Downing Street Says ... Every day the Prime Minister’s Spokesman meets a small coterie of political journalists known as ‘the lobby’ for a topical chat, or ‘briefing’.

Every day the Prime Minister's Spokesman meets a small coterie of political journalists known as 'the lobby' for a topical chat, or 'briefing'.

Downing Street Says... is an unofficial site that lets you read summaries of these briefings and add your own comments. Want to know more?

» Monday, February 8, 2010

President Karzau Phonecall

The Prime Minister’s Spokesman (PMS) said that the Prime Minister spoke to President Karzai yesterday. President Karzai expressed his warm appreciation to the Government for organising the London conference on 28 January. The Prime Minister and President Karzai also discussed ongoing operations in Helmand. They welcomed the leading role played by the Afghan Security Forces [...]

MPs’ Expenses

Asked what the Prime Minister’s thought about Parliamentary immunity, the PMS said that the Prime Minister believed that no MP was above the law. Criminal law applied to MPs in the same way as it applied to anyone else. Parliamentary privilege was not intended to cover issues like these. The Leader of [...]

Iran

Asked if the Prime Minister was concerned about recent events in Iran, the PMS said that there had been some mixed messages coming out of Iran over the weekend and the Prime Minister had always been clear that we needed to see proper dialogue between Iran and the IAEA. Iran continued to face a [...]

NHS Speech

Asked about the Prime Minister’s speech on the NHS this morning, the PMS said that the Prime Minister spoke this morning about the importance of the central role the NHS played and the importance of the NHS guarantees, including the cancer guarantee, the waiting time guarantee and the GP access guarantee. original source.

Afghanistan

Asked if the Prime Minister felt that there was a point at which the number of deaths in Afghanistan was no longer a price worth paying, the PMS said that the Prime Minister was always very saddened by any death in Afghanistan and his thoughts were with the families of those who had fallen. [...]

Bananas

Asked about the story in The Sun today about the Prime Minister eating nine bananas a day, the PMS said that the Prime Minister’s view was that a balanced diet was important and portions of fruit and vegetable on a daily basis could only lead to good health. original source.

Misc

Asked why the Chancellor was giving a speech on the Scottish economy the same day the Leader of the Opposition was giving a speech in Scotland, the PMS said that he was sure it was pure coincidence. Asked if the Prime Minister thought it had been a mistake to free the Lockerbie bomber, the PMS [...]

» Wednesday, February 3, 2010

MPs’ expenses

Asked if the Prime Minister was planning to respond to Sir Thomas Legg’s report tomorrow, the PMS replied that the Prime Minister had always made it clear that there was a discredited old system and what Sir Thomas Legg was doing was putting that to bed. He had been completely supportive of the Legg process. [...]

Asset freezing

Asked if there were plans to re-introduce asset freezing for terrorists, the PMS said he would come back on that. original source.

Drugs abroad

Asked why Chris Bryant was making the announcement on British Citizens in foreign jails the PMS replied that he was the appropriate FCO Minister. The PMS said that the problem of getting involved with drugs overseas is one that is a concern to the FCO. Asked why this was happening now the PMS replied that [...]

Kraft/Cadbury

Put that Lord Mandelson had indicated he was disappointed that he hadn’t got a firm commitment from Kraft over jobs and keeping Cadbury production in Britain, the PMS replied that this was a matter for the Department for Business and the Prime Minister had said at Prime Minister’s Questions, he hoped that the appropriate levels [...]

» Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Cabinet

The Prime Minister’s Spokesman (PMS) began by giving a readout of Cabinet. The Prime Minister updated Cabinet on the situation in Northern Ireland in the absence of the Secretary of State. The Prime Minister referred to the speech he would be giving on constitutional issues and spoke about devolution, the establishment of the Supreme Court, [...]

Northern Ireland

Asked if the Prime Minister had had any contact with the DUP overnight and was he disappointed with the lack of progress, the PMS replied that the Prime Minister had had regular contact with all parties. The parties were still talking and he was following the situation closely. As the Prime Minister had said last [...]

Constitutional reform

Put that the Labour Party had promised a referendum on voting reform in 1997 and why should voters believe them this time around, the PMS said it was not for him to comment on party manifestos. The PMS said that the Prime Minister was completely committed to holding a referendum on the alternative vote some [...]

Original PMOS briefings are © Crown Copyright. Crown Copyright material is reproduced with the permission of the Controller of HMSO and the Queen's Printer for Scotland. Click-use licence number C02W0004089. Material is reproduced from the original 10 Downing Street source, but may not be the most up-to-date version of the briefings, which might be revised at the original source. Users should check with the original source in case of revisions. Comments are © Copyright contributors. Everything else is © Copyright Downing Street Says.

» Monday, February 8, 2010

President Karzau Phonecall

MPs’ Expenses

Iran

NHS Speech

Afghanistan

Bananas

Misc

» Wednesday, February 3, 2010

MPs’ expenses

Asset freezing

Drugs abroad

Kraft/Cadbury

» Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Cabinet

Northern Ireland

Constitutional reform

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