On Tuesday May 1, 2012, the UK Parliament will sit for the last time before it goes into recess. It will reconvene with the State Opening of Parliament on May 9, 2012. What a joke. Minsters are already considering restricting the Public Holidays of UK workers, yet they continue to take excessive extended breaks when such public holidays for the rest of us usually mean one day away from work, if we are lucky.
This week though it will mean that just when many people have an important issue to raise at the punch and judy session in the Commons, also known as Prime Minister's Questions, it will not be available.
PM David Cameron has had to cancel a scheduled visit to Milton Keynes to, according to SkyNews, "answer the question on why Mr Hunt has not been referred to the independent adviser on ministerial interests".
Cameron is not the first UK PM to flout the rules. Former Labour PM Gordon Brown is accused of similar behaviour in the past. That does not however make it right. The Jeremy Hunt affair, its implications and links to the PM make this a different ball game.
Faced with a refusal by Lord Leveson for an opportunity for Hunt to testify earlier than planned at the inquiry the PM appeared to still feel he could just bide his time. Other ministers however want answers sooner rather than later. We should not forget that in the past Mr Cameron has attempted to save the political skin of other people such as Andy Coulson.
It would appear that people want to know what has gone on and Cameron's statement yesterday that, "If evidence comes out through this exhaustive inquiry where you're giving evidence under oath - if he did breach the ministerial code, then clearly that's a different issue and I would act." will simply not wash.
Mr Cameron is good at turning the tables on interviewers and has proved himself capable of temper tantrums on many occasions. How he will react to questioning is hard to guess. He may not be happy that the Speaker of the House has allowed the questioning now rather than later but he will have to abide by his rule.
As Labour leader Ed Milband said,."People need to know there is the utmost probity and integrity in the way Government is being run. "It is a pattern with this Prime Minister, particularly around News International... He resists the calls for change."
Yes he does, we have noticed that too!.
Tags: David Cameron, Jeremy Hunt, Parliamentary recess, Commons questions, BSkyB bid, Murdoch
This week though it will mean that just when many people have an important issue to raise at the punch and judy session in the Commons, also known as Prime Minister's Questions, it will not be available.
PM David Cameron has had to cancel a scheduled visit to Milton Keynes to, according to SkyNews, "answer the question on why Mr Hunt has not been referred to the independent adviser on ministerial interests".
Cameron is not the first UK PM to flout the rules. Former Labour PM Gordon Brown is accused of similar behaviour in the past. That does not however make it right. The Jeremy Hunt affair, its implications and links to the PM make this a different ball game.
Faced with a refusal by Lord Leveson for an opportunity for Hunt to testify earlier than planned at the inquiry the PM appeared to still feel he could just bide his time. Other ministers however want answers sooner rather than later. We should not forget that in the past Mr Cameron has attempted to save the political skin of other people such as Andy Coulson.
It would appear that people want to know what has gone on and Cameron's statement yesterday that, "If evidence comes out through this exhaustive inquiry where you're giving evidence under oath - if he did breach the ministerial code, then clearly that's a different issue and I would act." will simply not wash.
Mr Cameron is good at turning the tables on interviewers and has proved himself capable of temper tantrums on many occasions. How he will react to questioning is hard to guess. He may not be happy that the Speaker of the House has allowed the questioning now rather than later but he will have to abide by his rule.
As Labour leader Ed Milband said,."People need to know there is the utmost probity and integrity in the way Government is being run. "It is a pattern with this Prime Minister, particularly around News International... He resists the calls for change."
Yes he does, we have noticed that too!.
Tags: David Cameron, Jeremy Hunt, Parliamentary recess, Commons questions, BSkyB bid, Murdoch
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