» Thursday, June 21, 2007
Cabinet
The Prime Minister's Official Spokesman (PMOS) began the briefing by informing journalists that the Prime Minister and the Chancellor would be holding a conference call with the German Chancellor Merkel today. He then proceeded to describe this morning's Cabinet meeting:
Briefing took place at 9:00 | Read whole briefing | Comments (0)
EU
Asked that when the Prime Minister said he was willing to walk away from the table if his red lines were not met, was this meant as a stronger expression than before to reassure Cabinet colleagues, the PMOS replied that the Prime Minister's words were precisely in line with what he has said in Parliament, and what he had said at the Liaison Committee. We needed to be sure that we have control of our home affairs and criminal justice system, that we retain control of our foreign policy, and that we are clear that there cannot be anything decided about our tax and social security policy. Those were our red lines, and the Prime Minister made that point very clearly.
Briefing took place at 9:00 | Read whole briefing | Comments (0)
» Wednesday, June 20, 2007
EU Summit
Asked if there was any more information about talks or consultations over the summit, the Prime Minister's Official Spokesman (PMOS) said that the conversation between President Sarkozy, the Prime Minister and the Chancellor was the last conversation with an EU leader that he was aware of on the summit.
Briefing took place at 15:00 | Read whole briefing | Comments (0)
Middle East Special Envoy
Put by the Evening Standard that Al Jazeera were reporting that the Prime Minister had had discussions with senior US officials about taking up a role as lead negotiator for the Quartet in the Middle East, the PMOS said that as he had told their colleague this morning, he was the Prime Minister's Spokesman, not next week's ex-Prime Minister's Spokesman, and that remained the position.
Briefing took place at 15:00 | Read whole briefing | Comments (0)
EU
Put that Margaret Beckett said yesterday at the FAC that it would be possible to take a view on Monday as to whether it would be necessary to hold a referendum on the outcome of the EU Summit, and asked was this not a change to what had been said before, the Prime Minister's Official Spokesman (PMOS) replied that he understood the journalists had to fill this week somehow, but to be honest we were in danger of semantics. The reality was that the Prime Minister had set out his four red lines, and this was the only basis on which he would agree a deal in Brussels. His view, as expressed ever since he met with the Dutch Prime Minister, was that if the four red lines were met, then we would have an amending treaty, such as was agreed in the Single European Act, and such as was agreed in Maastricht. And that therefore did not require a referendum. That has been our position for a month and a half. It was slightly ingenuous to pretend that this whole debate about a referendum had changed in that period.
Briefing took place at 9:00 | Read whole briefing | Comments (0)
Prisons
Put that 2,000 prisoners were going to be freed within 2 weeks of their release, and asked if this was a one off or whether it was a rolling weekly programme, the PMOS replied that this was verging on the hypothetical. We were engaged on a prison building programme which would deliver extra places. This was a programme which was designed to relieve pressures that were there in the system at the moment.
Briefing took place at 9:00 | Read whole briefing | Comments (0)
Misc
Asked that now the Prime Minister's agent had said that there would be a Blair Foundation for sport, were we now able to shed any light on his plans after the 27th June, the PMOS replied that he was not. He was the Prime Minister's Official Spokesman, not the "next week ex Prime Minister's Spokesman". Asked who the ex Prime Minister's Spokesman would be, the PMOS replied that this was premature as he was not yet the ex Prime Minister.
Briefing took place at 9:00 | Read whole briefing | Comments (0)
» Tuesday, June 19, 2007
European Union
Asked what we were seeking to change, other than the name, in the role of the EU Foreign Minister, the Prime Minister's Official Spokesman (PMOS) replied that we were seeking for an EU Foreign Minister to be answerable to the Council, and that it was clear it was an inter-governmental role rather than being answerable to the Commission. But we were also clear that there should be nothing that diluted in any way, our ability to set our own foreign and defence policy. Asked what we wanted to call this role, the PMOS replied that we would not be getting into the detail of negotiations. The key point was that this person was answerable to the Heads of Government, as represented in the European Council.
Briefing took place at 15:00 | Read whole briefing | Comments (0)
Prisons
Asked how many people would be released on early licence, the PMOS referred the journalist to the Ministry of Justice. Asked if we thought the number in The Times was correct, the PMOS again referred the journalist to the Department.
Briefing took place at 15:00 | Read whole briefing | Comments (0)
Lord Levy
Asked if the Prime Minister was going to Lord Levy's farewell party, the PMOS replied that the Prime Minister would be attending.
Briefing took place at 15:00 | Read whole briefing | Comments (0)
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