Part of Oral Answers to Questions — Foreign and Commonwealth Office – in the House of Commons at 2:30 pm on 19 February 2008.
Jim Murphy
Minister of State (Europe)
2:30,
19 February 2008
At the start of our debates and proceedings on the Lisbon treaty, I joked that I was looking forward to spending more time with the hon. Gentleman than with my own wife. He popped into my house last Friday to visit my wife —[Laughter.] I was not at home. Inexplicably, she had sent me out for the day. The constituent who lives with me, and I, have both decided to bin the ballot, and I believe that most of my constituents and those across the other nine areas where these local referendums are being held will do so too. They will recognise this as an expensive, ineffective publicity stunt by the Conservative party.
Annotations
Nicholas Spicer
Posted on 20 Feb 2008 3:51 pm (Report this annotation)
What will citizens and voters think, if this tasteless joke is regarded as the Government's answer to one of the most serious breaches of faith (one among many, I grant) towards the people they claim to represent and insist on having a right to govern?
An unprotected, ungoverned visit to a couple of pubs not frequented by MP's might inform the Minister of State.
Mr Raymond Neal
Posted on 20 Feb 2008 4:30 pm (Report this annotation)
Jim Murphy should remember the law that goes with his surname. All I can add is to say to the minister, 'Beware the anger of a patient man'. http:www.europeantruth.co.uk