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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Brown's civil partnerships call | Brown's civil partnerships call |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Gordon Brown has said gay MPs and peers should to be allowed to hold civil partnership inside Parliament. | Gordon Brown has said gay MPs and peers should to be allowed to hold civil partnership inside Parliament. |
| He proposed the idea to MPs investigating how to open broaden representation in the House of Commons. | He proposed the idea to MPs investigating how to open broaden representation in the House of Commons. |
| Parliamentarians and their children can marry in the Palace of Westminster but civil partnerships are not allowed. | Parliamentarians and their children can marry in the Palace of Westminster but civil partnerships are not allowed. |
| Mr Brown said politicians had to do more to "take on prejudice". Tory leader David Cameron said MPs had to "push" to change people's attitudes. | Mr Brown said politicians had to do more to "take on prejudice". Tory leader David Cameron said MPs had to "push" to change people's attitudes. |
| Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg told the panel that "not enough" women, disabled people and ethnic minority members were putting themselves forward as candidates. | |
| The party leaders are taking part in a Speaker's Conference, a rare type of inquiry to discuss parliamentary reform. | |
| Diversity call | Diversity call |
| During his 20-minute question-and-answer session Mr Brown said Labour would "increase support for LGBT [lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender] candidates" at the next general election. | During his 20-minute question-and-answer session Mr Brown said Labour would "increase support for LGBT [lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender] candidates" at the next general election. |
| He added: "Just as marriages can take place in the House, we hope Mr Speaker will consider that civil ceremonies could take place here." | He added: "Just as marriages can take place in the House, we hope Mr Speaker will consider that civil ceremonies could take place here." |
| I think it's important that parties feel they are competing with each other on this issue David Cameron, Conservatives | I think it's important that parties feel they are competing with each other on this issue David Cameron, Conservatives |
| Mr Brown also said Labour had a target of returning 120 to 140 female MPs at the next election. | Mr Brown also said Labour had a target of returning 120 to 140 female MPs at the next election. |
| He said political parties had to work locally to increase ethnic minorities became involved, adding: "Our aim is to get a House of Commons, a Parliament, that more accurately reflects all the different ethnic groups of our country." | He said political parties had to work locally to increase ethnic minorities became involved, adding: "Our aim is to get a House of Commons, a Parliament, that more accurately reflects all the different ethnic groups of our country." |
| Mr Cameron said: "Attitudes are changing and I think what politicians need to do is keep leading and keep prodding." | Mr Cameron said: "Attitudes are changing and I think what politicians need to do is keep leading and keep prodding." |
| He added that he wanted to broaden the diversity of Conservative parliamentary candidates, to "improve the quality" of MPs. | He added that he wanted to broaden the diversity of Conservative parliamentary candidates, to "improve the quality" of MPs. |
| 'Modernisation' | 'Modernisation' |
| But he added that the recent introduction of "open primaries" in some constituencies was not enough to achieve this. | But he added that the recent introduction of "open primaries" in some constituencies was not enough to achieve this. |
| Mr Cameron said: "I think it's important that parties feel they are competing with each other on this issue [representation]." | Mr Cameron said: "I think it's important that parties feel they are competing with each other on this issue [representation]." |
| Asked whether his party agreed with his attitude, he said: "I think it's become very much part of the Conservative Party's modernisation, so that if I get knocked over by a bus this would continue." | Asked whether his party agreed with his attitude, he said: "I think it's become very much part of the Conservative Party's modernisation, so that if I get knocked over by a bus this would continue." |
| Mr Clegg said: "Our Parliament pretends to represent modern Britain but it doesn't have modern Britain in it." | |
| He added that he was "absolutely confident" that his party, which has no ethnic minority MPs, had "no systematic barriers or discrimination going on". | |
| The party leaders had been due to sit together for the televised debate with MPs but it was later announced that they would appear separately. | The party leaders had been due to sit together for the televised debate with MPs but it was later announced that they would appear separately. |
| Conservative Eric Pickles suggested this was down to the prime minister's "reluctance" to appear beside his rivals. | Conservative Eric Pickles suggested this was down to the prime minister's "reluctance" to appear beside his rivals. |
| But a Labour source said the format was a matter for Speaker John Bercow, adding: "The Speaker's Conference on diversity was the prime minister's idea. David Cameron originally refused to accept the invitation." | But a Labour source said the format was a matter for Speaker John Bercow, adding: "The Speaker's Conference on diversity was the prime minister's idea. David Cameron originally refused to accept the invitation." |
| Mr Brown will answer MPs' questions first, followed by Mr Cameron and Mr Clegg. | Mr Brown will answer MPs' questions first, followed by Mr Cameron and Mr Clegg. |
| The Speaker's Conference - last used in 1978 - usually looks at matters to do with electoral law and electoral reform. | The Speaker's Conference - last used in 1978 - usually looks at matters to do with electoral law and electoral reform. |
| This one, set up by former Speaker Michael Martin, is to make recommendations to make the House of Commons more representative of the electorate by increasing the number of women, black and Asian and disabled MPs. | This one, set up by former Speaker Michael Martin, is to make recommendations to make the House of Commons more representative of the electorate by increasing the number of women, black and Asian and disabled MPs. |