DOCSLIB.ORG

Goats and Tsars: Ministerial and Other Appointments from Outside Parliament

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Goats and Tsars: Ministerial and Other Appointments from Outside Parliament House of Commons Public Administration Select Committee Goats and Tsars: Ministerial and other appointments from outside Parliament Eighth Report of Session 2009–10 Report, together with formal minutes, oral and written evidence Ordered by the House of Commons to be printed 4 March 2010 HC 330 [Incorporating HC 994-i-iii, Session 2008-09] Published on 11 March 2010 by authority of the House of Commons London: The Stationery Office Limited £14.50 The Public Administration Select Committee The Public Administration Select Committee is appointed by the House of Commons to examine the reports of the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration and the Health Service Commissioner for England, which are laid before this House, and matters in connection therewith, and to consider matters relating to the quality and standards of administration provided by civil service departments, and other matters relating to the civil service. Current membership Dr Tony Wright MP (Labour, Cannock Chase) (Chairman) Mr David Burrowes MP (Conservative, Enfield Southgate) Paul Flynn MP (Labour, Newport West) David Heyes MP (Labour, Ashton under Lyne) Kelvin Hopkins MP (Labour, Luton North) Mr Ian Liddell-Grainger MP (Conservative, Bridgwater) Julie Morgan MP (Labour, Cardiff North) Mr Gordon Prentice MP (Labour, Pendle) Paul Rowen MP (Liberal Democrats, Rochdale) Mr Charles Walker MP (Conservative, Broxbourne) Jenny Willott MP (Liberal Democrats, Cardiff Central) Powers The powers of the Committee are set out in House of Commons Standing Orders, principally in SO No 146. These are available on the Internet via www.parliament.uk Publications The Reports and evidence of the Committee are published by The Stationery Office by Order of the House. All publications of the Committee (including press notices) are on the Internet at http://www.parliament.uk/pasc Committee staff The current staff of the Committee are Steven Mark (Clerk), David Slater (Second Clerk), Pauline Ngan (Committee Specialist), Louise Glen (Senior Committee Assistant) and Su Panchanathan (Committee Assistant) Contacts All correspondence should be addressed to the Clerk of the Public Administration Select Committee, Committee Office, First Floor, 7 Millbank, House of Commons, London SW1P 3JA. The telephone number for general enquiries is 020 7219 5730; the Committee’s email address is [email protected] Goats and Tsars: Ministerial and other appointments from outside Parliament 1 Contents Report Page Summary 3 1 Introduction 5 2 Background 6 3 Why outside appointments? 9 Fewer options? 9 Career politicians 11 Gaps in skills and experience 13 4 Can outside appointments be justified? 15 Democratic mandate 15 Accountability to the House of Commons 17 Successes and failures 20 5 Bringing outsiders into government 22 Appointment to the House of Lords 22 Life membership? 22 Propriety 24 Limits 24 Appointment without being a member of either House 25 6 Advisers and ‘tsars’ 26 Conclusion 29 Formal Minutes 33 Witnesses 34 List of written evidence 34 List of Reports from the Committee during the current Parliament 35 Goats and Tsars: Ministerial and other appointments from outside Parliament 3 Summary In recent years Prime Ministers have brought an increasing number of people from outside Parliament into government as ministers—generally via appointment to the House of Lords. Some of these people have had long and successful careers outside politics, others have more traditional political backgrounds. Some have been more successful than others. The presence in government of ministers with a range of experience is designed to make government work in a more effective way. However, more people would be available from within Parliament if Prime Ministers were prepared to make use of the full range of talent within their parliamentary parties. The Westminster system of government was never designed to support substantial numbers of appointments made from outside Parliament. The practice is better suited to countries with a full separation of powers, with corresponding checks and balances. An increased use of the practice here should not be considered in isolation from wider constitutional developments. There is a place for appointments from outside Parliament, but they should be exceptional, driven primarily by governing need and subject to scrutiny by the House of Commons. It is not appropriate that ministers appointed to the Lords should have a guaranteed seat in the legislature and a title for life when they leave office. Such appointments have also focused attention on the role of ministers in the House of Lords more broadly. The total number of Lords ministers now is broadly consistent with historical trends. The practice of outside appointments should not lead to an increase in these numbers. Senior Ministers in the House of Lords should be directly accountable to all members of the elected House of