West Coast Main Line

Gerald Kaufman Excerpts

Monday 29th October 2012 Commons Chamber

[Mr McLoughlin]

I can assure my hon. Friend that I am very keen to get on with franchising, but he would expect me to wait for the recommendations of the Brown report and the Government to respond to it in a measured and appropriate way. I can give him the assurance he seeks: I am very keen to get on with franchising.

[Sir Gerald Kaufman (Manchester, Gorton) (Lab)]

I join those Members who have complimented the right hon. Gentleman on his openness in coming to the House and his readiness to come here frequently. Is he aware that, as is shown in the book “How to be a Minister”, the incompetence, errors and blunders he listed in his statement should end up in the lap of his predecessor and that the Government should admit that? Will he also accept that those of us who travel twice a week on the west coast main line have seen the cloud that has hung over the train crews during this period lifted? It is up to him to ensure that the cloud does not return.

[Mr McLoughlin]

I am not sure who wrote “How to be a Minister”, but the right hon. Gentleman might like to inform me privately afterwards. I refer him to Sam Laidlaw’s letter, which I mentioned earlier. The fact is that this is an interim report and nowhere does it criticise Ministers.