Business of the House

Dennis Skinner Excerpts

Thursday 28th May 2015 Commons Chamber

[Chris Grayling]

The hon. Gentleman can apply for such a debate at any time. We condemn unreservedly employers who do not pay the minimum wage. They are breaking the law; it is as simple as that. I hope and expect that the relevant authorities will take action wherever they find such breaches.

[Mr Dennis Skinner (Bolsover) (Lab)]

rose—

[Mr Speaker]

I am delighted that the hon. Member for Bolsover (Mr Skinner) has overcome his natural shyness, and that new Members will now benefit from hearing him.

[Mr Skinner]

You, Mr Speaker, could have advised the Leader of the House as well as I can that the word “chutzpah” is pronounced “khutzpah”. Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the most vindictive, mean piece of legislation announced yesterday was the attack upon the political levy, which is an attempt to withdraw funds from the Labour party—the Opposition? Will that legislation be drawn wide enough for us to put down amendments to include those hedge funds and all the other City institutions that give money to those people in the Tory party who sit on millionaire’s row?

[Chris Grayling]

I remind the hon. Gentleman that people who donate money to the Conservative party make an individual choice to do so. A large number of trade union members vote Conservative, but still end up putting their money into the Labour party. It is time they had a choice. I extend my sympathies to the hon. Gentleman. It will be a difficult Parliament for him because whenever he stands up to ask a question, he will not know whether, when he sits down again, he will find an SNP MP already in his place.