Further to my baseless speculation about embiggened rebellions...
...we have Ben Bradshaw, government minister, championing the U-turn on FoIA exemptions for politicians, and telling us that it would never have passed. And I now have a transcript available to quote from.
http://www.bbc.co.uk//radio4/news/anyquestions_transcripts_20090123.shtml DIMBLEBY: Were you glad that the Prime Minister changed his mind Ben Bradshaw?
BEN BRADSHAW: Yes I was and I am very glad that this proposal lasts approximately two days before it was reversed.... I think it would have been completely inconsistent of the government to have forced anyone to vote for an exemption for MP’s against the Freedom of Information Act ... I certainly know any proposal to whip my Labour colleagues to vote for such an exemption would never have succeeded and it will not succeed so I think the issue is dead and buried thank goodness.
My earlier post on HUGEMONGANTIC rebellions.
http://www.bbc.co.uk//radio4/news/anyquestions_transcripts_20090123.shtml DIMBLEBY: Were you glad that the Prime Minister changed his mind Ben Bradshaw?
BEN BRADSHAW: Yes I was and I am very glad that this proposal lasts approximately two days before it was reversed.... I think it would have been completely inconsistent of the government to have forced anyone to vote for an exemption for MP’s against the Freedom of Information Act ... I certainly know any proposal to whip my Labour colleagues to vote for such an exemption would never have succeeded and it will not succeed so I think the issue is dead and buried thank goodness.
My earlier post on HUGEMONGANTIC rebellions.