Functioning of Government

Debate between Matthew Offord and Michael Ellis

Thursday 7th July 2022 Commons Chamber

[Michael Ellis]

I can only say that the Prime Minister will make a statement shortly.

[Dr Matthew Offord (Hendon) (Con)]

The hollow resignations by those who enthusiastically supported decisions such as voting for Owen Paterson show how they were unfit to serve as Ministers in the beginning. But the governance of this country cannot be allowed to fail, so when are these vacancies going to be filled? They must be filled immediately and we cannot allow decisions to be made by other Secretaries of State from other Departments. The country deserves better than that.

[Michael Ellis]

The Government will continue to function, and I have spoken to the head of the civil service to that effect.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Matthew Offord and Michael Ellis

Wednesday 2nd March 2016 Commons Chamber

[Dr Matthew Offord (Hendon) (Con)]

7. What steps the Government are taking to support the Police Service of Northern Ireland and the security services in tackling terrorism in Northern Ireland.

[Michael Ellis (Northampton North) (Con)]

10. What steps the Government are taking to support the Police Service of Northern Ireland and the security services in tackling terrorism in Northern Ireland.

Budget Resolutions and Economic Situation

Debate between Matthew Offord and Michael Ellis

Friday 22nd March 2013 Commons Chamber

[Dr Offord]

I feel that my hon. Friend is being slightly unfair to the shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions. He may have left that note, but in a confidential briefing in 2006, the shadow Chancellor and the former Prime Minister were warned that the efficiency of the public sector needed to improve rapidly, and that unless it did, spending growth would slow. The former Prime Minister disregarded that advice, and embarked on a £90 billion spending programme once he became Prime Minister.

[Michael Ellis]

Exactly. The Labour habit of spending money that the country cannot afford almost brought this country to ruin. The lack of an apology grates, but it is difficult for Labour Front Benchers to offer one, because the team that wrecked the country’s economy and trebled the national debt are still on the Opposition Front Bench.

The Budget has been welcomed by the International Monetary Fund, the OECD, the Bank of England, the CBI, the Institute of Directors and the British Chambers of Commerce—it has been rightly welcomed by everyone who knows what they are talking about as far as the economy of this country is concerned. I say to the Chancellor that he should stick with it. We cannot have a situation in which Labour is allowed to borrow more, or we will end up with a Mili-shambles.

Plan A works. It tackles the appalling structural debt legacy. An IOD official has said:

“Deficit reduction is not an option…it is an absolute necessity”.

The Government started in 2010 with the worst debt to GDP ratio of any country—it was worse than that of Greece. Other countries with better figures than ours in 2010 had been put into special measures by the IMF.