Commons, although the way in which this can be achieved needs to be debated fully. We also heard practical arguments in favour of enabling ministers from either House to be able to speak in both; although such a change would be controversial. An alternative to direct appointment to the House of Lords might be the appointment of a limited number of ministers who would be members of neither House, but would be accountable to both. This would be a considerable, although not entirely unprecedented, constitutional innovation. As well as ministers, prominent people in particular fields have been employed as government ‘tsars’ or ‘champions’, to lead on or promote particular government policies. There needs to be greater transparency around these posts, so that their effectiveness can be effectively scrutinised. The increasing number of ministers appointed directly from outside Parliament suggests that the nature of government may be changing; and with it the role of Parliament. This needs to be considered as a part of the wider picture of constitutional change and not allowed to evolve in a piecemeal fashion. 4 Goats and Tsars: Ministerial and other appointments from outside Parliament Goats and Tsars: Ministerial and other appointments from outside Parliament 5 1 Introduction 1. Upon becoming Prime Minister in 2007, Gordon Brown said that he would build a “government that uses all the talents” by appointing people from outside Parliament to be ministers. These ministers became known as ‘goats’ (‘government of all the talents’). This report examines the appointment of ministers from outside Parliament. It also looks at the ad hoc appointment by government of prominent people to be its public face on a particular policy area—so-called ‘tsars’. 2. We recently completed a separate inquiry into external appointments to senior posts within the Civil Service and our conclusions were published in Outsiders and Insiders: External Appointments to the Senior Civil Service.1 This Committee and its predecessors have also undertaken extensive work on the role of special advisers within government.2 3. We took oral evidence from four people with extensive experience and knowledge of central government: Rt Hon Sir John Major, Prime Minister from 1990 to 1997, Lord Turnbull, Cabinet Secretary from 2002 to 2005, Jonathan Powell, Chief of Staff to the Prime Minister from 1997 to 2007, and Professor Anthony King, of the University of Essex. We also took evidence from three people who had been brought into the House of Lords to take up ministerial posts: Rt Hon Lord Adonis, Secretary of State for Transport, Admiral Lord West of Spithead, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Home Office, and Professor Lord Darzi of Denham, former Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Department for Health. We also received written evidence on the recruitment of government ‘tsars’. We would like to thank all those who gave evidence and the House of Commons Department of Information Services, in particular the House of Commons Library’s Parliament and Constitution Centre, for their assistance. 4. During our evidence, several of our witnesses raised concerns about the increasing number of holders of ministerial and quasi-ministerial posts. These issues have been raised with us during other inquiries and we intend to address them in a short report soon. 1 Public Administration Select Committee, Seventh Report of Session 2009-10, Outsiders and insiders: Outside Appointments to the Senior Civil Service, HC 241 2 For example: Public Administration Select Committee, Fourth Report of Session 2000-01, Special Advisers: Boon or Bane?, HC 293; First Report of Session 2003-04, A Draft Civil Service Bill: Completing the Reform, HC 128-I; Tenth Report of Session 2007-08, Constitutional Renewal: Draft Bill and White Paper, HC 499 6 Goats and Tsars: Ministerial and other appointments from outside Parliament 2 Background 5. The requirement that ministers should be members of the legislature is a feature of most Westminster-derived systems of government. For example, the New Zealand Constitution Act 1986 requires ministers to be Members of Parliament.3 Some countries, such as Canada and India, allow ministers to be appointed prior to finding a seat in Parliament, so long as they find a seat within a set period after their appointment. South Africa is exceptional in allowing up to two ministers to be appointed who are not members of Parliament. 4 6. There is a strong convention that members of the United Kingdom Government should be a member of either the House of Commons or the House of Lords. The exceptions have been few and far between. Non-parliamentarians have been appointed to ministerial posts in time of war, although not without controversy.5 Similarly, ministers have been appointed to their posts before gaining a seat but in the expectation that they will do so. For example, in October 1964 Patrick Gordon Walker was appointed Foreign Secretary by Harold Wilson, despite having lost his seat at the preceding General Election. He stood in a by-election in January of the following year, only to lose again and had to resign from the Government as a result.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Human Rights, Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity in the Commonwealth
