Press briefing from the Prime Minister’s Official Spokesman on: Sellafeild Inquiry, Washington, Migration, PMOS, Taoiseach Address, DPM and Eurovision Song Contest
Sellafield Inquiry
Asked for the Prime Minister’s reaction to calls for Michael Redfern to hear the body parts inquiry in public, the Prime Minister’s Official Spokesman (PMOS) replied that the inquiry was already underway, and people could make their representations to the inquiry. The speed with which the inquiry had been set up and was underway, underlined that we believed that this was the right way to go.
Washington
Asked if the Prime Minister would receive the Congressional Medal whilst in Washington, the PMOS replied that the Prime Minister would not.
Asked what aims the Prime Minister had for the trip, the PMOS replied that we were coming up to a very important G8 summit, therefore climate change, which would be a large part of the agenda for the summit, would be important. So too would be Darfur and Africa. WTO was obviously approaching a crunch point so would also be part of discussions, along with Iraq, the Middle East Peace Process and Iran.
Asked for an update of where we were with the WTO, given that the Prime Minister had expressed growing confidence that we could achieve a result, the PMOS replied that the reality was that negotiations had been progressive, and in terms of detail, people had a better understanding of each others’ position. Therefore a deal was still possible. But a deal was not a deal until it was actually done, and this final stretch was always going to be the most difficult bit. We wanted to get a clearer understanding of where everyone was and to get some momentum.
Asked where we were on Iran, the PMOS replied when we got the 15 personnel back, we said that we wanted to do two things: one was underline to Iran that we believed that its behaviour was unacceptable; but secondly, to maintain the connections and contacts that we developed during those particular days. Asked where we were on the nuclear issue, the PMOS replied that discussions continued in the UN.
Asked if the Prime Minister expected to see President Bush in some capacity after he had stepped down, the PMOS replied that he did not brief about afterwards, he was the Prime Minister’s Spokesman.
Migration
Asked if the Prime Minister had any sympathy with Councils when official figures showed that that number of immigrants was putting pressure on services such as schools, the PMOS replied that Liam Byrne had set out the position very well this morning: we were introducing a points system; we were establishing an independent commission that would advise on what skills this country needs; we were also setting up an impact forum, to bring together all the relevant bodies in areas where migration has made an impact. Against that however, we also had to bear in mind that the benefits of migration amounted to around £½billion a day. So in terms of the benefits we had to be cognisant of that, while at the same time recognising that in some areas there were particular pressures on schools for example, which was why we had set out the measures we had.
Asked if we thought there was a problem with the official figures, the PMOS replied that that was a mater for the ONS.
PMOS
Asked for the PMOS’s reaction to the weekend reports that after 27th June he would still be in No10, the PMOS replied that to be honest he had not seen the reports, but his future was a matter for the Head of the Civil Service.
Taoiseach Address
Asked why Bertie Ahern was addressing Parliament this week, the PMOS replied that it was to recognise two things: first, the genuinely historic achievement of getting devolution restored, and on a much firmer footing than ever before; and secondly, his unique contribution to the successful outcome of the peace process. But it was also to recognise his unique contribution to transforming the relations between Britain and Ireland in the last 10 years. As the Prime Minister had said, previous Prime Ministers and previous Irish Prime Minister had all contributed, but Bertie Ahern had made a unique contribution.
Asked if the invitation came indirectly from the Prime Minister, the PMOS replied that it was an invitation from the Prime Minister through the Speaker of the House.
DPM
Asked that given Gordon Brown was out campaigning and the Prime Minister was away travelling, was it fair to say that the Deputy Prime Minister had a particularly important role in the coming 6 weeks, the PMOS replied that the Deputy Prime Minister always had a particularly important role, and the Prime Minister of course kept in touch at all times.
Eurovision Song Contest
Asked if the Prime Minister was disappointed with the UK’s performance in the Eurovision Song Contest, the PMOS replied that he had taken a bet before Lobby that somebody would raise the subject, but did not think it would be Gallery News. All he could say was that he, like many other people had to sit through Eurovision because of the kids, and that was suffering enough without adding to it on a Monday morning.
Put to him that the Prime Minister said 10 years ago that nation was “Walking on Sunshine” after Katrina & the Waves’ victory, and asked where were we now, the PMOS replied that we were all a lot older and wiser.
Asked how the Prime Minister felt about Anglo-Irish relations, given the fact that Ireland gave the UK a maximum 12 points and we did not reciprocate, the PMOS replied that as he had said previously, there was enough sorrow already without him having to add to it.
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