By Paul GoodmanFollow Paul on Twitter Imagine what it's like to enjoy a pint or two, be locked away in the Priory for years – and then suddenly be released into a brewery. It's fair to say that Michael Fabricant, MP for Lichfield, doesn't mind a bit of publicity. But his confinement for many years […]
By Tim MontgomerieFollow Tim on Twitter One of Grant Shapps' first acts as the new Tory Chairman has been to ask for the election countdown clock to be put back on the wall of Conservative HQ. Meeting him yesterday afternoon he told me that there were less than 1,000 days until the next general election […]
By Paul GoodmanFollow Paul on Twitter The most thankless task in any front bench team is the job of pairing whip – the number three post in the Whips' Office. He is the man who in effect tells Conservatives MPs whether or not they will be required for any vote. This means calculating how important […]
From Hansard. Michael Fabricant (Lichfield) (Con): For what reasons she decided to prevent Michael Savage from entering the UK; and if she will make a statement. The Secretary of State for the Home Department (Jacqui Smith): Michael Savage was excluded for engaging in unacceptable behaviour by seeking to provoke others to serious criminal acts and […]
Work and Pensions questions came around again yesterday. Shadow Work and Pensions Minister Andrew Selous called for reform of the local housing allowance: "It is now clear from reports across the country that not only tenants but charities helping the homeless are being very poorly served by the local housing allowance, so will the Minister agree […]
Here are the highlights from yesterday's Children, Schools and Families questions. Buckingham MP John Bercow advocated a more liberal exclusion policy: "Of course, schools sometimes mistake disability for disobedience. Children with special educational needs are nine times more likely to be permanently excluded from school, and the Government are rightly committed to reducing the incidents […]
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 […]
The following Parliamentary Question was tabled by Michael Fabricant and has just been answered: Police: Demonstrations Michael Fabricant: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department for each of the demonstrations about Gaza and Israel held since 1 January 2009, how many police were injured; what damage to police vehicles took place; and […]
Lichfield MP and Opposition Whip Michael Fabricant is good fun. But he has a keen interest in a wide variety of issues. Yesterday in the Commons he asked a very pertinent question about global education of International Development Secretary Douglas Alexander: "Michael Fabricant (Lichfield) (Con): The Secretary of State rightly identified the need for equality […]
Michael Fabricant MP: Will the Secretary of State come, too, to places such as Burntwood and Chasetown and see how important it is to regenerate such areas? Housing on brownfield sites could be built to the highest ecological standards. Will she also come with me to Curborough and see just why it is totally impractical […]
Michael Fabricant MP has initiated this EDM: "That this House supports a proposal initiated, funded and operated by Waitrose, to trial the introduction of tea trolleys with biscuits into arrival halls at UK international airports to provide a warm welcome to weary returning UK nationals and visitors from overseas queuing up for passport inspection." It […]
Michael Fabricant is MP for Lichfield. I have lost confidence in the BBC World Service in their ability to present news in an unbiased manner. And I will be making a formal complaint to the Chairman of the BBC Trust. Yes. Perhaps I am one of the few remaining MPs who has consistently defended the […]