HAIN: TYLER TO BE ‘SORELY MISSED’

In a final exchange with local MP, Paul Tyler, today (Tuesday), Leader of the House of Commons, Peter Hain MP, said that Mr Tyler had had “many distinguished years in the House” and would be “sorely missed”.

In the last of his regular questions to Mr Hain, Shadow Leader of the House Paul Tyler reminded him of the Prime Minister’s commitment in a Labour election manifesto to ‘introduce as a general rule a fixed parliamentary term.’

“The government doesn’t actually have to dissolve this house for another 15 months.”, Mr Tyler continued,  “Is this the right way to conduct the business of the House?  Would the Leader of the House agree that there is still a good case for a longer Parliament?”, he said.

In response, Mr Hain said he “can’t help”.

Commenting after the exchange, Paul Tyler said, “I’m very grateful, of course, for Peter Hain’s good wishes.  It’s a shame though that he had to be so characteristically unhelpful in his response on the substance of my question.  The truth is that – as on so many issues – Labour’s commitment to fixed-term Parliaments in Opposition dissipated with the power of Government.

“It remains quite wrong that in the race of a general election, a principle participant – the Prime Minister of the day – holds the starting pistol.

“Fortunately for us, neither the Prime Minister nor his Party are principle participants here in North Cornwall.  In 1992, we Liberal Democrats showed that only we can provide a real alternative to the Conservative Party in Cornwall.  Since then, we’ve made Cornwall a Conservative-free zone.  Now, I will play an active part in the campaign to maintain effective Liberal Democrat representation in Cornwall, and specifically to secure the election of my chosen successor, Dan Rogerson.”

ENDS

…see Notes to Editors…

Notes to Editors

Paul Tyler has been Shadow Leader of the House since 1997, speaking for the Liberal Democrats on Constitutional Affairs.  His work has centred largely on shifting the balance of power in Britain from the Executive and to Parliament, and in opening up the work of Parliament to the wider public.

Paul Tyler recently convened a cross-party group of senior MPs, comprising Robin Cook, Kenneth Clarke, Sir George Young and Dr Tony Wright – to put forward a comprehensive Report on Reform of the House of Lords and a draft Bill to enact its proposals.  The Bill was scheduled to receive Second Reading in the Commons on Friday, but will now be cancelled following the Prime Minister’s announcement of a general election today.

Liberal Democrats would introduce fixed-term Parliaments of four years.

Labour's 1992 election manifesto said: "It [the 1992 elections] was called only after months of on-again, off-again dithering which damaged our economy and weakened our democracy. No government with a majority should be allowed to put the interests of party above country as the Conservatives have done. Although an early election will sometimes be necessary, we will introduce as a general rule a fixed parliamentary term."