Wednesday in Westminster

Today in Parliament & Yesterday in Parliament
By Rachel Hooper
Programme Editor

Radio 4 guides you around Westminster

Gordon Brown has upped the stakes in the Tory party funding row by calling for an investigation into claims that shadow chancellor George Osborne tried to solicit a £50,000 donation from Russian billionaire Oleg Deripaska.

The growing pressure on Mr Osborne over the allegations, which he strongly denies, hung over the Commons during prime minister's questions.

Mr Osborne sat by the side of David Cameron as the Conservative leader challenged Mr Brown over his memorable mantra on abolishing "boom and bust".

Mr Cameron said Mr Brown claimed the credit in the boom but demanded to know why he would not take responsibility for the bust.

Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg called on the prime minister to take action to help pensioners facing fuel poverty this winter.

Abortion

The government has come under fire in the Commons over "tactics" used to limit, and possibly block altogether, debate on abortion law.

Under a timetable motion tabled by ministers, MPs were given just three and a half hours to debate a raft of amendments to the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill.

Conservative spokesman Mark Simmonds said he agreed with ministers that the bill wasn't "a vehicle for abortion amendments".

But he warned: "There is a significant feeling in all parts of the House that there needs to be a serious debate regarding the current workings of the abortion legislation."

He added "There is real concern and anger ... about the government tactics to limit debate both on abortion and on other key aspects of this bill."

Small businesses

The Conservatives have reacted angrily to a statement on measures to help small businesses, which summarised announcements made over recent days.

Business Minister Ian Pearson told the Commons the government was "determined to do everything it can" to help the sector.

Shadow business secretary Alan Duncan said the government had been slow to react to the financial market turmoil which was causing the "deepest imaginable pain" to businesses throughout the country.

And he attacked the government over the position of Business Secretary Lord Mandelson, "the real secretary of state", who would be giving the same statement later in the Lords.

Press officers

Cabinet Secretary Sir Gus O'Donnell has defended the rise in numbers of government press officers.

Asked to justify the 70% increase in 10 years, Sir Gus, a former Number Ten press secretary, told a committee of peers: "You could easily turn it round and say why have they gone up so little?"

He said the demands for government information had greatly increased.

In the same period, new TV broadcasters had risen by a factor of 15, the number of radio stations had trebled, over 370 journalists were accredited for Parliament, and there were now at least 1,600 political blogs.

He told the hearing: "Have the number of press officers gone up by a factor of 15? No."

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

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