General Press Comments

[Dame Evelyn Redgrave]

Philip and I will keep Daniel North and his family in our thoughts and prayers as he focuses on his recovery. He is a close colleague and a warm, gregarious figure and I wish him all the best.

With the circumstances of Daniel's departure, it is therefore with sadness that I accept the role of Deputy Leader of the Conservative Party to replace Daniel. I will work with William Croft and John Baker in their roles as Leader and Chairman on the key matters of party management and internal reform whilst continuing to act as an ambassador for the party. It is a great honour to be appointed to this role and I’m looking forward to getting started in addition to my present position as Shadow Home Secretary.

[Clarice Ashbridge]

It was my pleasure to introduce our motion on a conditional referendum on the House today. We've been clear on this issue so far and we remain clear on it today: the Euro is bad for Britain, and the Government should rule it out for the sake of our collective future. If they refuse to do so, it is clear that this decision of monumental importance must go to the people.

Labour have abdicated responsibility on the single currency, using their five fudged tests and the cries of "we must listen to the Treasury experts" to attempt to quash dissent to their hokey-cokey, in-out-in-out policy on the Euro. Whilst it is right that experts are consulted when major decisions are taken, in this case it is clear that no decision is going to be taken: and that the New Labour method of hiding poor governance behind a shroud of of "experts" and political wonks continues despite Tony Blair's downfall. A Conservative government under William Croft will never use experts as a human shield to deflect from our own failings. And when it comes to issues like the Euro which are so pressing for our national sovereignty, we believe that the British public are the real experts and it must be them who make the final judgement.

[Andy Edwards]

I'm proud and honoured to have introduced, on behalf of the Government, legislation that would create a meaningful and enforceable set of rights for victims of crime. In our push to be "tough on crime" and to punish, punish, punish, our system can sometimes lose sight of our goals to provide just compensation to the victims that the law has failed to protect. Victims deserve to have their rights protected and enshrined in law as well, including the right to have their story told and voices heard, the right to be informed in all phases of criminal justice, and the right to swift justice without unnecessary delay.

I'm proud to be a part of a Government that is putting the victims of crime first when it comes to the system of criminal justice. Those who suffer from no fault of their own deserve our compassion, compensation, and respect. Our bill of rights for victims of crime will ensure they get the treatment the deserve. And by setting up an enforcement scheme, these rights are more than just a paper listing of rights or a polemic designed to sound good: it makes these rights meaningful and real for those who have lacked them and those who deserve it most.

[Ege]

This government is providing time for a motion that they have slammed for settling political difference, they are opposed to it vigorously and they will vote it down but I do not buy their cheap ploy, this is an attempt by the Government to sow division within the opposition and make political gains. I will neither vote for this motion nor allow this cheap tactic to work. William Croft and I disagree strongly on this issue but we are united in opposition to this shameless government

[Brown]

If the Opposition doesn't want us to allow time to motions they table before the House, then the opposition is intentionally wasting the House's time. That shows great contempt for the House and its business.

[Ege]

I would like to thank the government for revolutionising how Commons work, governments used to ignore opposition motions and I take their strong reaction to my suggestion that they are doing this to shameless ploys, it is either because it is true or the government has decided to grant time to every opposition motion and they took offence to my suggestion.

[Will Frost]

The Shadow Education Secretary has excellently laid out one aspect of the Conservative Party's commitment to modernize and strengthen the British education system. While national standards are important, we in the Conservative Party recognize that they cannot be allowed to stifle bottom up reform and innovation proposed by the experts: the teachers themselves. Our policy to promote innovation, allow schools to experiment with new ideas, and boldly back both Academies and the expansion of Grammar Schools will ensure that every family has access to the quality education that their children deserve. Education has the capacity to be the great equalizer for our country, and to provide the tools to ensure every person has an equal shot at success. That is precisely why a Conservative Government will make expanding educational opportunity and success for all a chief ambition.

[Sir Jack Anderson]

Labour has long advocated being tough on crime so we can have safer, more prosperous communities. But we must look beyond this and ensure the state is there to support victims of crime. Today, the government took the most bold and ambitious step to support victims of crime in generations: giving victims compensation rights, right to information and extra protection from those who have inflicted them abuse and suffering. I look forward to voting for this bill, and commend the Home Secretary for his fantastic work in delivering on this crucial manifesto commitment.

[Andy Edwards]

The Conservatives, when it comes to the euro, are now hinging their argument on what this Government means when we say "when the time is right." In my speech on the floor regarding the flawed euro referendum bill- in Parliament, where we matter more than in front of the press- I made it clear what is meant by "when the time is right." It's when it would be feasible for us to actually live up to a possible vote in favor of joining the euro. The Conservatives want to forget, but the people impacted by Black Wednesday never will, how our economy was shaken when the Conservatives took us into the ERM without being prepared- when the time was NOT right. And when there was no referendum to do so. But I know that argument in Parliament is rather complex when the Conservatives can't even avoid from fighting among themselves here in the press for the public to see.

This Government believes we need to be ready no matter how the people vote- because my constituents aren't like those in the City. We can't afford another Black Wednesday. The Conservatives seem to think that having a referendum now is a surefire win for them... but it's just another gamble they want to take on working people in this country.

[Sir Jack Anderson]

The Deputy Prime Minister's announcements show that this government is committed to tackling the social ills of the day and using that progress to create an economic landscape that is better for businesses, communities and public services. Illiteracy is a moral failure, and we have let some of the most vulnerable in our communities fail as a result of it. But it also has a heavy cost on businesses and the economy and, as a result, on public services too.

Labour has already taken great strides to target illiteracy, but the initiative announced today will ensure we build a solid foundation to eradicate it. This announcement encapsulates the best of what Labour governments can do, and I am excited to see the Deputy Prime Minister work on these proposals and help improve millions of lives in the process.