    Human Rights, Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity in The Commonwealth Struggles for Decriminalisation and Change Edited by Corinne Lennox and Matthew Waites Human Rights, Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity in The Commonwealth: Struggles for Decriminalisation and Change Edited by Corinne Lennox and Matthew Waites © Human Rights Consortium, Institute of Commonwealth Studies, School of Advanced Study, University of London, 2013 This book is published under a Creative Commons Attribution- NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-NCND 4.0) license. More information regarding CC licenses is available at https:// creativecommons.org/licenses/ Available to download free at http://www.humanities-digital-library.org ISBN 978-1-912250-13-4 (2018 PDF edition) DOI 10.14296/518.9781912250134 Institute of Commonwealth Studies School of Advanced Study University of London Senate House Malet Street London WC1E 7HU Cover image: Activists at Pride in Entebbe, Uganda, August 2012. Photo © D. David Robinson 2013. Photo originally published in The Advocate (8 August 2012) with approval of Sexual Minorities Uganda (SMUG) and Freedom and Roam Uganda (FARUG). Approval renewed here from SMUG and FARUG, and PRIDE founder Kasha Jacqueline Nabagesera. Published with direct informed consent of the main pictured activist. Contents Abbreviations vii Contributors xi 1 Human rights, sexual orientation and gender identity in the Commonwealth: from history and law to developing activism and transnational dialogues 1 Corinne Lennox and Matthew Waites 2
    [Show full text]
  • Download the Red Book
    The For this agenda-setting collection, the leading civil society umbrella groups ACEVO and CAF worked with Lisa Nandy MP to showcase some of Red Book Labour’s key thinkers about the party’s future relationship with charities The and social enterprises. The accompanying ‘Blue Book’ and ‘Yellow Book’ feature similar essays from the Conservative and Liberal Democrat Parties. ‘This collection of essays shows the depth and vibrancy of thinking across the Labour movement on this important issue and makes a vital the Voluntary of Sector Red Book contribution to the debate in the run-up to the next election.’ Rt Hon Ed Miliband MP, Leader of the Labour Party of the ‘I hope this collection will be a provocation to further dialogue with Labour and with all the major political parties. It demonstrates a willingness to listen … that our sector should be grateful for.’ Voluntary Sector Sir Stephen Bubb, Chief Executive, ACEVO ‘The contributions in this collection show that the Labour Party possesses exciting ideas and innovations designed to strengthen Britain’s charities, Civil Society and the Labour Party and many of the concepts explored will be of interest to whichever party (or parties) are successful at the next election.’ after the 2015 election Dr John Low CBE, Chief Executive, Charities Aid Foundation With a foreword by the Rt Hon Ed Miliband MP £20 ISBN 978-1-900685-70-2 9 781900 685702 acevo-red-book-cover-centred-spine-text.indd All Pages 05/09/2014 15:40:12 The Red Book of the Voluntary Sector Civil Society and the Labour Party after
    [Show full text]
  • Haessly, Katie (2010) British Conservative Women Mps
    British Conservative Women MPs and ‘Women’s Issues’ 1950-1979 Katie Haessly, BA MA Thesis submitted to the University of Nottingham for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy December 2010 1 Abstract In the period 1950-1979, there were significant changes in legislation relating to women’s issues, specifically employment, marital and guardianship and abortion rights. This thesis explores the impact of Conservative female MPs on these changes as well as the changing roles of women within the party. In addition there is a discussion of the relationships between Conservative women and their colleagues which provides insights into the changes in gender roles which were occurring at this time. Following the introduction the next four chapters focus on the women themselves and the changes in the above mentioned women’s issues during the mid-twentieth century and the impact Conservative women MPs had on them. The changing Conservative attitudes are considered in the context of the wider changes in women’s roles in society in the period. Chapter six explores the relationship between women and men of the Conservative Parliamentary Party, as well as men’s impact on the selected women’s issues. These relationships were crucial to enhancing women’s roles within the party, as it is widely recognised that women would not have been able to attain high positions or affect the issues as they did without help from male colleagues. Finally, the female Labour MPs in the alteration of women’s issues is discussed in Chapter seven. Labour women’s relationships both with their party and with Conservative women are also examined.
