Tory 'trench warfare' plan leaked

Iain Duncan Smith: The memo to him was leaked

Confidential Conservative proposals to adopt a "trench warfare" approach in parliament, including letting "imperfectly scrutinised" legislation pass through the Commons, have come under fire from Leader of the House Robin Cook.

The plans are the brainchild of shadow leader of the House Eric Forth, who in a confidential memo obtained by Mr Cook and passed to journalists also suggests a "no promotions" rule for all new Tory MPs.

Eric Forth: Memo author has reputation as a master of the filibuster

The memo to Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith, the party chairman and the chief and deputy chief whips, is embarrassing for the Conservatives because it helps ministers portray them as more interested in destructive, rather than constructive opposition.

But a spokesman for the party accused the government of being "utterly ridiculous" in trying to compare the memo to special adviser Jo Moore's leaked email suggesting the World Trade Center attacks be used to "bury" news embarrassing to ministers.

Controversial appointment

Right-wing Eurosceptic Mr Forth was a controversial shadow cabinet appointment by new Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith.

The contents of Mr Forth's memo are about making sure the government is held to account in this parliamentary term

Tory Party spokesman

In the past he has used parliamentary procedure to keep the Commons sitting all night and see off backbench bills he disagreed with.

In the memo, dated 14 September, he proposes a rota system be adopted for Tory MPs' attendance in the Commons, with a "full turn-out... mounted once a month to keep the government honest".

The Tories should focus more on bills at the committee stage, Mr Forth says, often away from the main chamber of the Commons.

In this way MPs could target "A-teams" on big controversial bills "to ensure searching scrutiny, testing out ministers, and that the bill cannot be completed in the allocated time, thus passing it to the Lords imperfectly scrutinised".

"Other bills could be used more as an opportunity to train new members," he adds.

New MPs face no promotion

Mr Forth goes on to make a suggestion likely to dishearten MPs elected for the first time at the June general election.

He writes that "the new intake should be told there will be no 'promotions' for the first two or three years, when they will be expected to do most of the trench warfare, and will be judged on their commitment and contribution".

In a further sign that Mr Forth intends to continue what fellow MPs have described as his "parliamentary guerrilla tactics", he also proposes causing parliamentary trouble on House of Commons business previously seen as a formality.

"We might consider more routinely forcing 'nod through' business to debate by objecting systematically to routine measures which could delay or embarrass the government if they had to be debated and voted on."

Hypocrisy charge

Robin Cook sought to use the memo's leak to remove some of the heat on the government from the controversy surrounding Jo Moore.

The special adviser to Transport Secretary Stephen Byers still faces calls for her resignation after distributing an email to colleagues suggesting the 11 September terror attacks offered an opportunity to "bury" awkward news.

Bearing in mind the date on which it was sent, Mr Cook said, the Tories were being hypocritical in their attacks on Ms Moore.

A spokesman for the Conservative Party rejected the charge. "It is utterly ridiculous to try and compare this with the memo from Jo Moore," he said.

"The contents of Mr Forth's memo are about making sure the government is held to account in this parliamentary term."