Morning press briefing from 30 April 2008

Briefing from the Prime Minister's Spokesman on: economy, prisons, Institute of Directors speech and misc

• Downing Street press briefings explained

Economy

Asked if he could recall the last time the Prime Minister admitted that he made a mistake as he did this morning, the Prime Minister's Spokesman (PMS) replied that he did not have the exact words in his head, but he remembered similar issues arising relating to the 75p increase in pensions a few years ago.

Asked if the Treasury should have been a bit more candid about the tax changes announced regarding vehicles, the PMS replied that he was glad that he had been asked this question as it gave him the opportunity to point out the Treasury press notice issued on the day of the Budget. It made clear that the changes in VED related to all new and existing cars, and there was also an excellent table in the Budget document which set out very clearly what the old rates were and what the new rates were. As the Daily Telegraph would confirm it was their splash the day after the Budget, so it was not as if there was any great new revelation or new facts here.

Prisons

Asked if the Prime Minister personally intervened to stop prisoners getting a pay rise, the PMS replied that as the Prime Minister said in his interview this morning, he was made aware of this yesterday, discussed it with Jack Straw, and they both agreed that the right thing to do was to look at all of these issues in the context of the wider review that David Hanson the Prisons Minister was undertaking.

Institure of Directors Speech

Asked about tomorrow's speech, the PMS replied that the speech would be quite wide-ranging, and the Prime Minister would be talking about issues relating to globalisation and how the UK commonly responded to that. He would be stressing the importance of making the case for an open and inclusive form of globalisation, and he would be setting out the case for an urgent resolution of the world trade round.

Asked if it was fair to say that it was not an electioneering speech, the PMS replied that it would be fair to say that it was a speech on quite a broad economic theme to a business audience.

Misc

Asked if the Prime Minister would be voting tomorrow, the PMS replied that this was a question for his political colleagues, but his understanding was that the Prime Minister would be voting.

Asked for the Prime Minister's view about Newcastle City Council's view that Lord Laidlaw was an unsuitable person to be a sponsor of a city academy and that they wanted him to take his money back, the PMS replied that this was not something that he would be commenting on.

Asked if there would be a Government re-launch next week, the PMS replied that the Government would continue to focus on its key priorities as the Prime Minister was making clear this morning.