    [Show full text]
  • CV Malcolm Wicks, Science and Innovation
    I/10, Abteilung für bilaterale Angelegenheiten Stand: Mai 2007 UNITED KINGDOM Minister for Science and Innovation Ministry for Science and Innovation Malcolm WICKS Married, three children Portfolio: · Science and engineering · 10 year investment framework for science and innovation · Office of Science and Innovation (OSI) · Research Councils · Knowledge Transfer and Innovation · Technology Strategy · Patent Office · National Weights and Measures Laboratory (NWML) · Chemicals · Bioscience · DTI's interest in skills · British National Space Centre (BNSC) · Waste Electronic and Waste Equipment (WEEE) · Coal Health claims · Export control · Steel · Supports the Secretary of State on energy in the House of Commons Biography: He was appointed Minister of State for Science and Innovation on 10 November 2006, having previously been Minister of State for Energy at the Department of Trade and Industry since May 2005. Before joining DTI, he was Minister of State for Pensions (June 2003 - May 2005) and Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Work (June 2001 - June 2003) at the Department for Work and Pensions and Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Lifelong Learning at the Department for Education and Employment (appointed July 1999). He was the Chairman of the Education Select Committee from 1998 until his appointment as a Minister. He has been Member of Parliament for Croydon North since 1992. He was educated at North West London Polytechnic and the London School of Economics. Between 1974 and 1977, he was a university lecturer and from 1968 to 1974 a social policy analyst at the Home Office. He was Director of the Family Policy Studies Centre before entering Parliament. He is the author of several books and reports on aspects of the welfare state.
    [Show full text]
  • The Big Society
    House of Commons Public Administration Select Committee The Big Society Seventeenth Report of Session 2010–12 Volume II Oral and written evidence Additional written evidence is contained in Volume III, available on the Committee website at www.parliament.uk/treascom Ordered by the House of Commons to be printed 7 December 2011 HC 902-II [Incorporating HC 716] Published on 14 December 2011 by authority of the House of Commons London: The Stationery Office Limited £13.00 The Public Administration Select Committee The Public Administration Select Committee is appointed by the House of Commons to examine the reports of the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration and the Health Service Commissioner for England, which are laid before this House, and matters in connection therewith, and to consider matters relating to the quality and standards of administration provided by civil service departments, and other matters relating to the civil service. Current membership Mr Bernard Jenkin MP (Conservative, Harwich and North Essex) (Chair) Alun Cairns MP (Conservative, Vale of Glamorgan) Michael Dugher MP (Labour, Barnsley East) Charlie Elphicke MP (Conservative, Dover) Paul Flynn MP (Labour, Newport West) Robert Halfon MP (Conservative, Harlow) David Heyes MP (Labour, Ashton under Lyne) Kelvin Hopkins MP (Labour, Luton North) Greg Mulholland MP (Liberal Democrat, Leeds North West) Priti Patel MP (Conservative, Witham) Lindsay Roy MP (Labour, Glenrothes) The following members were also members of the Committee during the inquiry: Nick de Bois MP (Conservative, Enfield North) Mr Charles Walker MP (Conservative, Broxbourne) Powers The powers of the Committee are set out in House of Commons Standing Orders, principally in SO No 146.
