Oral Answers to Questions

Eleanor Laing Excerpts

Wednesday 8th September 2010 Commons Chamber

[The Deputy Prime Minister]

I am very amused that the referendum, which the hon. Gentleman claims has no mandate, was in the manifesto on which he campaigned at the last election. I know that Labour is enjoying denying any responsibility for the past—U-turn after U-turn after U-turn. One hundred thousand members of the public have made suggestions about how we can try to bring some sense to our public finances without hitting the vulnerable and without hitting front-line public services. Have we heard a single suggestion from anyone on the Opposition Benches? Not a single suggestion. Until the Labour party catches up with reality, it will not be taken seriously.

[Mrs Eleanor Laing (Epping Forest) (Con)]

How can the Deputy Prime Minister justify to hard-working taxpayers facing economic difficulties in their own families and businesses the fact that he wants to spend £100 million of their taxpayers’ money on a referendum on the voting system?

[Hon. Members]

Hear, hear!