» Tuesday, May 9, 2006
Further Reshuffle Appointments
Asked whether Ruth Kelly's comments on protecting private housing space had the full backing of Downing Street, the PMOS said that there was always a balance to be struck between proper planning procedures and the need to ensure development. It was worth looking at the reasons why we needed 200 000 new homes. It was primarily because of a change in demographics not migration. Migration only counted for 18% of the total. The change in demographics was accounted for by a growth in the number of elderly, separated people and the growth in single people who wanted to live on their own. Asked about her refusal to say whether she thought homosexuality was a sin and her refusal to comment on whether same sex couples should be allowed to adopt and that she would continue to vote with her conscience, the PMOS said that what had been left out of that was that she had repeatedly said that she not only recognised but supported decisions taken by the government in this area. She had also repeatedly said that she was totally opposed to discrimination on any grounds whatsoever. Ruth Kelly had also pointed out that she very much pushed the equality agenda when at the Cabinet Office.
Briefing took place at 9:00 | Read whole briefing | Comments (0)
Prime Minister Siniora
Asked why Prime Minister Siniora had been to visit the Chancellor yesterday, the Prime Minister's Official Spokesman (PMOS) replied that he did not know. Prime Minister Siniora would speak to the Prime Minister about the national dialogue in Lebanon, as well as our continuing pressure on Syria.
Briefing took place at 9:00 | Read whole briefing | Comments (0)
Transition
Asked about the Prime Minister's talks with senior allies about the transition, the PMOS said that the Prime Minister had, himself, said yesterday that he would be getting on with the business of government and this was what he was doing. As such he, the PMOS, had nothing further to add. Asked if it was wrong to suggest he would be speaking with senior colleagues, the PMOS said that the Prime Minister spoke with senior colleagues all the time and he did not brief on such conversations. The Prime Minister's primary focus would remain on getting on with the job he was elected to do.
Briefing took place at 9:00 | Read whole briefing | Comments (0)
Prime Minister
Asked if it was a correct interpretation that the next Labour Party conference would be the Prime Minister's last one, and that he would leave office in 2007, the PMOS reminded people what the Prime Minister actually said yesterday was that he was not going to give a timetable and he had given the reasons for that. What the Prime Minister wanted to do was to get on with the business of government, implementing the manifesto commitments that he was elected on a year ago to do.
Briefing took place at 9:00 | Read whole briefing | Comments (0)
Deputy Prime Minister
Asked if there were any further details on how the Deputy Prime Minister would answer questions in the House of Commons, the PMOS said, as he had in the morning briefing, that because of the creation of two new departments there needed to be a new rota of parliamentary questions. That was currently being looked and the John Prescott would answer questions as the DPM as part of that new arrangement. The Deputy Prime Minister would be accountable to Parliament and answer questions in the House but details were still being worked out.
Briefing took place at 9:00 | Read whole briefing | Comments (0)
Deputy Prime Minister
Asked whether the Deputy Prime Minister would face questions in the House, the PMOS said that Mr. Prescott would be accountable to Parliament. Because of the two new departments, and the changes in his role, it would take some time to organise.
Briefing took place at 9:00 | Read whole briefing | Comments (0)
Lebanon
Asked what had been discussed, the PMOS said they had discussed the National Dialogue on Lebanon, which we very much supported. They had discussed the continuing investigation into the murder of former Prime Minister Hariri. In addition the role of Syria had been discussed and the need to keep the pressure on. Asked if the Prime Minister thought the UN should take a harder line on Syria, the PMOS said that was a matter for the UN to decide. The Prime Minister believed that the pressure should be kept on Syria and we had always been at the fore of that process.
Briefing took place at 9:00 | Read whole briefing | Comments (0)
Letter to President Bush
Asked about a letter from the Iranian President to President Bush, the PMOS said that as the Americans had not yet received the letter, it was difficult to have a view on it.
Briefing took place at 9:00 | Read whole briefing | Comments (3)
Third Foreign Policy Speech
Asked about the third speech in the Prime Minister's trilogy of foreign policy speeches, the PMOS said it would still be in America and still not be before too long but we did not yet have a fixed date. What we would wait to see first was the formation of a new government in Iraq as it would be in the context of that that the Prime Minister would make his third speech.
Briefing took place at 9:00 | Read whole briefing | Comments (0)
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