Removal of Disqualification of Clergy

Part of Orders of the Day — House of Commons (Removal of Clergy Disqualification) Bill – in the House of Commons at 2:30 pm on 1 March 2001.

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Photo of John Bercow John Bercow Shadow Spokesperson (Home Affairs) 2:30, 1 March 2001

None of us wants to over-personalise the issues, but the hon Lady, in common with other hon. Members, has referred to Mr. Cairns. I am not going to pontificate on Mr. Cairns' s integrity. As I said on Second Reading, I have no strong views about him, for the simple reason that I have never made his acquaintance. However, she is unwise to bar g on about his integrity when, on the admission of the hon. Member for Greenock and Inverclyde (Dr. Godman)—for whom I have the highest regard—Mr. Cairns deliberately refrained from telling the constituency Labour party of the problem that would arise in the event of his selection.