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» Tuesday, September 5, 2006

Prime Minister’s speech

The Prime Minister's Official Spokesman (PMOS) told journalists that this was the third lecture in the series (the first two were on criminal justice and public health). The next speech would be on science. The current speech, like the others, was a serious analysis of the issues regarding social exclusion, i.e. what was and was not being done, and what the next challenges were. As the Prime Minister would make clear, he was not talking about baby ASBOs, making the state raise children, or interfering with family life. Rather, where it was clear that at a young age, children were at risk of being brought up in a dysfunctional home where there were multiple problems, instead of waiting until the child went off the rails, we should act early, with the right help, support and discipline framework.

Briefing took place at 17:00 | Read whole briefing | Comments (0)

Prime Minister’s leaving date

Asked if this speech was part of the Prime Minister looking beyond the finishing line and "going out with a bang", the PMOS replied that he thought the journalist was asking in a polite way about today's Daily Mirror story. The Prime Minister was focussed today on this issue of social exclusion, just as he had been focussed on the issues of criminal justice and public health when he gave his lectures on them. The Prime Minister has also continued his focus on delivering the pension reform, the energy review, and on the issue of the Middle East, which was why we continued to be focussed on that. The PMOS said that the Prime Minister had not seen the memo, nor had the PMOS, nor other senior staff in No10. What the Prime Minister had said to people like him was that what he was interested in was the issues, and addressing those issues. The Prime Minister knew that people would make up their own minds about him and his record, but what he wanted to do was focus on the substances of what the Government had done, and needed to keep doing, not the image.

Briefing took place at 17:00 | Read whole briefing | Comments (2)

MPs letter

Asked if the Prime Minister had received any letters from MPs, the PMOS said that was a party matter.

Briefing took place at 17:00 | Read whole briefing | Comments (0)

Middle East

Asked for information regarding the Middle East, the PMOS replied that the important thing was that as the Prime Minister indicated in LA, that he believed that difficult as the matter was, and angry and mistrustful as people were, we had to deal with the immediate issue, and the UN continued to gather support from multinational forces. We also had to begin the process of re-engagement again. At this stage, we recognised that could only be in terms of small steps, but it was important that we began the conversation again. Therefore, that was what the Prime Minister would do. With regards to a trip to the Middle East, as the PMOS had said yesterday, a trip was not an end in itself. Rather, it was part of beginning that conversation again.

Briefing took place at 17:00 | Read whole briefing | Comments (0)

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» Tuesday, September 5, 2006

Prime Minister’s speech

Prime Minister’s leaving date

MPs letter

Middle East

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