    [Show full text]
  • Z675928x Margaret Hodge Mp 06/10/2011 Z9080283 Lorely
    Z675928X MARGARET HODGE MP 06/10/2011 Z9080283 LORELY BURT MP 08/10/2011 Z5702798 PAUL FARRELLY MP 09/10/2011 Z5651644 NORMAN LAMB 09/10/2011 Z236177X ROBERT HALFON MP 11/10/2011 Z2326282 MARCUS JONES MP 11/10/2011 Z2409343 CHARLOTTE LESLIE 12/10/2011 Z2415104 CATHERINE MCKINNELL 14/10/2011 Z2416602 STEPHEN MOSLEY 18/10/2011 Z5957328 JOAN RUDDOCK MP 18/10/2011 Z2375838 ROBIN WALKER MP 19/10/2011 Z1907445 ANNE MCINTOSH MP 20/10/2011 Z2408027 IAN LAVERY MP 21/10/2011 Z1951398 ROGER WILLIAMS 21/10/2011 Z7209413 ALISTAIR CARMICHAEL 24/10/2011 Z2423448 NIGEL MILLS MP 24/10/2011 Z2423360 BEN GUMMER MP 25/10/2011 Z2423633 MIKE WEATHERLEY MP 25/10/2011 Z5092044 GERAINT DAVIES MP 26/10/2011 Z2425526 KARL TURNER MP 27/10/2011 Z242877X DAVID MORRIS MP 28/10/2011 Z2414680 JAMES MORRIS MP 28/10/2011 Z2428399 PHILLIP LEE MP 31/10/2011 Z2429528 IAN MEARNS MP 31/10/2011 Z2329673 DR EILIDH WHITEFORD MP 31/10/2011 Z9252691 MADELEINE MOON MP 01/11/2011 Z2431014 GAVIN WILLIAMSON MP 01/11/2011 Z2414601 DAVID MOWAT MP 02/11/2011 Z2384782 CHRISTOPHER LESLIE MP 04/11/2011 Z7322798 ANDREW SLAUGHTER 05/11/2011 Z9265248 IAN AUSTIN MP 08/11/2011 Z2424608 AMBER RUDD MP 09/11/2011 Z241465X SIMON KIRBY MP 10/11/2011 Z2422243 PAUL MAYNARD MP 10/11/2011 Z2261940 TESSA MUNT MP 10/11/2011 Z5928278 VERNON RODNEY COAKER MP 11/11/2011 Z5402015 STEPHEN TIMMS MP 11/11/2011 Z1889879 BRIAN BINLEY MP 12/11/2011 Z5564713 ANDY BURNHAM MP 12/11/2011 Z4665783 EDWARD GARNIER QC MP 12/11/2011 Z907501X DANIEL KAWCZYNSKI MP 12/11/2011 Z728149X JOHN ROBERTSON MP 12/11/2011 Z5611939 CHRIS
    [Show full text]
  • UNA Mag July-Sep 2007.Qxp
    NEWWORLD News and comment on the United Nations and UNA–UK On track or derailed? Progress towards the UN Millennium Development Goals PLUS: Justice not Vengeance It’s time to ditch the death penalty 2007 Review of UN Peace Operations Page 14 War and Democratic Accountability Page 20 UNITED NATIONS ASSOCIATION OF THE UK 3 Whitehall Court, London SW1A 2EL The UN Human Rights Council Page 22 www.una.org.uk Cartooning for Peace Page 35 £3.00 July–September 2007 Global Warming and the WI Page 38 UNA-UK CONTENTS Letter from the Executive Director 3 UNAUK Directory 4 UN: Miscellany 5 070707: the MDG Halfway Point 6 2007 Review of UN Peace Operations 14 UNAUK in Parliament 17 Annual Conference 2007 18 Waging War and Democratic Accountability 20 The UN Human Rights Council 22 It’s Time to Ditch the Death Penalty 26 The Oxford Handbook on the United Nations 29 Cartooning for Peace 35 UNA Westminster Pays Tribute to Peacekeepers 36 The Women’s Institute Tackles Waste 38 The Membership at Work 39 What’s On? 40 Books on the UN 41 Web Resources and Letters 42 Young Professionals Network 43 Newer World 46 MDGs Progress Chart 48 New World Subscription: is published by UNA-UK, 3 Whitehall Court, London SW1A 2EL Copies of New World are included in the membership fee for UNA-UK. www.una.org.uk Design: Advertisements: John Schwartz, [email protected] To advertise please call Veronica Lie on 020 7766 3451. The United Nations Association of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is ISSN: a company limited by guarantee (registered no.
