The Economy

Chris Bryant Excerpts

Wednesday 22nd June 2011 Commons Chamber

[Mr Osborne]

We are engaged in those negotiations, which the Chief Secretary and the Minister for the Cabinet Office are leading for our side. I have asked a very simple question: does the Labour party back public sector pension reform as set out by John Hutton? [Interruption.] That says it all.

[Chris Bryant (Rhondda) (Lab)]

Will the Chancellor give way?

[Mr Osborne]

Will he answer my question? No? I am not taking an intervention. [Interruption.] The question we have here was put by John Hutton himself—

--- Later in debate ---

[Alison McGovern (Wirral South) (Lab)]

rose—

[Chris Bryant]

rose—

[Mr Osborne]

Let me conclude—

--- Later in debate ---

[Mr Osborne]

Let me conclude—

[Chris Bryant]

Come on!

[Mr Osborne]

I think that the hon. Lady is the Parliamentary Private Secretary to the former Prime Minister, and given that he will never be here to speak for himself, she must speak for him.

--- Later in debate ---

[Mr Osborne]

Let me conclude now.

The scales have fallen from the eyes of Labour MPs. They realise that they have a shadow Chancellor who has to spend the next four years defending his record, and they are completely silent as they realise that they are going to be talking about the past, not the future.

[Chris Bryant]

Will the Chancellor give way?

[Mr Osborne]

I am not giving way. Let me conclude my speech.

That is because the shadow Chancellor is a man—

[Chris Bryant]

Give way!

[Mr Deputy Speaker (Mr Lindsay Hoyle)]

Order. Can we be a little calmer? Mr Bryant, I know you are very excited, but I am sure that people will give way.