Briefing from the Prime Minister’s Official Spokesman on: Iraq and Fire Dispute/Reshuffle.
Iraq
The Prime Minister’s Official Spokesman (PMOS) advised journalists that the Prime Minister was attending the European Council in Brussels today. He would hold a press conference this morning. The PMOS said that a number of European leaders had expressed their condolences on the sad deaths of some of our servicemen overnight. The Prime Minister was due back in Downing Street around mid-afternoon today. Asked whether the Prime Minister had spoken to President Bush today, the PMOS said not at this stage as far as he was aware.
Questioned as to whether the Prime Minister was planning to hold one of his regular press conferences at any time over the next few days, the PMOS said that this was a fast-moving situation. We would endeavour to keep people as up-to-date as we possibly could through briefings from the MoD, Statements to Parliament, updates from the Prime Minister and briefings in theatre. We would keep people informed. But journalists should be aware that we had no intention of providing an hour-by-hour running commentary on what was happening. Asked whether the MoD was planning to hold a daily press briefing, the PMOS said no. There was a more flexible approach. For example, on some days they would hold briefings, on others there might be Statements to the House, while on other days the PMOS would take on the main briefing role. It would all depend on where we were at any given stage.
Asked if the UK was officially at war, the PMOS said that he wasn’t a lawyer and didn’t know what the technical definition of being at war was. That said, it was pretty clear what was going on. We were obviously in a conflict situation and, as the Prime Minister had said last night, British forces were currently engaged by land, sea and air. Asked if the daily Ministerial meeting on Iraq was being referred to as a ‘War Cabinet’, the PMOS said that it was not being referred to as such by us. Asked how Downing Street was referring to it, the PMOS said that since journalists were already ‘well away’ with this one and were badging it for themselves, it was clearly not necessary for him to help them out any further. Asked whether the Prime Minister was due to have meetings on Iraq on his return to Downing Street this afternoon, the PMOS said yes.
Fire Dispute/Reshuffle
Asked if there was a timetable to implement the measures contained in the new Fire Services Bill which was being published today, the PMOS said that we were in discussions through the ‘usual channels’ in order to get the Bill through Parliament as quickly as possible. The Deputy Prime Minister’s central message to the FBU yesterday was that given a deal had now been agreed by the employers and the FBU Executive and had been endorsed by the Government, we felt it should now be put to a ballot of the members. Obviously they were going to have to reflect on that in fairly short order. The fact that the Government was bringing forward the Bill as quickly as it was was an indication of our impatience with the current position.
Questioned as to whether the ‘usual channels’ existed without a Leader of the House, the PMOS said yes. We were happy for Ben Bradshaw to continue to deputise for Robin Cook for as long as the Prime Minister judged was necessary. Asked when the Ministerial changes would be announced, the PMOS said that he had seen no indication that the Prime Minister was turning his mind to the subject at the current time. As he had said earlier in the week, it was not an issue which was at the top of his in-tray at the moment. Put to him that John Denham’s shoes ought to be filled as soon as possible given the fact that someone should take responsibility for counter-terrorism issues, the PMOS agreed that the job was important. Nevertheless, given the current circumstances, the Home Office was re-adjusting Ministerial responsibilities to cover the interim period. They had a strong team there.
Asked when Clare Short was due to return from New York, the PMOS said that she had been due back this morning, as he understood it. Questioned as to whether she was a member of the Ministerial group meeting regularly to discuss Iraq, the PMOS said yes, absolutely. We had always maintained that it was vital to address post-Saddam humanitarian issues. As we had pointed out many times in the past - and it could not be repeated often enough - a humanitarian crisis already existed in Iraq. 60% of the population were on food aid and the infant mortality rate was worse than Mozambique’s. It was therefore important for people to focus their attention and energy on this matter, as indeed they were already doing.
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