    [Show full text]
  • THE 422 Mps WHO BACKED the MOTION Conservative 1. Bim
    THE 422 MPs WHO BACKED THE MOTION Conservative 1. Bim Afolami 2. Peter Aldous 3. Edward Argar 4. Victoria Atkins 5. Harriett Baldwin 6. Steve Barclay 7. Henry Bellingham 8. Guto Bebb 9. Richard Benyon 10. Paul Beresford 11. Peter Bottomley 12. Andrew Bowie 13. Karen Bradley 14. Steve Brine 15. James Brokenshire 16. Robert Buckland 17. Alex Burghart 18. Alistair Burt 19. Alun Cairns 20. James Cartlidge 21. Alex Chalk 22. Jo Churchill 23. Greg Clark 24. Colin Clark 25. Ken Clarke 26. James Cleverly 27. Thérèse Coffey 28. Alberto Costa 29. Glyn Davies 30. Jonathan Djanogly 31. Leo Docherty 32. Oliver Dowden 33. David Duguid 34. Alan Duncan 35. Philip Dunne 36. Michael Ellis 37. Tobias Ellwood 38. Mark Field 39. Vicky Ford 40. Kevin Foster 41. Lucy Frazer 42. George Freeman 43. Mike Freer 44. Mark Garnier 45. David Gauke 46. Nick Gibb 47. John Glen 48. Robert Goodwill 49. Michael Gove 50. Luke Graham 51. Richard Graham 52. Bill Grant 53. Helen Grant 54. Damian Green 55. Justine Greening 56. Dominic Grieve 57. Sam Gyimah 58. Kirstene Hair 59. Luke Hall 60. Philip Hammond 61. Stephen Hammond 62. Matt Hancock 63. Richard Harrington 64. Simon Hart 65. Oliver Heald 66. Peter Heaton-Jones 67. Damian Hinds 68. Simon Hoare 69. George Hollingbery 70. Kevin Hollinrake 71. Nigel Huddleston 72. Jeremy Hunt 73. Nick Hurd 74. Alister Jack (Teller) 75. Margot James 76. Sajid Javid 77. Robert Jenrick 78. Jo Johnson 79. Andrew Jones 80. Gillian Keegan 81. Seema Kennedy 82. Stephen Kerr 83. Mark Lancaster 84.
    [Show full text]
  • FDN-274688 Disclosure
    FDN-274688 Disclosure MP Total Adam Afriyie 5 Adam Holloway 4 Adrian Bailey 7 Alan Campbell 3 Alan Duncan 2 Alan Haselhurst 5 Alan Johnson 5 Alan Meale 2 Alan Whitehead 1 Alasdair McDonnell 1 Albert Owen 5 Alberto Costa 7 Alec Shelbrooke 3 Alex Chalk 6 Alex Cunningham 1 Alex Salmond 2 Alison McGovern 2 Alison Thewliss 1 Alistair Burt 6 Alistair Carmichael 1 Alok Sharma 4 Alun Cairns 3 Amanda Solloway 1 Amber Rudd 10 Andrea Jenkyns 9 Andrea Leadsom 3 Andrew Bingham 6 Andrew Bridgen 1 Andrew Griffiths 4 Andrew Gwynne 2 Andrew Jones 1 Andrew Mitchell 9 Andrew Murrison 4 Andrew Percy 4 Andrew Rosindell 4 Andrew Selous 10 Andrew Smith 5 Andrew Stephenson 4 Andrew Turner 3 Andrew Tyrie 8 Andy Burnham 1 Andy McDonald 2 Andy Slaughter 8 FDN-274688 Disclosure Angela Crawley 3 Angela Eagle 3 Angela Rayner 7 Angela Smith 3 Angela Watkinson 1 Angus MacNeil 1 Ann Clwyd 3 Ann Coffey 5 Anna Soubry 1 Anna Turley 6 Anne Main 4 Anne McLaughlin 3 Anne Milton 4 Anne-Marie Morris 1 Anne-Marie Trevelyan 3 Antoinette Sandbach 1 Barry Gardiner 9 Barry Sheerman 3 Ben Bradshaw 6 Ben Gummer 3 Ben Howlett 2 Ben Wallace 8 Bernard Jenkin 45 Bill Wiggin 4 Bob Blackman 3 Bob Stewart 4 Boris Johnson 5 Brandon Lewis 1 Brendan O'Hara 5 Bridget Phillipson 2 Byron Davies 1 Callum McCaig 6 Calum Kerr 3 Carol Monaghan 6 Caroline Ansell 4 Caroline Dinenage 4 Caroline Flint 2 Caroline Johnson 4 Caroline Lucas 7 Caroline Nokes 2 Caroline Spelman 3 Carolyn Harris 3 Cat Smith 4 Catherine McKinnell 1 FDN-274688 Disclosure Catherine West 7 Charles Walker 8 Charlie Elphicke 7 Charlotte
    [Show full text]
  • Chinese Orient for Labour Sino-British ‘New’ Relations – Gordon Brown’S First Visit to China As PM
    The Official Newsletter of the August 2008 • Volume 1 Chinese Orient for Labour Sino-British ‘new’ relations – Gordon Brown’s first visit to China as PM was accompanied on his trip by more than twenty British and European business figures. The two countries were keen to boost bilateral trade by 50% by 2010. This, according to Mr Brown, will create “tens of thousands” of jobs in the UK. Mr Brown was also optimistic that 100 new Chinese companies would invest in the from the Chair… UK by 2010. Mr Brown also officiated at the opening of the Chinese division of the London Stock Exchange in Beijing. 