Deputy PMQs today

[lewislewis]

She flat out denied there would be cuts, then followed that with a frankly nonsensical point about the Government having to spend money wisely. As I said in the OP, at the end of the session the MP who asked the question - the SNPs' Angus Robertson - raised a point of order making the not unreasonable point that she should not be allowed to lie so openly in the house, and was backed by a DUP MP and Plaid's Elfyn Llwyd (who asked why, if they werent cutting funding, Brown had contacted Morgan to tell him of the cuts).

Martin pretended to believe they were trying to get an answer to the question again, and in response to Llwyd's point of order said something like "Well, you should ask the First Minister"... it was frankly astonishing.

Thanks! Remarkable. When New Labour politicians talk about'Spending money wisely' they mean public sector cuts. It's as if the automatic assumption is that the public sector is naturally wasteful, which is simply untrue.

 

[Zachor]

Thanks! Remarkable. When New Labour politicians talk about'Spending money wisely' they mean public sector cuts. It's as if the automatic assumption is that the public sector is naturally wasteful, which is simply untrue.

Agree there. I work at the interface between the private and the public sector and I've seen just as much incomptetance and inefficiency in the private as in the public sector.

New Labour have a hatred of the public sector worse than the tories in some cases.

I now take the view that if an NL spokesperson says something about public services I automatically assume they are lying or otherwise spouting bollocks.

 

[London_Calling]

Back to the OP:

It reminded me of just how tired New Labour is; dreadful irrelevant hectoring from the dreadful Harriet. Whatever you think of his politics - and his additional income streams, William Hague is a very strong parliamentarian

 

[agricola]

Thanks! Remarkable. When New Labour politicians talk about'Spending money wisely' they mean public sector cuts. It's as if the automatic assumption is that the public sector is naturally wasteful, which is simply untrue.

The Hansard report of the exchanges is up now, its even worse than I remembered it. As an aside, this is twice that the nationalist parties (first PC, now SNP) have managed to catch Harman lying at the dispatch box:

Angus Robertson (Moray) (SNP): President Obama’s economic fiscal stimulus package is worth $787 billion, and more than half that is being spent at state level. In contrast, in the UK the Labour Government, supported by the Conservatives, are cutting devolved public spending by £1 billion in Scotland, by £500 million in Wales and by more than £200 million in Northern Ireland. How can that be sensible or socially just?

Ms Harman: We are not cutting investment in Scotland and Wales—far from it. But we are saying—and I am sure that the hon. Gentleman would agree with this—that at a time when public spending is tight, we need to make sure that every single penny of it is wisely spent.

The points of order were:

Angus Robertson (Moray) (SNP): A few moments ago, in a question to the Leader of the House, who is leaving the Chamber as I make this point of order, which is unsurprising, I asked about the UK Government’s plans for public spending cuts in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Those cuts have been discussed by the Prime Minister and the First Ministers of Northern Ireland, Wales and Scotland. They are a matter of fact, but the Leader of the House, from the Dispatch Box said, “We are not cutting public spending”. Only three short weeks ago, in reply to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Meirionnydd Nant Conwy (Mr. Llwyd) regarding the knighthood of Sir Fred Goodwin, the Leader of the House was forced to correct what she said in this Chamber. How can we secure a change, today, on this question?

Mr. Speaker: The hon. Gentleman must not use points of order to extend Prime Minister’s questions, at which the Leader of the House was deputising for the Prime Minister.

Mr. Elfyn Llwyd (Meirionnydd Nant Conwy) (PC): Further to that point of order, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker: It was not a point of order, so there cannot be any “further” to it.

Mr. Gregory Campbell (East Londonderry) (DUP): Further to that point of order, Mr. Speaker. When can we get clarification of the statement from the Leader of the Houses and of the factual position, as it was outlined to the First Ministers of the three devolved legislatures?

Mr. Speaker: The hon. Gentleman must seek a debate at some stage in the proceedings.

Mr. Llwyd: On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. Much obliged to you. The Labour First Minister in Wales is fighting the £500 million cuts that the Leader of the House denied today. I wonder why he is doing that.

Mr. Speaker: You will have to ask the First Minister. He is a very nice man and I am sure that he will be able to answer you.

From here.

 

[agricola]

Back to the OP:

It reminded me of just how tired New Labour is; dreadful irrelevant hectoring from the dreadful Harriet. Whatever you think of his politics - and his additional income streams, William Hague is a very strong parliamentarian

Whats worse is that at least two "independent" commentators (Pienaar and Sir Michael White of the Grauniad) thought she had won, or at least not lost, those exchanges. How?