What a good Speaker , you've done a very, very good job of deflecting the sleaze from us !! Well done !!!

Brown defends 'very good' Speaker

Mr Brown said the Speaker's future was up to the House of Commons

Prime Minister Gordon Brown has backed Commons Speaker Michael Martin, saying he had done a "very, very good" job.

Mr Martin, under pressure over use of taxi expenses and air miles, was also cheered by MPs at the start of business in the House of Commons on Monday.

Labour MP John Spellar paid tribute to him and warned against an attempted "coup" by political journalists.

Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg earlier also defended Mr Martin, saying he had faced "a bit of a witch-hunt".

A number of MPs are said to want the Speaker to step down as Parliament's standards watchdog investigates a complaint against him.

Home expenses

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7262190.stm

why did we employ this bloke , ? Inherent Risks ???

Rock's rescue plans 'carry risk'

All plans to save Northern Rock carry risks and there is no guarantee they will succeed, the bank's new executive chairman Ron Sandler has said.

However, there was a good platform from which to stabilise the bank and repay billions of pounds of loans, he said.

His comments came after the government rejected two private sector proposals and said it would nationalise the bank.

Mr Sandler, who has been charged with finding a strategy for the lender, said it was too early to discuss job cuts.

Business moves

Mr Sandler is the former boss of the Lloyd's of London insurance market and is widely respected for restoring confidence in Lloyd's after its years in financial disarray.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7250023.stm

I'm with you Cameron !!!!

Cameron calls for Darling to go

David Cameron wants Alistair Darling to go.

Tory leader David Cameron has called on Gordon Brown to remove Alistair Darling from his job as chancellor because he has "no credibility".

He also accused the government of "dithering, delay and indecision" over its decision to temporarily nationalise the stricken Northern Rock bank.

He said the move had produced an "economic calamity".

And it meant the government had "taken out" a second mortgage for all of us, he said in a news conference.

Mr Cameron said his party would not be supporting the nationalisation plans.

'Best option'

Instead, it would be recommending placing Northern Rock in Bank of England-led administration, to get as much money back for the taxpayer as possible.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7251183.stm

Dithering ? Never , just waiting prudently for the best option , Why don't you believe me ? 4

Dithering ? Never , just waiting prudently for the best option , Why don't you believe me ? 4

Brown rejects competence attack

Gordon Brown said nationalisation was the best option.

The prime minister has defended the decision to nationalise Northern Rock and rejected suggestions he has lost his reputation for economic competence.

Gordon Brown said ministers' actions had stopped the Rock crisis spreading and also protected its customers' cash.

He said UK economic stability had been maintained and nationalisation was now "the best option" for the taxpayer.

Shadow chancellor George Osborne has called it the day "Labour's reputation for economic competence died".

Lib Dem Vince Cable said while it was the right move, it could be costly.

Financial turbulence

Mr Darling is set to make a Commons statement on his decision to temporarily nationalise the stricken bank, which will require emergency legislation.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7250191.stm

Dithering ? Never , just waiting prudently for the best option , Why don't you believe me ? 3

Dithering ? Never , just waiting prudently for the best option , Why don't you believe me ? 3

So, has Alistair Darling announced a policy that he has previously accepted will "lead to a slow lingering death for the jobs of the Northern Rock workers, its assets and Britain's reputation as a major financial services centre with... the chancellor cast in the role of undertaker"?

That was the suggestion that led to a lively exchange between Darling and John Humphrys on Radio 4's Today programme this morning. It all stemmed from a quote I put on my blog last night which dates from the time the Lib Dems were being assaulted for daring even to think about the possibility that the Rock might have to be nationalised.



http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/nickrobinson/

Dithering ? Never , just waiting prudently for the best option , Why don't you beieve me ? 2

Dithering ? Never , just waiting prudently for the best option , Why don't you believe me ? 2

The political fall-out from Rock

By Jo Coburn BBC Political correspondent

Embarrassment for the man at Number 11 Downing Street

It was the announcement the government never wanted to make - taking Northern Rock into public ownership.

