By Matthew BarrettFollow Matthew on Twitter. 8.30pm Update: I have been through the ayes and noes, and have found the following Tory abstainers: Nigel Adams (Selby and Ainsty) John Baron (Basildon and Billericay) Bill Cash (Stone) Rehman Chisti (Gillingham and Rainham) Christopher Chope (Christchurch) James Clappison (Hertsmere) Alan Duncan (Rutland and Melton) – a DfID […]
By Matthew BarrettFollow Matthew on Twitter. Sir George Young, the Leader of the House of Commons, did something rather admirable yesterday: he rejected the knee-jerk tendency, seen during the New Labour years in particular, to pass legislation at every possible opportunity. During Business Questions, Sir George announced that the Second Reading of the Local Government Finance Bill […]
By Joseph Willits Follow Joseph on Twitter Proposals to give Parliament the power to take action on ministers who leak announcements to the media, before informing the Commons, have failed. The motion tabled by Phillip Hollobone MP (Kettering), aimed to be as "non-partisan as possible", was defeated by 228 votes to 119. Hollobone accused all three major parties of […]
By Paul GoodmanFollow Paul on Twitter Here is the list of those who went into the No lobby to oppose the Dorries/Field amendment. It included such senior Conservatives as George Osborne, Ken Clarke, Cheryl Gillan, William Hague, Eric Pickles, David Willetts, Sir George Young. NOES Abbott, Ms Diane Abrahams, Debbie Ainsworth, rh Mr Bob Alexander, […]
The House of Commons endured extraordinary scenes yesterday in the debate on MP's expenses. Sir George Young, who chairs the Standards and Privileges Committee, had tabled an amendment to defeat the Government's motions, as he felt they pre-empted Sir Christopher Kelly's independent review for the Committee on Standards in Public Life. Then Leader of the House Harriet Harman announced that the […]
It was questions to Communities and Local Government ministers yesterday. Shadow London Minister Bob Neill asked a good question about centralised housebuilding targets: "It is five years this month since the Government’s own Barker review identified the problems that arise from reliance on the section 106 system and its attendant complexities as a means of […]
Sir George Young is chairman of the Select Committee on Standards and Privileges. Yesterday he addressed the House of Commons. His committee has published a report suggesting the end of "dual reporting" – whereby MPs have to report donations to both the Register of Members’ Interests and Electoral Commission. The committee says that MPs should […]
Brian Binley MP opposes the use of handheld devices in the Commons chamber: "I remember when I was a young lad—I am sure that you, Mr. Deputy Speaker, will have similar memories—going to the cinema and watching western films. Some of the better films, including ones starring Gene Autry and Roy Rogers—I hope that I […]
Later today I will be joining with other MPs and with CEOs in a sleep out to raise money for DePaul UK. Do visit my fundraising page.