Briefing from the Prime Minister’s Official Spokesman on: Budget, Iraq, Abortion and General Election.
The Prime Minister’s Official Spokesman (PMOS) said that the Chancellor had told Cabinet this morning about that the Budget would show that the Government was meeting its fiscal rules, with the spending plans set out for the future fully affordable. He said that the Budget would maintain fiscal discipline, and take no risks with stability. The Chancellor had said the Budget would show the Government was able to maintain this stability, make the necessary investment to equip Britain for the longterm economic challenges arising from globalisation, and still do more to support Britain’s hardworking families and pensioners.
Budget
Asked if the Chancellor had spelt out any further details of the Budget, the PMOS said the Chancellor went through the main elements of the Budget as he always did on Budget Day.
Asked if anyone had had concerns about anything being left out of the Budget, the PMOS said that it had been fully supported.
When asked how that support had been expressed, the PMOS said in their usual "table thumping" manner!
Iraq
Asked what the Prime Minister’s response was to Prime Minister Berlusconi’s remarks last night about withdrawing Italian troops from Iraq, the PMOS said that what had become clear was that Prime Minister Berlusconi’s remarks had been misinterpreted. What Mr Berlusconi had been saying was no different from what we had been saying, which was that the future of the multinational force would depend on the capability of the Iraqi forces, and any withdrawal would be as a consequence of that increasing capability. The pace and timing of that withdrawal would be determined by the increase in Iraqiisation.
Asked to clarify what Prime Minister Berlusconi had said, the PMOS quoted Prime Minister Berlusconi as saying "it will depend on the ability of the Iraqi Government to provide adequate security structures", which was precisely the same position as ours.
Abortion
Put to the PMOS that various Muslim and Jewish leaders had intervened on the abortion issue, and asked whether the Prime Minister changed his mind about the need for a debate about timing, the PMOS said: no. As the PMOS had reflected yesterday, what the Prime Minister believed was that in the past, this had been handled as a matter of individual conscience and a free vote in the House, because there were different views across the House. Therefore, it was right that this should be handled in a non-Partisan way, and the Prime Minister believed that this would not be possible in a general election campaign.
General Election
Asked if the Prime Minister had decided what role to give Gordon Brown in the general election campaign, the PMOS said the question was one that was more appropriate for the Labour Party press office, and not him.
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