Today’s Business of the House Debate

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Department: Leader of the House

Today’s Business of the House

Paul Flynn Excerpts
Thursday 26th March 2015

(9 years, 1 month ago)

Commons Chamber
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Urgent Questions are proposed each morning by backbench MPs, and up to two may be selected each day by the Speaker. Chosen Urgent Questions are announced 30 minutes before Parliament sits each day.

Each Urgent Question requires a Government Minister to give a response on the debate topic.

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Lord Hague of Richmond Portrait Mr Hague
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The House can come to its own decision about that. It can accept or reject the motions before it. It is up to the House to make its decision later today.

Paul Flynn Portrait Paul Flynn (Newport West) (Lab)
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It will be said of the present Leader of the House that nothing demeaned him as much as the manner of his leaving, with a mean, spiteful kick at the best reforming Speaker we have had for 30 years. The task of this Parliament after the nightmare of the expenses scandal was to restore the public’s faith, but we leave with a House that is unreformed. It is still possible to buy a peerage and to buy access to Ministers, and the revolving door is still spinning, making it possible for former Ministers to prostitute their insider knowledge for the best job. Is not the Leader of the House ashamed of himself?

Lord Hague of Richmond Portrait Mr Hague
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The hon. Gentleman goes a little wide of the question. The obvious retort is that it is still possible to buy a party, which is what trade unions do with the Labour party. That is what really needs reform in our political system.