Wednesday in Westminster

Today in Parliament & Yesterday in Parliament
By Peter Mulligan
Programme Editor

Radio 4 guides you around Westminster

In "Today in Parliament", David Wilby reports on exchanges at prime minister's question time in which Gordon Brown's claim to have ended boom and bust were ridiculed by the Tories.

Deputy leader of the Labour Party Harriet Harman standing in for Mr Brown who is at an EU summit, accepted that the economy was facing a "serious moment".

But William Hague, deputising for opposition leader David Cameron, won loud cheers from his own side as he declared: "The claim to have abolished boom and bust was one of the most foolish, hubristic and irresponsible claims by a British prime minister."

Also in the programme:

• Simon Jones reports on a Commons debate in which MPs hear that the government is sending teams of financial experts into three local councils hit by the collapse of the Icelandic banking system;

• Alicia McCarthy listens to the first hearing of a new enquiry into school travel by MPs on the transport select committee;

• And Rachel Hooper hears the grim toll of deaths of prisoners held in jail recounted to peers during question time in the House of Lords.

In 'Yesterday in Parliament', Robert Orchard and Sean Curran wrap up the day's parliamentary events.

Tune in to Today in Parliament on BBC Radio 4 tonight at 2330 GMT and Yesterday in Parliament tomorrow morning at 0831 GMT on Radio 4 Long Wave and digital radio.

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