Another Damian McBride question at PMQs this week

Following last week's question regarding Damian McBride and the rumours that he had been in correspondence with Downing Street since his official leaving, a story which I covered here and here, I was surprised to hear the question raised again today.

This time it was Conservative MP James Duddridge (Rochford and Southend, East) who asked:

"Can the Prime Minister confirm whether he has had any correspondence, email, telephone calls or texts from Damian McBride since the day he resigned? And just to clear up the confusion there seems to be around this, could he write to the Parliamentary Standards Authority confirming the answer to this question?"

Now Gordon Brown's reply was odd, he started with what seemed like a firm denial, as he did last week:

"The answer is no"

But the answer to which question was no? Is Gordon Brown saying no he has received no such correspondence from Damian McBride or no he won't write to the Parliamentary Standards Authority? It can't be no to the first and yes to the second as that would require a no and a yes answer. So why won't Gordon Brown put in writing that he has received no correspondence from Damian McBride?


Even more oddly Gordon Brown then went on the attack as he indignantly, and rhetorically, asked the House:

"But isn't it amazing when we're discussing Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan and all the major issues that a backbencher can reduce himself to asking a question that was asked last week?"

Does Gordon Brown think that he and the cabal that surrounds him should be able to decide what questions the opposition MPs are allowed to ask as well as what questions Labour MPs may ask? I suppose that when your party is "the political wing of the British people" then surely it should decide what may or may not be asked of it...


The repetition of this specific question about Damian McBride either means that there is a bit of fishing going on or that someone, somewhere has some sort of "proof" that there has been correspondence of some sort between Damian McBride and Downing Street. If it is the latter then next week's PMQs may provide the answer...






Hansard reports the exchange thus: "James Duddridge (Rochford and Southend, East) (Con): Can the Prime Minister confirm whether he has had any correspondence, e-mail, telephone calls or texts from Damian McBride since the day he resigned, and just to clear up the confusion that there seems to be around this issue, will he write to the Parliamentary Standards Authority confirming the answer to this question?

The Prime Minister: The answer is no, but is it not amazing when we are discussing Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan and other major issues that a Back Bencher can reduce himself to re-asking a question that was asked last week?"