Darling is truly the successor to Brown

Listening to "Yesterday in Parliament" on Radio 4, it appears that Alistair Darling is as good at avoiding answering questions as Gordon Brown ever was.

"Mr. Cameron:
I did not ask about what the Government did; I asked about what the Home Secretary said. The Prime Minister’s explanation is simply not good enough. People were not told because that would have been politically embarrassing, as the e-mails make clear. The Home Secretary was told that

“any announcement about illegal migrant workers...would not be presented...as a positive story.”

Her private secretary said that the Home Secretary did not think that

“the lines to take...are good enough for Press Office or Ministers to use to explain the situation.”

That is why the public were not told. Have not the Government been caught red-handed putting spin before public safety?

The Prime Minister:
It is what we did that matters"

and later on...

"Mr. Cameron:
That is such a contrast with what the Prime Minister told us in May, when he said that he would be “frank about problems” and “candid about dilemmas”. He has been neither. A simple question: will the Prime Minister say when he was told about the problem? When?

The Prime Minister:
The Home Secretary has been dealing with it throughout the summer— [ Interruption. ] It is an operational question, and I am sorry— [ Interruption. ] I am sorry that the Leader of the Opposition puts so much onus on press releases. What matters is getting things done."

and again later...

"Mr. Cameron:
Why will the Prime Minister not answer the simplest of questions? If he did not know, that is serious—but it is not the end of the world. However, does he not understand that if he does not answer a question like this, people simply will not trust him? So let me ask him again: when was he told about the problem?

The Prime Minister:
The arrangements for checking— [Hon. Members: “Answer!”] The arrangements for checking had been announced to the House of Commons some months ago. The question was what happened when we tightened the regulations: that was the operational responsibility of the Home Secretary, and she took the action that was necessary. I am sorry that the Leader of the Opposition thinks everything should go through No. 10; the Home Office was responsible, and it took action."

and yet again...

"Mr. Cameron:
Why does the Prime Minister not want to know about a major security lapse in our country? He promised us a new type of politics. He said that he would be open, he would be honest, he would be frank and he would be candid—yet today he will not answer the simplest of questions. Should not people conclude that everything he said about openness, candour and honesty was just spin?

The Prime Minister:
The key issue is what is actually done, and we took action immediately in July, August, September and October. It is for that reason that the Home Secretary was able to report yesterday that the checks on existing workers will be completed by the end of the year. We did our duty—not press releases, but action."


"Q12. [163667] Mr. Simon Burns (West Chelmsford) (Con):
The Prime Minister has a justified reputation for striking fear into the hearts and minds of junior Ministers through his micro-control of everything that goes on in his Government and his control freakery. Why will he not answer the simple question asked by my right hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr. Cameron): when did he know about the problems in the Home Office?

The Prime Minister:
This was a matter for the Home Secretary, who took all the action that was necessary, and she dealt with the problem in a calm, efficient and dignified way."

Well done Gordon you managed to completely avoid answering the question asked of you, again and again - so much for "open government".


Now Alistair Darling:
"Mr. Stewart Jackson:
The Labour party’s campaigning mantra over the past 10 years about black holes is wearing extremely thin, and it does not wash with the public. If the Chancellor is so proud of his record, can he explain why in the last financial year under this Labour Government the weekly income of the poorest 10 per cent. of this country’s population has fallen?

Mr. Darling:
I would have more sympathy with the hon. Gentleman’s comments if he supported us in our policies on tax credits, increases in child benefit and other measures that are designed to help people on low incomes to increase them. We have been increasing their incomes; the Conservatives have absolutely nothing to say about it."

Until Alistair Darling answers a question he should have no self-respect.



All quotations are from Hansard's record here.