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 Paul GoodmanFollow Paul on Twitter It might be assumed that the overwhelming majority of Tory MPs are adamantly opposed to prisoners voting. Not so – at least, if yesterday's Commons statement is anything to go by. By my count, David Davis, Gerald Howarth, Nick de Bois, Eleanor Laing, Peter Bone, James Clappison, Christopher Chope, […]
By Matthew BarrettFollow Matthew on Twitter. Yesterday, the Defence Secretary Philip Hammond announced plans to bring the Territorial Army – or Army Reserve, as it will be known in future – up to the size and standard of a more professional level than the reputation the TA has sometimes had as being "weekend soldiers". He […]
By Paul GoodmanFollow Paul on Twitter Michael Crick tweeted earlier this evening: "Four MPs at 1922 Committee critical of Andrew Mitchell – Andrew Percy, James Duddridge, Ann Main, Sarah Wollaston. 12-15 backed him." I am told that the difference of view was more 50-50 than three or four to one. (Memories don't always tally, as […]
By Matthew BarrettFollow Matthew on Twitter. Yesterday's debate on the Lords Reform Bill was heated, yet relatively polite. I noticed far more speakers against reform of the Lords than for – perhaps because pro-reform Tories knew, the programme motion having been withdrawn, that they would win the Second Reading vote easily (thanks to Labour votes). […]
By Paul GoodmanFollow Paul on Twitter If Labour's failure to vote against the 50p rate cut they've criticised was yesterday evening's Commons farce, a small number of Conservative MPs helped to provide the serious fare. Graham Brady, Douglas Carswell, Christopher Chope, Philip Davies, Edward Leigh, David Nuttall and John Stanley – voted in favour of […]
By Matthew BarrettFollow Matthew on Twitter Traditionally, after a Budget speech, high-profile MPs speak in the debate that follows, to give their verdict on the Budget. Compiled below are some of the most significant contributions. Firstly, Andrew Tyrie, the Chair of the Treasury Select Committee, raised his concerns about the Government's proposed scheme for banks to […]
By Joseph Willits Follow Joseph on Twitter It would probably be fair to say that anything the Speaker and his wife Sally do, will attract criticism from somewhere. The latest in a long list of 'what's wrong with the Bercow's' is a Christmas card, originally a Sun cartoon by Andy Davey. The image, bought by the Bercows […]
By Matthew BarrettFollow Matthew on Twitter. Yesterday afternoon, David Cameron made a statement to the House on his recent G20 meetings. Given that the Prime Minister described the main topic of debate as "instability in the eurozone", one could have predicted Eurosceptic members would turn up in force – as indeed they did. Douglas Carswell, […]