doggedness with elegance – it is easy for people who are sound on Europe to be frightful bores (and boors). It is well worth watching his […]
Conservative Internal Market spokesman Malcolm Harbour MEP has called on the Government and European Union to boost the car sales. Mr Harbour, who is a former director at Rover, comments: "The British government’s support package might have been sufficient several months ago but it now fails to hit the target and address the low demand […]
At PMQs today Northampton South MP Brian Binley called on the Prime Minister to check the growth in local government pension arrangements. This is the exchange: "A quarter of all council tax is now used to pay for local authority pensions. A former chief executive of Northamptonshire county council left his job 18 months ago […]
Woking MP Humfrey Malins (pictured right) was one of several Conservatives to make an important point at Justice questions yesterday: "I must give the Minister a dreadful statistic. After 12 years of this Government, seven out of 10 young men released from the young offender custodial estate reoffend within 12 months and most reoffend 30 […]
Stone MP BIll Cash is presenting a bill today. It is a: "Bill to provide that, notwithstanding the European Communities Act 1972, workers or members of a trade union who are UK nationals shall have rights of employment in the United Kingdom equal to or as favourable as those afforded to foreign nationals or conferred […]
Yesterday the House of Commons had Work and Pensions questions. Ribble Valley MP Nigel Evans asked what can be done to make parents take responsibility for their children: "Poverty for youngsters is often reinforced when a married couple separates by a missing parent who refuses to take their responsibility. The Child Support Agency is often […]