Wednesday 7 September 2011

PMQs: Nadine Dorries Question.


I've done something that rarely happens. I have left PMQs halfway through to sit and write, and write cross. (arguably I've written some of my best work cross!)

Prime Minister's Questions is an open forum for the Prime minister to be questioned about policy and direct issues to do with constituencies and since is televisation, and I agree with Charles Kennedy on this one, that it has become more of an open circus with people making media statements and trying to get noticed.

Any way today, and I should I have since this coming considering my previous post; ( http://gingerliberal.blogspot.com/2011/09/covert-whipping-and-nadine-dorries.html) Nadine Dorries asked the Prime minister;

"Considering that the Liberal Democrats make up only 8% of parliament why do they have such a large impact on Government policy? When will the Prime Minister tell the Deputy Prime Minister who is boss?"
Or words to that affect.

Firstly, a quick stats check... There may only be 50 Lib Dem MPs but 25% of the vote across the country was for the Liberal Democrats, so we are pretty unrepresented.

Secondly, the issue of abortion is being discussed by the whole house this afternoon and it isn't just the Lib Dems who oppose her amendment, in fact large groups across the country are against it, we are merely voicing their concerns which is what you are supposed to do in the House.

As for the Lib Dem influence on the Coalition? Maybe we do have a large influence, however there is a lot of common ground between our two parties and so a lot of the Government policy is naturally agreed upon and tweaked where necessary by both sides. We've had to sign off on things that we've not agreed on, Tuition Fees for example or Trident... The coalition is a partnership and we both have to make sacrifices - That's how it works!

I know, as I said in the previously mentioned post, that Ms Dorries thinks that Nick Clegg has influenced the Prime Minister and the letter that was sent to all MPs but this is not the case. She is frustrated that her amendment is not getting support and is looking for someone to blame. 

Both parties are in this Coalition together, and lets not forget why we are doing this, for "Real change" to the country and to sort out the massive deficit that has befallen the nation.
Will we always agree? No!
Do we negotiate and talk before finding a common ground that we can agree on like adults? Yes.

If Ms Dorries has a problem with the way the Government is being run, she should talk to her party leader, Mr Cameron and voice her concerns properly, not on national television in front of the whole house like that. It makes valid concerns that some Conservatives have about the government look like spoilt children.

We do not throw our toys out of the pram at PMQs just because we think the other kids are deciding what games are played. It's school yard and infantile and not the kind of grown up politics that this nation needs.

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