[nilesfunnies] It's the last time I spend the night with a Liberal Democrat!
"It's the last time I spend the night with a Liberal Democrat!"
Commons sleep-overs fall out
Analysis
By Nick Assinder
Political Correspondent, BBC News website
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/4041945.stm
The thought of MPs queuing up all night in their sleeping bags just to
take part in big Commons occasions is enough to warm the heart of any
cynic who believes parliamentary democracy is dead.
The sight of Ealing North's Stephen Pound tucked up in his pyjamas with a
couple of thrillers outside the table office is particularly appealing.
It is a tradition that each year some brave and committed backbenchers do
just that in order to get into the Commons chamber - which is not big
enough to hold all of them - for the budget and the Queen's speech.
It is also done by those wishing to put down the first motions on the new
session's order paper.
These motions never get voted on but are a high-profile and very effective
way of drawing attention to issues of concern.
It is the Commons equivalent to the first day of the Harrods sale and just
as good tempered and comradely - usually.
But I fear relations between two of this year's sleep-overs may have been
strained to breaking point.
According to Mr Pound, he had done a deal with Colchester's Lib Dem MP Bob
Russell to allow them both to get their very good causes top of the order
paper.
Both would queue over night but Mr Russell would put down the first motion
on behalf of Cystic Fibrosis while Mr Pound - who had earlier that night
been the MC at the charity-supporting Annie's bar pool contest - would get
second slot for his motion supporting Bob Geldof's Make Poverty History
charity.
A seething Mr Pound, however, claims the Lib Dem reneged on the deal.
"I was there for 11 hours but when the office opened he sneaked in like a
furtive ferret and put down eight motions," said Mr Pound.
"It was sharp practice and I hope his is profoundly ashamed of himself by
putting his own ego above the causes.
"I went equipped with a sleeping bag, a hip flask and four books but I got
no sleep and could not settle down to read Harold Wilson's History of the
Labour government 1974 to 1979 because Russell was snoring so loudly the
windows were rattling.
"It's the last time I spend the night with a Liberal Democrat," he said.
Mr Russell, who insists he was in the queue four hours ahead of his
sleeping bag rival, dismissed suggestions any deal had been struck between
the two.
"If, as I suspect, he is skilfully trying to build up publicity for his
charity, which I support, that is laudable.
"However, if he's genuine in his outrage he should get a life."
The idea of an MP attempting to manipulate the media in such a fashion is,
of course, unthinkable!
Commons sleep-overs fall out
Analysis
By Nick Assinder
Political Correspondent, BBC News website
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/4041945.stm
The thought of MPs queuing up all night in their sleeping bags just to
take part in big Commons occasions is enough to warm the heart of any
cynic who believes parliamentary democracy is dead.
The sight of Ealing North's Stephen Pound tucked up in his pyjamas with a
couple of thrillers outside the table office is particularly appealing.
It is a tradition that each year some brave and committed backbenchers do
just that in order to get into the Commons chamber - which is not big
enough to hold all of them - for the budget and the Queen's speech.
It is also done by those wishing to put down the first motions on the new
session's order paper.
These motions never get voted on but are a high-profile and very effective
way of drawing attention to issues of concern.
It is the Commons equivalent to the first day of the Harrods sale and just
as good tempered and comradely - usually.
But I fear relations between two of this year's sleep-overs may have been
strained to breaking point.
According to Mr Pound, he had done a deal with Colchester's Lib Dem MP Bob
Russell to allow them both to get their very good causes top of the order
paper.
Both would queue over night but Mr Russell would put down the first motion
on behalf of Cystic Fibrosis while Mr Pound - who had earlier that night
been the MC at the charity-supporting Annie's bar pool contest - would get
second slot for his motion supporting Bob Geldof's Make Poverty History
charity.
A seething Mr Pound, however, claims the Lib Dem reneged on the deal.
"I was there for 11 hours but when the office opened he sneaked in like a
furtive ferret and put down eight motions," said Mr Pound.
"It was sharp practice and I hope his is profoundly ashamed of himself by
putting his own ego above the causes.
"I went equipped with a sleeping bag, a hip flask and four books but I got
no sleep and could not settle down to read Harold Wilson's History of the
Labour government 1974 to 1979 because Russell was snoring so loudly the
windows were rattling.
"It's the last time I spend the night with a Liberal Democrat," he said.
Mr Russell, who insists he was in the queue four hours ahead of his
sleeping bag rival, dismissed suggestions any deal had been struck between
the two.
"If, as I suspect, he is skilfully trying to build up publicity for his
charity, which I support, that is laudable.
"However, if he's genuine in his outrage he should get a life."
The idea of an MP attempting to manipulate the media in such a fashion is,
of course, unthinkable!
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