Downing Street Says » Howard Flight

Asked about Howard Flight’s comments, the Prime Minister’s Spokesman (PMS) told the assembled press that the Prime Minister had answered a question on this in his press conference earlier; he did not agree with the comments, he said he thought Mr Flight should apologise and that was the end of the matter.

Asked what qualities of Mr Flight’s did the Prime Minister think made him a good candidate for being a Peer, the PMS said that it was a party political appointment and the question would need to be put to his political colleagues.

Put that the Prime Minister could stop the appointment, the PMS replied that he did not know the constitutional position. The PMS said he thought this was an appointment by The Queen on the basis of recommendations made by the political parties. That had happened and The Queen had approved them.

Asked if the prime Minister was happy to see a man with these views sitting on the Government side in the House of Lords, the PMS replied that he wouldn’t add to what the Prime Minister had said.

Asked if the Prime Minister recognised that such comments undermined the Government message of We’re all in this together,’ the PMS said that Mr Flight was not a member of the Government. The Prime Minister had said that he did not agree with the comments and Howard Flight had now withdrawn those comments.

Asked if Downing Street would treat the incident similarly to that of Lord Young and wait to see how the incident played out’ in the media before deciding whether to retract the Peerage, the PMS replied that Lord Young had reflected on the situation and then decided to offer his resignation.

Asked if the Prime Minister had spoken to Mr Flight, the PMS said that he had not. On whether the Prime Minister was satisfied with Mr Flight’s apology, the PMS replied that the Prime Minister thought that Mr Flight should apologise. The PMS said that as he understood it, Howard Flight apologised unreservedly and had withdrawn his remarks.

Put that Mr Flight had first said his remarks had been taken out of context’ before offering an apology and had there been any contact between Downing Street and Mr Flight, the PMS said that he would not get into process questions.

Put that there was plenty of scope for the Peerage not to be given, the PMS said that he was not a constitutional expert on such matters, but the appointment was made last week and those appointments had been made by the Queen following recommendations by the political parties.

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» Thursday, November 25, 2010

Howard Flight

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