By Tim Montgomerie Who has the real power in UK-EU relations? Douglas Carswell, noting that policy towards the EU seems to more or less stay the same whichever party is in power, argues that the UK's Permanent Representative at the EU holds significant power. It reminds me of that Yes, Minister sketch when Sir Humphrey […]
By Tim Montgomerie Yesterday I highlighted an attempt, led by Douglas Carswell, to reduce Britain's contribution to the EU. The following Tory MPs voted for his amendment*: Baker, Steve Baron, Mr John Bebb, Guto Bingham, Andrew (not on yesterday's list) Binley, Mr Brian Blackman, Bob (not on yesterday's list) Bone, Peter Carswell, Mr Douglas Chope, […]
By Paul Goodman …And he presented a Ten Minute Rule bill yesterday to stop them doing so. It was sandwiched between other chunks of Parliamentary business, but raises questions so compelling as to deserve a wider audience than much of what happens in the Chamber. Carswell introduced his Financial Services (Regulation of Deposits and Lending) […]
By Paul Goodman Peter Hoskins has posted a brief account on the Spectator's Coffee House site about this morning's Treasury Select Committee appearance by George Osborne. The Chancellor promised to allow the committee to approve his proposed new appointments to the Office of Budget Responsibility – thereby giving them the power to veto his suggestions […]
I wondered earlier this week here whether Labour MPs would use the Select Committee elections to make life difficult for David Cameron. They didn't. Instead, they lined up behind the Conservative establishment candidates. Andrew Tyrie took the Treasury Select Committee; Richard Ottaway, Foreign Affairs (a big, big consolation prize, after his defeat in the 1922 […]
Joint endorsements from Tim Montgomerie of ConservativeHome and Will Straw of LeftFootForward. "Who will Chair the House of Commons Select Committees that hold ministers and their departments to account? For the first time ever the Whips won’t decide. Those wanting to chair the 23 committees are having to stand for election. They will only win […]
Two Conservative MPs clashed in the Commons last Friday. Tory whip Brooks Newmark spoke for about an hour on localism, in favour of Alistair Burt's Sustainable Communities Act 2007 (Amendment) Bill. Douglas Carswell suspected that he was filibustering in order to stop discussion of his own bill on an in/out referendum on the EU. The […]
In a debate on the constitution Douglas Carswell describes the Commons as "monumentally useless". He says it has been reduced to a "talking shop" but one that struggles to even do that without MPs being prodded by the whips to get on to their feet to ensure someone is saying something until the 10.30pm closure […]
Earlier today Douglas Carswell MP introduced a Ten Minute Rule Bill that would allow the "recall" of MPs in specified circumstances and "to provide for the holding of primary elections in such circumstances". His key arguments are posted below. Power from politicians and to the people: "We have all heard, on doorstep after doorstep, “You’re […]
Over on his blog Douglas Carswell MP has published his motion of no confidence in the Speaker and the list of supporting MPs: "That this House has no confidence in Mr Speaker and calls for him to step down; notes that Mr Speaker has failed to provide leadership in matters relating to hon. Members' expenses; […]
The Children, Schools and Families Select Committee has published a report today on the National Curriculum. Three Conservative members of the Committee – Graham Stuart, Edward Timpson and Douglas Carswell – have published a minority report. They argue that that the National Curriculum has failed, and that "a major rethink is needed". They say that "the […]
Douglas Carswell MP has marked nearly four years as an MP with an A to Z guide to Parliament on his blog. It amounts to an extraordinary attack on the "futility" of the Commons. Here are some of his conclusions: A is for… Accountable, something many of our MPs are not… C is for … […]
Home Office questions came around yesterday. The most interesting questions were about the holding of DNA samples. Home Secretary Jacqui Smith outlined the Government's position: "The national DNA database plays a key role in catching criminals, including many years after they might think that they have got away with their crime, eliminating the innocent from […]
Douglas Carswell, MP for Harwich and Clacton, is introducing another Ten Minute Rule Bill in the Commons today. The Police (Justice Commissioners) Bill would create a directly elected Justice Commissioner for every county and large town in England and Wales. Justice Commissioners would determine local policing priorities. Mr Carswell comments: ‘The public are losing confidence […]
The House of Commons saw something rather unusual yesterday – a Conservative front bench spokesman going out of his way to rebut the remarks of a Conservative backbencher. Speaking in a debate on defence, Harwich MP Douglas Carswell talked about procurement: "Labour came to power promising to overhaul defence procurement, yet according to the best-selling […]