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| Jeremy Hunt Commons vote and PMQs: Politics live blog | Jeremy Hunt Commons vote and PMQs: Politics live blog |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| 10.12am: Paul Flynn, the Labour MP who sits on the public administration committee, told BBC News that today's vote was not just about Jeremy Hunt; it was about the status of the independent adviser on ministers' interests. Labour created the independent adviser post, but the adviser (currently Sir Alex Allan) can only carry out an investigation if the prime minister calls for one. Flynn said the adviser should be able to initiate his own inquiries. | |
| The committee is going to have a look at this reform of the ministerial code that was introduce five years ago, and it was a splendid reform that was meant to get some controls and independent surveillance o the conduct of ministers. It was used once under the Labour government, it should have been used at least three times under the present government, but they dodged it. And I'm afraid that what the Tories have done, having come in saying 'we're going to clean up the old sleaze, we're going to be the most transparent government ever', and they've now created new sleaze. | |
| I've taken the quotes from PoliticsHome. | |
| 10.04am: Nick Clegg has now started his evidence to the Leveson inquiry. | |
| You can follow the proceedings on our Leveson live blog. | |
| 9.50am: Jo Swinson (pictured), the Lib Dem MP and Nick Clegg's parliamentary private secretary, has been giving interviews about this afternoon vote. Like Don Foster (see 9.15am), she's been playing down the significance of the Lib Dem decision to abstain. I've taken the quote from PoliticsHome. | |
No doubt there will be some tensions, but it's inevitable that when you have two different parties that are coming together in the national interest to sort out an economic mess, there will nonetheless be some issues where there is still disagreement. We are after all two independent parties, and so from time to time there will be some disagreements. That's something that we have to deal with. It doesn't stop ministers getting on and working in the national interest in department across Whitehall today and in the future as well. | |
She also claimed that the Lib Dem decision to abstain was not an attack on Jeremy Hunt. | |
| I think it's worth pointing out that this is not a judgement on Jeremy Hunt. We're saying that we think there were questions remaining to be answered after Leveson, and in fact those were particularly around the ministerial code, not actually around the process of how he undertook the bid, because I think that has been properly explained at Leveson. | |
| 9.19am: Here's some Twitter comment on today's vote. | 9.19am: Here's some Twitter comment on today's vote. |
| From Tory MP Gavin Barwell | From Tory MP Gavin Barwell |
| Lib Dem MPs should think about precedent they're setting today. What happens if Con MPs abstain next time Labour target a Lib Dem Minister? | Lib Dem MPs should think about precedent they're setting today. What happens if Con MPs abstain next time Labour target a Lib Dem Minister? |
| — Gavin Barwell MP (@GavinBarwellMP) June 13, 2012 | — Gavin Barwell MP (@GavinBarwellMP) June 13, 2012 |
| From the Guardian's Patrick Wintour | From the Guardian's Patrick Wintour |
| Lib Dems say they cannot vote with Labour because they lied about the Iraq war but Labour is led by a leader that says he opposed the war. | Lib Dems say they cannot vote with Labour because they lied about the Iraq war but Labour is led by a leader that says he opposed the war. |
| — Patrick Wintour (@patrickwintour) June 13, 2012 | — Patrick Wintour (@patrickwintour) June 13, 2012 |
| Lib Dems justify abstention saying the vote will make no difference to PM's decision and precedent is to abstain when coalition disagrees. | Lib Dems justify abstention saying the vote will make no difference to PM's decision and precedent is to abstain when coalition disagrees. |
| — Patrick Wintour (@patrickwintour) June 13, 2012 | — Patrick Wintour (@patrickwintour) June 13, 2012 |
| Lib Dems not confirming BBC report that Cameron told Clegg why are you bothering with Leveson, no one cares. | Lib Dems not confirming BBC report that Cameron told Clegg why are you bothering with Leveson, no one cares. |
| — Patrick Wintour (@patrickwintour) June 13, 2012 | — Patrick Wintour (@patrickwintour) June 13, 2012 |
| From the BBC's Norman Smith | From the BBC's Norman Smith |
| Tory MPs warning of "pay back" forwhat they say is Clegg treachery over Hunt by scuppering Lords reform | Tory MPs warning of "pay back" forwhat they say is Clegg treachery over Hunt by scuppering Lords reform |
| — norman smith (@BBCNormanS) June 13, 2012 | — norman smith (@BBCNormanS) June 13, 2012 |
| Tory MPs urging Cameron to take a stand against Clegg..."show who's boss" | Tory MPs urging Cameron to take a stand against Clegg..."show who's boss" |
| — norman smith (@BBCNormanS) June 13, 2012 | — norman smith (@BBCNormanS) June 13, 2012 |
| Revenge for Hunt ?? Tory MPssay there could be a vote on Lords reform before recess (programme motion) which cd scupper bill | Revenge for Hunt ?? Tory MPssay there could be a vote on Lords reform before recess (programme motion) which cd scupper bill |
| — norman smith (@BBCNormanS) June 13, 2012 | — norman smith (@BBCNormanS) June 13, 2012 |
| From PoliticsHome's Paul Waugh | From PoliticsHome's Paul Waugh |
| The Tory MP (@JTomlinsonMP) who's been hauled back frm honeymoon for Hunt vote, has a sense of humour. Just tweeted link to his wedding pix. | The Tory MP (@JTomlinsonMP) who's been hauled back frm honeymoon for Hunt vote, has a sense of humour. Just tweeted link to his wedding pix. |
| — Paul Waugh (@paulwaugh) June 13, 2012 | — Paul Waugh (@paulwaugh) June 13, 2012 |
| Tory @GlynDaviesMP is also missing a funeral cos of Hunt vote. As he Tweeted: "I utterly dislike the Lib Dems.." (via @colinko) | Tory @GlynDaviesMP is also missing a funeral cos of Hunt vote. As he Tweeted: "I utterly dislike the Lib Dems.." (via @colinko) |
| — Paul Waugh (@paulwaugh) June 13, 2012 | — Paul Waugh (@paulwaugh) June 13, 2012 |
| From Alex Belardinelli, an aide to Ed Balls | From Alex Belardinelli, an aide to Ed Balls |
