Business of the House (Thursday)

Chris Ruane Excerpts

Wednesday 8th December 2010 Commons Chamber

[Robert Flello (Stoke-on-Trent South) (Lab)]

Does my right hon. Friend agree that not only 45,000 or 50,000 students will be coming down tomorrow? Their parents and grandparents—

[Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd) (Lab)]

And great-grandparents!

[Robert Flello]

Indeed—in some cases the great-grandparents will be here, along with siblings, nieces and nephews, because hundreds of thousands of people object to the Government’s disgraceful behaviour.

--- Later in debate ---

[Mr Jones]

I think that we have heard about four different options from the Liberal Democrats this week: vote against, vote for, abstain or delay—

[Chris Ruane]

Vote both ways.

[Mr Jones]

Indeed, or delay the debate until another day.

It is important that people who signed the pledge, as they called it, have the opportunity to come here tomorrow and take part in the debate. It was interesting that in last week’s Question Time the Deputy Prime Minister refused on several occasions to indicate how he or his party intended to vote. We were told earlier tonight that the Liberal Democrat group had unlimited discussions the other night to try to get some consensus on how they would vote, and they still could not come to a decision.

[Chris Ruane]

It was a three-hour meeting.

[Mr Jones]

It was. They are obviously spending almost more time in private discussions than they are willing to allow the House to debate the matter.