The chancellor had always said it was an option but it was certainly the least favourite.

So after four months of searching for a commercial buyer, it must have been a very difficult moment for Alistair Darling having to admit that the two private proposals on the table were just not good enough and didn't offer the taxpayer value for money.

At Sunday's press conference Mr Darling could hardly bring himself to use the dreaded N-word, opting to talk about public ownership instead.

Why such reluctance?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7249920.stm

Dithering ? Never , just waiting prudently for the best option , Why don't you believe me ?

Dithering ? Never , just waiting prudently for the best option , Why don't you believe me ?

Rock's rescue plans 'carry risk'

Employees at Northern Rock are waiting to hear about job cuts

All plans to save Northern Rock carry risks and there is no guarantee they will succeed, the bank's new executive chairman Ron Sandler has said.

However, there was a good platform from which to stabilise the bank and repay billions of pounds of loans, he said.

His comments came after the government rejected two private sector proposals and said it would nationalise the bank.

Mr Sandler, who has been charged with finding a strategy for the lender, said it was too early to discuss job cuts.

Business moves

Mr Sandler is the former boss of the Lloyd's of London insurance market and is widely respected for restoring confidence in Lloyd's after its years in financial disarray.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7250023.stm

Huh !! Cameron's only getting his front bench to comply !!!

Labour MPs to declare family jobs

Mr Brown said there would be no "quick fix"

Gordon Brown has ordered all Labour MPs to declare "as soon as possible" details of any relatives they employ.

In a letter to the Speaker, he says he has told Labour MPs not to wait until April, as recommended by the Commons standards committee earlier.

Conservative leader David Cameron has already told his frontbenchers to declare any employed relatives by July, plus a range of other expenditure.

The initiatives come after a series of revelations about MPs employing family.

The Commons estimates committee announced on Tuesday it was to hold a review of expenses after claims public money was being misused. It is due to report in October.

In a letter to Speaker Michael Martin, the chairman of the estimates committee, Gordon Brown said he welcomed its review, saying a "root-and-branch overhaul of the current system" was needed.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7229124.stm

Bugging ? I know nothing !!

Brown 'unaware of bugging letter'

Sadiq Khan said he was carrying out his normal MP work Khan interview

Downing St says it has no evidence that the PM received a letter from the Conservative party warning that an MP's conversations may have been bugged.

Newspapers have alleged that Labour MP Sadiq Khan's discussions with his constituent Babar Ahmad in prison were monitored by anti-terrorist officers.

Shadow home secretary David Davis says he wrote to the PM in December, but No 10 says it has no record of the letter.

A government inquiry is now under way into the prison bugging claims.

Mr Ahmad faces no charges in the UK but is awaiting a decision from the European courts to discover if he will be extradited to the US, on suspicion of running websites raising funds for the Taleban.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7225209.stm

Phew !!! 1/4 of a mill that's more than I get !!!

NHS workers 'paid £120 an hour'

The amounts paid to agency staff varied widely between health trusts

Hospitals have paid over £120 an hour for agency workers to cover for gaps in staffing, according to latest figures.

The highest amounts paid for an agency nurse were £121.59 an hour by the Royal Berkshire trust and £121.10 by the Chesterfield and Royal Hospital trust.

The figures for the past year were obtained by the Conservative Party under the Freedom of Information Act.

Last year, the Commons Public Accounts Committee said temporary nurses helped NHS flexibility but could be costly.

Job cuts

Shadow health secretary Andrew Lansley said: "Labour's chaotic, short-term planning has let down NHS staff. Some stability for them is the least we would have expected from the billions that the government has poured into the NHS.

"It's incredible that agency staff can be paid such high hourly rates when jobs are being cut at the same time. This is typical of the waste that's occurred under this government."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/7225180.stm