PoliticsUK

Madam Speaker,

On a point of order; a Treasury Spokesman was quoted in the newspapers recently announcing that, and I quote: 'the Chancellor is prepared to make some of the boldest investments ever seen in Britain'. It is my understanding that any such pre-budget statements should be made in this House, where they can be scrutinised by Members. I wonder if you could advise Madam Speaker, whether such flagrant discourtesy from the Chancellor and Treasury Ministers is acceptable?

BB: Order! The Hon. Gentleman really is tiresome.

The comments from the Treasury, I think quite clearly, do not constitute a substantive announcement and I do not expect the Chancellor or anyone else to waste the House's time with such frivolous things. I likewise do not expect the Hon. Gentleman to waste the House's time with these frivolities either.

On a Point of Order, Madam Speaker.
I am sure you will agree with me that it is completely out of order for the Government frontbench to have jumped the gun on the first reading of the Section 28 Repeal Bill, where the Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs has entered in to open debate at First Reading, with the Leader not having set a date for Second Reading?
We know Labour doesn't care for conventions and rules, but they do exist for a reason and the Rt Hon. Gentleman really ought to know better.

BB: The Rt. Hon. Gentleman is quite correct. The Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs should know better, after all he is expected to be the expert on the conventions of this country's government if he is indeed expected to reform them. He will apologize to the House for this most obnoxious outburst and wait until he is called next time.

Madam Speaker I apologise

(For the record, this was an inadvertent post but neither here nor there)