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 Matthew BarrettFollow Matthew on Twitter. One of the ways in which John Bercow annoys Conservatives is his enthusiasm for castigating backbench Tory MPs in front of the House. His critics would concede that he often has valid grounds for intervening in principle, but take issue with the strength of his criticism, and the fact […]
Simon Burns is MP for Chelmsford and is a Minister of State at the Department for Health. It is extremely disappointing to see a Conservative blog using arguments against the health bill which are so factually incorrect. Paul asserts that it is 'hard to see' how the bill would make 'a cut in bureaucracy.' The […]
Meanwhile Andy Burnham says Select Committee report vindicates Labour’s position on NHS. David Cameron, he tells ITN, promised no reorganisation but has mounted the biggest of its kind.
Simon Burns is the Minister for Health and Member of Parliament for Chelmsford. Yesterday, the Health and Social Care Bill went into the Lords. Delivery of the Bill is critical to our plans to modernise the NHS – to put the entire NHS truly on the side of patients and the doctors and nurses who […]
By Jonathan Isaby Last summer Health minister Simon Burns was widely reported to have made his view about Speaker Bercow clear in a particularly colourful way. But yesterday at Health questions, after a Labour MP asked a question which did not seem to be in order, the following exchange took place: Mr Burns: I am […]
At questions to the MP representing the House of Commons Commission (Nick Harvey) yesterday, a succession of Conservative MPs raised issues about the cost of the recently refurbished Bellamy's Bar being turned into a nursery for the children of MPs and House of Commons staff… Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (Cotswold): This important issue has not suddenly arisen […]
Since becoming Speaker John Bercow has (rightly) made a big deal about the Government not making policy announcements to the media before they had been made to the Commons. But yesterday Mr Bercow – or those close to him – appeared to break his own rule. Simon Burns MP spotted the inconsistency and raised the […]
Long-time Democrat-supporting Tory MP Simon Burns has tabled this EDM: "That this House warmly welcomes the awarding of an honorary knighthood to Senator Edward Kennedy for services to US-UK relations and to the peace process in Northern Ireland; recognises the contribution he has made over 46 years in the US Senate to advancing the cause […]
Simon Burns, the Conservative MP for West Chelmsford, reports from the Democratic Convention in Denver, Colorado. The mood of the Democrats meeting in Denver this week was a mixture of optimism and concern. Optimism because the polls show that they will do well in the Congressional elections – winning at least 6 Senate seats and […]
Simon Burns, MP for West Chelmsford, explains why he thinks Hillary Clinton is right to stay in the Presidential race. As the Democratic Party primary season enters the home stretch, with the last eleven primaries in the next six weeks, it has become clear that neither candidate will secure the necessary 2025 delegates to be […]
Simon Burns is the Member of Parliament for Chelmsford and is a Minister of State at the Department for Health. Right from the time the Government announced its modernisation plans for the NHS, we have always been clear about what we want the NHS to deliver. We signalled a decisive shift away from Labour’s political […]