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 Jonathan Isaby The above screengrab from BBC Parliament shows an image I have never seen before – a Government whip making a speech from the Despatch Box. Convention states that Government whips never speak in the chamber – so what on earth is James Duddridge doing at the Despatch Box? It's the end of […]
Defence Questions came around again yesterday. Conservative members dominated the session and exhibited excellent technical knowledge. James Arbuthnot (MP for North-East Hampshire) chairs the Defence Select Committee. He asked about Pakistan: "Does the Secretary of State accept that the events in Lahore today show that instability in Afghanistan and Pakistan extends far beyond the border […]
Thursday saw oral questions on Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform. Rochford & Southend East MP James Duddridge (right) asked about the cost to taxpayers of assuming liability for the Royal Mail pension scheme: "The Minister for Employment Relations and Postal Affairs (Mr. Pat McFadden): We estimate that the Government will assume total liabilities of £29.5 billion […]
Bob Spink, erstwhile Tory and MP for Castle Point, rather upset some of his former Conservative colleagues yesterday during a debate on the Political Parties and Elections Bill, including James Duddridge (right). MPs were debating raising the threshold for public donations to parties from £200 to £500. Mr Spink intervened: "An amount of £200 is […]
It was time for questions to the Health Department yesterday. Perhaps the most noteworthy question came from Mike Penning (pictured right), who spoke in light of the revelation that in 2007-08 criminal sanctions following cases of assault in the acute sector rose by thirteen per cent. Shadow Health Secretary Andrew Lansley asked about sport in […]
James Duddridge, MP for Rochford & Southend East, introduced a Ten Minute Rule Bill in the Commons today, to relax the rules on personalised car registration plates. He told ePolitix.com: "Speaking to the police there are issues of number plate recognition and I thought it was ironic that we weren’t allowed to have for example […]