| We think it should happen, but we're not going to vote for it - Jo Swinson explains how Lib Dems do their politics | We think it should happen, but we're not going to vote for it - Jo Swinson explains how Lib Dems do their politics |
| — Alex Belardinelli (@abelardinelli) June 13, 2012 | — Alex Belardinelli (@abelardinelli) June 13, 2012 |
| 9.15am: Stress testing is normally associated with banks, but today the coalition is going to experience some stress testing of its own when the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats split in a vote on whether there should be an investigation into whether Jeremy Hunt broke the ministerial code. As Patrick Wintour reports in the Guardian, today's debate will mark one of the most serious breaches of coalition unity since 2010. There's no chance that the Labour motion, calling for Hunt to be investigated by the prime minister's independent adviser on ministers' interests, will get passed. But, at this stage, it is not clear quite how much damage the Lib Dems will do to coalition unity by refusing to vote to defend Hunt? Will it be seen as a polite "agreement to differ"? Or will it be remembered as an act of treachery that will hasten the moment when the coaliton collapses? | 9.15am: Stress testing is normally associated with banks, but today the coalition is going to experience some stress testing of its own when the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats split in a vote on whether there should be an investigation into whether Jeremy Hunt broke the ministerial code. As Patrick Wintour reports in the Guardian, today's debate will mark one of the most serious breaches of coalition unity since 2010. There's no chance that the Labour motion, calling for Hunt to be investigated by the prime minister's independent adviser on ministers' interests, will get passed. But, at this stage, it is not clear quite how much damage the Lib Dems will do to coalition unity by refusing to vote to defend Hunt? Will it be seen as a polite "agreement to differ"? Or will it be remembered as an act of treachery that will hasten the moment when the coaliton collapses? |
| In public comments this morning both sides have been seeking to play down the significance of the split. Grant Shapps, the Conservative housing minister, told the Today programme that the Lib Dem position was just a "reminder that we have different perspectives on things". | In public comments this morning both sides have been seeking to play down the significance of the split. Grant Shapps, the Conservative housing minister, told the Today programme that the Lib Dem position was just a "reminder that we have different perspectives on things". |
| It's a reminder that this is two parties that have come together in the national interest to sort out these huge debt problems ... The important thing is that we continue to focus on the big picture, on avoiding getting into the situation of Spain or Greece. | It's a reminder that this is two parties that have come together in the national interest to sort out these huge debt problems ... The important thing is that we continue to focus on the big picture, on avoiding getting into the situation of Spain or Greece. |
| And Don Foster, a Lib Dem backbencher, told the same programme that the debate did not matter much anyway because David Cameron had decided not to have an inquiry into Hunt. | And Don Foster, a Lib Dem backbencher, told the same programme that the debate did not matter much anyway because David Cameron had decided not to have an inquiry into Hunt. |
It's not going to make a blind bit of difference, the prime minister's already made his mind up on the issue ... The best way Nick Clegg can make clear what he believes about this is to do what he has already done. He doesn't endorse the position the prime minister's made not to refer this to the independent adviser, it's as simple as that. | It's not going to make a blind bit of difference, the prime minister's already made his mind up on the issue ... The best way Nick Clegg can make clear what he believes about this is to do what he has already done. He doesn't endorse the position the prime minister's made not to refer this to the independent adviser, it's as simple as that. |
| But is it really as good tempered as this? I'll be covering the debate in detail, and I'll be particularly interested in what Tory MPs have to say about the stance of their Lib Dem colleagues. | But is it really as good tempered as this? I'll be covering the debate in detail, and I'll be particularly interested in what Tory MPs have to say about the stance of their Lib Dem colleagues. |
| Here's the full agenda for the day. | Here's the full agenda for the day. |
| 9.30am: Tim Loughton, the children's minister, unveils plans to enshrine in law the rights of both divorced fathers and mothers to see their children. | 9.30am: Tim Loughton, the children's minister, unveils plans to enshrine in law the rights of both divorced fathers and mothers to see their children. |
| 10am: Nick Clegg gives evidence to the Leveson inquiry. In the afternoon Alex Salmond will give evidence. | 10am: Nick Clegg gives evidence to the Leveson inquiry. In the afternoon Alex Salmond will give evidence. |
| 12pm: David Cameron and Ed Miliband clash at PMQs. | |
| 12.30pm: The Jeremy Hunt debate begins. It should go on until about 4pm. | 12.30pm: The Jeremy Hunt debate begins. It should go on until about 4pm. |
| As usual, I'll be covering all the breaking political news, as well as looking at the papers and bringing you the best politics from the web. I'll post a summary before PMQs and another in the afternoon. | As usual, I'll be covering all the breaking political news, as well as looking at the papers and bringing you the best politics from the web. I'll post a summary before PMQs and another in the afternoon. |
| If you want to follow me on Twitter, I'm on @AndrewSparrow. | If you want to follow me on Twitter, I'm on @AndrewSparrow. |
| And if you're a hardcore fan, you can follow @gdnpoliticslive. It's an automated feed that tweets the start of every new post that I put on the blog. | And if you're a hardcore fan, you can follow @gdnpoliticslive. It's an automated feed that tweets the start of every new post that I put on the blog. |