Briefing from the Prime Minister’s Spokesman on: Tuition Fees, Dennis McShane and Rugby Reception.
Tuition Fees
Asked if the Prime Minister welcomed the poll in the Evening Standard which showed public support for the Government’s tuition fee proposals, the Prime Minister’s Spokesman (PMS) said that she wasn’t sure if the Prime Minister had actually seen the poll, but obviously it was important that people saw the proposals and understood the arguments and were convinced.
Asked if the Government was hoping to convince David Blunkett of the merits of the proposals, the PMS said that Mr Blunkett had put out a statement last night on the "fiction" written this morning. The Home Office had made it clear last night that the story regarding the Home Secretary was total fiction and the idea that he was anything other than wholly supportive of the policy was drivel. Asked if that meant that every single Cabinet Minister was squarely behind the Prime Minister, the PMS reminded journalists that her colleagues had gone through this at great length yesterday and had said then that they didn’t recognise the take on the Cabinet meeting yesterday. Asked when, given that when he was Education Secretary Mr Blunkett had been fiercely against "top-up fees", his Damascene conversion had taken place, the PMS said that the Home Office had made it clear last night that the suggestion he was leading some sort of revolt against the policy was complete nonsense. He was in favour of the policy and had spoken out in favour of it. Put to her that in 1997 when Mr Blunkett introduced up front fees as Education Secretary he had said there would not be a need to resort to top-up fees, the PMS said that the Home Secretary was fully signed up to the Government’s policy on tuition fees and had publicly advocated it on numerous occasions.
Dennis McShane
Asked repeatedly if the Prime Minister agreed with Dennis McShane’s comments concerning Romano Prodi, the PMS said the Government had no criticisms to make of Mr Prodi. Asked if Mr McShane spoke on behalf of the Government, the PMS said in terms of Mr McShane’s comments journalists should talk to the Foreign Office. She said she understood that Mr McShane had spoken to a journalist in Italy. Asked if the Prime Minister had full confidence in Dennis McShane the PMS said yes.
Rugby Reception
Asked why the Prime Minister had made the reception for the World Cup winning England Rugby team party political, the PMS said that it was not a party political event. It was a Government reception to mark the achievement of the English Rugby team, their coaches and the backroom staff. The reception was for them. Asked if the opposition had been excluded when the World Cup winning soccer team of 1966 had met the Prime Minister, the PMS said that she didn’t know. If others wished to mark the achievement of the team then they were free to do so. However this was a Government reception and it was for the team, the coaches, the support staff and their wives and partners. Asked how many members of the Government had been invited. the PMS said that she didn’t know, but the team and other Rugby representatives would by far outnumber any representation by the Government. Put to her that there would be about 40 or 50 from the Rugby side, the PMS said that there would be about 120 people coming from the RFU. Asked approximately how many from the Government would be present, the PMS said that she didn’t know, as the cast list had not been finalised. Asked if the figure would be between 6 and 10 she said it would not be much more than that.
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