2008 heralds a step change in the On environmental issues, Mr Brown said that Britain and China activities of Chinese for Labour and we will work together on the development of higher level of are extremely happy that Ian McCartney cooperation which will lead the world in the creation of eco-cities has agreed to be one of our Patrons and and eco-towns. our Parliamentary Champion. His Ping Pong diplomacy was brought into play when the Chinese experience of the Party and of Premier Wen Jiabao and Gordon Brown watched a table tennis government will be invaluable as we seek performance by Chinese and British athletes at Renmin to grow our organization and we look University. During this visit, the Chinese Premier extended an forward to working closely with him on the invitation to Mr & Mrs Brown to the Beijing Olympics. Shanghai Expo 2010. The three-day visit also took Mr Brown to Shanghai, a major Our campaigning during the London economic and financial centre in east China, where he met elections and our annual CNY dinner has Prime Minister Gordon Brown and his wife, Sarah, were in Beijing Chinese entrepreneurs and witnessed the signing of a formed the core of our work.
    [Show full text]
  • Women Mps in Westminster Photographs Taken May 21St, June 3Rd, June 4Th, 2008
    “The House of Commons Works of Art Collection documents significant moments in Parliamentary history. We are delighted to have added this unique photographic record of women MPs of today, to mark the 90th anniversary of women first being able to take their seats in this House” – Hugo Swire, Chairman, The Speaker's Advisory Committee on Works of Art. “The day the Carlton Club accepted women” – 90 years after women first got the vote aim to ensure that a more enduring image of On May 21st 2008 over half of all women women's participation in the political process Members of Parliament in Westminster survives. gathered party by party to have group photographs taken to mark the anniversary of Each party gave its permission for the 90 years since women first got the vote (in photographs to be taken. For the Labour February 1918 women over 30 were first Party, Barbara Follett MP, the then Deputy granted the vote). Minister for Women and Equality, and Barbara Keeley MP, who was Chair of the Labour Party Women’s Committee and The four new composite Caroline Adams, who works for the photographs taken party by Parliamentary Labour Party helped ensure that all but 12 of the Labour women party aim to ensure that a attended. more enduring image of For the Conservative women's participation in the Party, The Shadow Leader of the House of political process survives Commons and Shadow Minister for Until now the most often used photographic Women, Theresa May image of women MPs had been the so called MP and the Chairman “Blair Babes” picture taken on 7th May 1997 of the Conservative shortly after 101 Labour women were elected Party, Caroline to Westminster as a result of positive action by Spelman MP, enlisted the Labour Party.
    [Show full text]
  • Baker to Balls: Do Politicians Really Make a Difference?
    Caroline Benn Memorial Lecture 2010 Baker to Balls: Do Politicians really make a difference? Lecturer: Barry Sheerman INTRODUCTION This afternoon I want to engage with you in a way that is appropriate at an event where we remember our friend and comrade Caroline Benn. Caroline was a formidable woman who loved to engage in the cut and thrust of debate. Caroline Benn is probably most famous for her passionate campaign for a fully comprehensive education system in Britain but I remember her as much more than that. When she worked with me when I was a young shadow minister it was obvious that she thrived on the lively exchange of ideas and it was her passion for fairness founded on social justice and education as the foundation stone for a fair society that shone through. She didn’t campaign for comprehensives as a panacea. It is Caroline’s passion for debate, the conviction she held that education was the key to social justice and indeed the fond memories I have of her that I reflected on as I prepared my talk for today. In view of this I hope that my contribution will lead to a vigorous exchange, that takes the longer view of the education debate in this country. I am sure that were Caroline here she would have much to say in response to what I put forward today. It is a great sadness that she is not. But I hope that it might inform the development of future policy as education enters a very different and challenging phase.
    [Show full text]