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MPs to consider action on ministers 'briefing media' MPs turn down action on ministers briefing media first
(about 17 hours later)
By Adam Fleming BBC News Political Correspondent A bid to give Parliament new powers to punish ministers who leak announcements to the media before telling the Commons has failed.
MPs are to vote on whether Parliament should have new powers to punish ministers who make announcements to the media before telling the Commons. Some backbench MPs wanted ministers to be forced to apologise in person if they did not make announcements to Parliament first.
Ministers found to have breached the rules could be referred to Speaker John Bercow and forced to apologise in person, under backbenchers' proposals. Commons Speaker John Bercow has ticked off current ministers and former Labour ones for not prioritising Parliament.
Mr Bercow has ticked off both current ministers and former Labour ones for not prioritising Parliament. But in a vote the move was heavily defeated.
The government says its ministers have given more updates than before. The ministerial code requires announcements to be made in Parliament first, but many MPs complain it is frequently flouted.
Under the MPs' proposals, Mr Bercow would have the power to involve the cross-party committee on standards and privileges, which could instruct the minister to make a personal apology. Under the MPs' proposals, Mr Bercow would have had the power to involve the cross-party committee on standards and privileges, which could instruct the minister to make a personal apology.
Ministerial code Tory MP Philip Hollobone, who led the calls for reform, said it was time to "draw a line in the sand" and force ministers to treat Parliament with respect.
Philip Hollobone - the MP sponsoring the proposal - said: "This is about bringing back some prerogative to Parliament. It is already part of the ministerial code which is administered by the prime minister." But the government says its ministers have given more updates than before.
"But this would give enforcement to Parliament too." Ministers opposed to the change and won the vote by 228 to 119, a majority of 109.
Backbenchers have frequently complained that they are the last to hear announcements.
Many of the measures in the recent Autumn Statement on the economy were briefed to journalists days before Chancellor George Osborne addressed the Commons.
But the government is opposed to the change.
It says the recently established backbench business committee has given increased powers to MPs and that coalition ministers have made many more statements to Parliament than their predecessors.