Press briefing from the Prime Minister’s Official Spokesman on: Washington, EU and Scotland
Washington
Asked if the Prime Minister was taking any novelists on his trip to Washington, the Prime Minister’s Official Spokesman (PMOS) replied that he did not brief on what other media organisations were doing, any more than he briefed on what any other journalists was asking. Asked who Martin Amis was writing for, the PMOS replied that this was the ultimate process question. The journalist asking the question would be deeply insulted if the PMOS was to tell other people what he was doing, and it was not part of professional etiquette.
Asked if there were any TV documentary crews travelling on the plane with the Prime Minister, the PMOS replied that again, he did not comment on other media organisations. Put to him that on the operational note it had stated there was no space on the plane, and asked if this still stood, the PMOS replied that he would not be drawn on processology. The journalist would be deeply insulted if the PMOS started relaying to the Lobby the sort of questions he asked in private, in the same way we respected our dealings with other media organisations as private dealings.
Put to him that there might be a concern if the Lobby were not allowed on plane if there were other media on the plane, the PMOS replied that it had always been the situation that we had people accompanying on visits on a regular basis, whether in this country or abroad, this was nothing out of the ordinary.
Put to him that it would be a very empty aeroplane, the PMOS replied that the journalist was making assumptions about the type of aeroplane being used. Asked if he would like to correct this assumption, the PMOS replied that he would not, because again he did not discuss operational matters.
EU
Asked if there was any reaction to the FT splash on Europe today, the PMOS replied that the piece cited German sources and he would not second guess what Germany was proposing or suggesting. The main point was that we already had opt-out on many home affairs matters, and he would not get in to speculation of what might or might not be proposed. But we would always retain the right to protect this country’s interests as we saw fit.
Asked to outline the Prime Minister’s view on this, the PMOS replied that as the Prime Minister had said quite openly in his press conferences with the Dutch Prime Minister, and with Chancellor Merkel, we needed a treaty that did not have the constitutional characteristics of the original. We needed to move forward in a pragmatic way to address the real concerns of the people of Europe - energy, practical cooperation to finalise the internal market, to address the issues on which Europe can cooperate, and to cooperate effectively.
Scotland
Asked if the Prime Minister had spoken to Alex Salmond since the May 3rd, the PMOS replied that he did not know. Asked if it would be normal for the Prime Minister to speak to whoever was sworn in as First Minister today, the PMOS replied that we should take event by event.
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