Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill

John Bercow Excerpts

Wednesday 2nd November 2011 Commons Chamber

[Mr Tom Clarke]

On a point of order, Mr Speaker.

[Mr Speaker]

Point of order, if the Secretary of State will just hold on. Point of order, Mr Tom Clarke.

[Mr Tom Clarke]

rose—

[Mr Speaker]

I hope it is.

[Mr Tom Clarke]

Unfortunately, Mr Speaker, you could not be here earlier, when again, again and again I asked Ministers to give way. Is there something in “Erskine May” which says, “You don’t give way to the right hon. Member for Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill”?

[Mr Speaker]

No. It is uncharacteristic of the right hon. Gentleman to be suffering from a persecution complex, and I hope that it will not be repeated. He is just unlucky today.

[Mr Kenneth Clarke]

I was about to give way to my hon. and learned Friend the Member for Torridge and West Devon (Mr Cox), but I have the highest regard for the right hon. Member for Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill (Mr Clarke), whom I have known for years, and this is the first time that I have rebuffed him, so I will give way, as he insists. He is obviously getting worried about this.