Downing Street Says » 2007

» Monday, May 21, 2007

Climate Change

Asked by the Guardian to comment on the Independent on Saturday story that almost all of the climate change proposals we put to the American President had been rejected, the PMOS replied that the Independent was wrong.

Briefing took place at 9:00 | Read whole briefing | Comments (0)

» Friday, May 18, 2007

SOCA

The PMS drew the attention of reporters to the first annual report published by SOCA today which said that in the first year, SOCA seized 73 tonnes of cocaine with a market value in excess of £3 billion, at the cost to drug traffickers of at least £125 million, working with police forces they prevented 35 potential murders and have an initial target list of 1600 of the most harmful criminals in the UK.

Briefing took place at 9:00 | Read whole briefing | Comments (0)

Tea

Asked who made the Prime Minister's tea, the Prime Minister's Spokesman (PMS) said that there were a range of answers to that question but she didn't intend to give any of them. The reporter supplemented by saying that the Prime Minister had said in an interview with an Arabian television station that "it was impossible to get a decent cup of tea in London anymore", the PMS said she hadn't seen the detail of the Prime Minister's words and felt she shouldn't comment any further.

Briefing took place at 9:00 | Read whole briefing | Comments (0)

Prime Minister

Asked if the Prime Minister had any interest in being president of the World Bank, the PMS said as with all questions about what the Prime Minister would do after he finishes, there was a large amount of wild and, in the main, inaccurate speculation and it was best not to comment on any of it.

Briefing took place at 9:00 | Read whole briefing | Comments (2)

Iraq

Put to the PMS that the Education Secretary had suggested that it was likely that there would be an inquiry into Iraq and did the Prime Minister support an inquiry, the PMS said that as the Prime Minister had said previously, we were sure at some point in the future there may be a time when people will want to look at the issues again in more detail, but the Prime Minister's clear belief is that that time is not now, while our troops are engaged.

Briefing took place at 9:00 | Read whole briefing | Comment (1)

Freedom of Information (FOI)

Put to the PMS that there were some renewed concerns that there was some sort of tacit Government backing for the bill being put forward by David Maclean MP, the PMS referred the reporter to the words of the Leader of the House who said, "...there is no whipping official or unofficial on either side of the House in respect of the bill which is private members bill."

Briefing took place at 9:00 | Read whole briefing | Comments (0)

» Thursday, May 17, 2007

Prime Minister’s Visit to Washington

Asked about the Prime Minister having stayed overnight in the White House, the Prime Minister's Official Spokesman (PMOS)said it was almost unique for anyone to stay at the White House under this administration. This was therefore an honour which the President had kindly extended to the Prime Minister. In terms of what they talked about, it was a private conversation.

Briefing took place at 9:00 | Read whole briefing | Comment (1)

Climate Change

Asked what the Prime Minister would be saying to the President about climate change and Americas stance on that, the PMOS said that the Prime Minister would say that we believe there was a growing chance of involving India and China in a genuine international consensus about how to deal with climate change. The consensus it was hoped, would be reflected at the G8, a consensus had to be found. The Prime Minister believed it was very good that there had been that Europe had agreed a consensus on climate change but that would not work unless there was global agreement. That is what the Prime Minister was working towards for the G8.

Asked if the Prime Minister shared the view of the Deputy Prime Minister, expressed at the John Smith Institute speech, that it was wrong for America to seek parity with China because of the difference in population, the PMOS said in terms of recognising that there were differences between developing countries and developed countries, that was simply a fact. Equally part of what was agreed at Gleneagles was the process of transferring clean energy technology from the developed world to the developing world. You could not have the situation where America is on one track and India and China are on another track. China has to be part of the solution as it is building one new power station a week, not necessarily with green technology. Put to the PMOS that the Deputy Prime Minister had said that America, not China was the problem, the PMOS said that China was developing at such a rate that it would very quickly be part of the problem, no one was immune from being part of the problem. What did not work was the suggestion that economies should be closed down worldwide or the development of new technologies to stop.

Briefing took place at 9:00 | Read whole briefing | Comments (0)

Prime Minister and the Chancellor

Put to the PMOS that the Chancellor was de facto Prime Minister in waiting why did he have to wait until the end of the period of 27th June, why not handover now, the PMOS said in terms of the leadership it was not a matter for him to speak about but the Party would confirm that there is a process that had been set out and they are both following that process. In terms of the Prime Minister's intentions he clearly set out his intentions, both before he made the announcement and after. The Prime Minister has a busy domestic and international agenda. At a domestic level, including pushing forward on education, health and other matters, taking the Prime Minister to the stage he wants to leave them at and secondly internationally, there is a very important G8 Summit coming up with very important issues of climate change and Africa. These are issues the Prime Minister took to the international agenda and which he wishes to get to a better stage before he departs. On the EU Summit, again the Prime Minister has been heavily involved in the preparations. There are major issues still to be finalised within the coming period.

Briefing took place at 9:00 | Read whole briefing | Comments (0)

World Bank

Asked where the Government stood on Paul Wolfowitz, the PMOS said that we stood where we had stood for how ever long the issue had been going on. This was a matter for the World Bank, it was being resolved by the World Bank, and it remained a matter for the World Bank. The PMOS added that we were confident that World Bank resolve the issue.

Briefing took place at 9:00 | Read whole briefing | Comments (0)

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.

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» Monday, May 21, 2007

Climate Change

» Friday, May 18, 2007

SOCA

Tea

Prime Minister

Iraq

Freedom of Information (FOI)

» Thursday, May 17, 2007

Prime Minister’s Visit to Washington

Climate Change

Prime Minister and the Chancellor

World Bank

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