Press briefing from the Prime Minister’s Official Spokesman on: Lord Turnbull and Sir Stephen Wall, Casinos, Budget and Miscellaneous
Lord Turnbull and Sir Stephen Wall
Asked if the remarks made by Sir Stephen would be treated by the Prime Minister’s Official Spokesman, (PMOS) in the same way as those made by Lord Turnbull, the PMOS said yes, the same rubric would apply.
Asked what the view was of retired civil servants speaking as seen this morning or writing memoirs, the PMOS said that the view was, as set out this morning, he would not comment and all those people just mentioned were all former employees of the Government, not current employees. In terms of the overall civil service that would be a matter for Sir Gus O’Donnell and the Cabinet Office to set out, rather than the PMOS. The PMOS added that it was not a good idea for civil servants to become the story and that that was a wise convention. Put to him that a convention was not a rule, the PMOS said that it was a wise convention precisely because Ministers have to be able to trust the confidentiality between Ministers and civil servants.
Asked how concerned No.10 was about the damage this had done so near to the Budget, the PMOS said again, he would not get into giving marks out of ten for concern, simply that there is a convention and it is a wise convention.
Asked if there were any rules regarding Prime Ministers writing their memoirs, the PMOS said it was more a matter for the Cabinet Office than the PMOS.
Asked in the light of what the Prime Minister had said regarding Alastair Campbell, that he had wished him luck, was the assumption that a dim view is not taken of those who do write memoirs or interview on their time in office once they have left the Government, the PMOS said that the Prime Minister said what he said about Mr. Campbell but the PMOS would not be drawn any further on the issue as Mr. Campbell was no longer a Government employee.
Put to him that as former Ministers don’t set very good examples by rushing their memoirs out before they’ve left the building and that moves ought to be made there to change the rules, the PMOS said that at the time of those publications he did not and would not do book reviews. The PMOS added that there was a specific case this morning which he had commented on but beyond that there was nothing further to add as it was primarily a matter for the Cabinet Office and Sir Gus O’Donnell.
Asked specifically about Carole Caplin, that she had been in a position to write memoirs and had not done so, Mr. Campbell had written his memoirs, did not this give carte blanche for anyone in a position such as she to go ahead, if not with blessings, with a blind eye, the PMOS said that the position was as it was this morning.
Asked if the PMOS had any plans to publish his own memoirs, the PMOS said he had no such plans.
Asked why the Prime Minister and the PMOS always so carefully spoke of the Chancellor only in terms of a successful economic record and nothing to dispel, deny or challenge the various allegations regarding the Chancellor’s style of working or personal dimension, the PMOS said that the Prime Minister would much rather talk about the actual accomplishments in terms of the economy, in terms of the overall Government, rather than commenting on remarks which those who made the remarks say were taken out of context and so on. It is not the Prime Minister’s job to act as a commentator; it is the Prime Minister’s job to point out the achievements of Government and the Chancellor as part of that Government.
Put to him that the character of the Chancellor was an issue and that the PMOS was again avoiding the issue of the Chancellor’s character, the PMOS said that there was a perfectly understandable reluctance to get drawn into a story in which there is a disputed context in terms of certain remarks.
Asked if Sir Gus O’Donnell would be writing to Lord Turnbull to remind him of the convention spoken about earlier, the PMOS said it was a matter for Sir Gus O’Donnell and the Cabinet Office.
Asked to characterise the Prime Minister’s mood this morning when he heard Lord Turnbull’s comments, with an add in from the Daily Telegraph as to whether the Prime Minister had hit a high-five, the PMOS said that he was not sure that the Prime Minister had heard Lord Turnbull’s comments or whether he had read them, but either way he did not give a running commentary on the Prime Minister’s mood.
Casinos
Asked if the Government was going to reconsider the casino decision given that the House of Lords Committee said that it appeared that the panel’s recommendation might have been based on a misunderstanding of the criteria and the Government’s objective, the PMOS said he was certainly not aware of any plans to do so but asked the reporter to check with the department.
Budget
Asked if the Prime Minister and the Chancellor would be having a meeting before the Budget Cabinet to discuss the Budget, the PMOS said he did not discuss the details of meetings but there would be the usual pre Budget Cabinet tomorrow. Asked if there had specifically been any meetings between the Prime Minister and the Chancellor on the Budget, the PMOS said that they remained in very close contact. Asked if it would be fair to say they had been in as close contacts as usual, the PMOS said that the question really didn’t deserve an answer.
Miscellaneous
Asked if there was any comment from the Prime Minister about the NEC’s decision that there should not be an affirmative ballot, the PMOS said that it was entirely a party matter.
Asked if the Prime Minister had spoken to President Bush regarding the open skies issue, the PMOS said he did not give a running commentary on the Prime Minister’s conversations with President Bush.
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