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| Brown pressed on incentives claim | Brown pressed on incentives claim |
| (9 minutes later) | |
| Gordon Brown has denied offering backbenchers incentives to vote through controversial counter-terrorism laws, during questioning by senior MPs. | Gordon Brown has denied offering backbenchers incentives to vote through controversial counter-terrorism laws, during questioning by senior MPs. |
| The prime minister is facing the chairs of 30 Commons committees, among them Home Affairs chairman Keith Vaz. | The prime minister is facing the chairs of 30 Commons committees, among them Home Affairs chairman Keith Vaz. |
| Mr Vaz, whose decision to back the proposals prompted rumours he had been offered a knighthood, asked Mr Brown to confirm he had made no such offers. | Mr Vaz, whose decision to back the proposals prompted rumours he had been offered a knighthood, asked Mr Brown to confirm he had made no such offers. |
| "Not at all," replied Mr Brown, who is also being questioned on the economy. | "Not at all," replied Mr Brown, who is also being questioned on the economy. |
| Mr Vaz was in the news on Wednesday, after a letter to him from Labour chief whip Geoff Hoon, suggesting he may be "appropriately rewarded" for his help, was leaked to the Daily Telegraph. | Mr Vaz was in the news on Wednesday, after a letter to him from Labour chief whip Geoff Hoon, suggesting he may be "appropriately rewarded" for his help, was leaked to the Daily Telegraph. |
| 'Totally misplaced' | |
| At the start of the session Tory MP Patrick Cormack suggested the reward might be the opportunity to question Mr Brown. | |
| But in his question to the prime minister about counter-terrorism laws he asked him: "You only got your legislation through by nine votes. Is it the case that you authorised or offered any backbench Member of Parliament a peerage or a knighthood or honour, or even the Governorship of Bermuda in order to vote for your legislation?" | But in his question to the prime minister about counter-terrorism laws he asked him: "You only got your legislation through by nine votes. Is it the case that you authorised or offered any backbench Member of Parliament a peerage or a knighthood or honour, or even the Governorship of Bermuda in order to vote for your legislation?" |
| The prime minister is pressed on his lifestyle and job satisfaction by Tory MP Sir Patrick Cormack and urged to take a holiday - Mr Brown says he has "the best job in the world" LIVE: Key points as they happen | |
| Mr Brown replied: "Not at all, nor do I recall writing any letters to anyone." | Mr Brown replied: "Not at all, nor do I recall writing any letters to anyone." |
| Asked if he made any offers to the Democratic Unionists whose nine votes proved to be decisive in the vote, Mr Brown replied: "I think that the criticism of the DUP has been totally misplaced. | |
| "If there was any party in the House of Commons that knows what terrorism can do and what is its impact on our society, it is the Ulster Unionists." | |
| 'A great disservice' | 'A great disservice' |
| Conservative chairman of the public accounts committee, Edward Leigh, also pushed Mr Brown for a "yes or no" answer on whether there were "absolutely no discussions" with the DUP about anything other than the merits of the 42-day proposal. | Conservative chairman of the public accounts committee, Edward Leigh, also pushed Mr Brown for a "yes or no" answer on whether there were "absolutely no discussions" with the DUP about anything other than the merits of the 42-day proposal. |
| Mr Brown replied "yes" and added: "We were discussing the issue on its merits and I think you do a great disservice to members of Parliament if you suggest otherwise." | Mr Brown replied "yes" and added: "We were discussing the issue on its merits and I think you do a great disservice to members of Parliament if you suggest otherwise." |
| Mr Vaz also asked whether there was a danger of breaching the "constitutional settlement" by having Parliament vote on extending pre-charge detention for terrorism suspects. | Mr Vaz also asked whether there was a danger of breaching the "constitutional settlement" by having Parliament vote on extending pre-charge detention for terrorism suspects. |
| Mr Brown said he did not accept that, as the home secretary would come to Parliament with the support of police and prosecutors. | Mr Brown said he did not accept that, as the home secretary would come to Parliament with the support of police and prosecutors. |
| Globalisation benefits | Globalisation benefits |
| He also said he thought Muslims would support the laws as they wanted protection from terrorism as much as anyone. | |
| He has also been asked about each individual's rights and responsibilities, the powers of the attorney general and rebalancing power between Parliament and the executive. | He has also been asked about each individual's rights and responsibilities, the powers of the attorney general and rebalancing power between Parliament and the executive. |
| Sir Patrick Cormack, chairman of the Northern Ireland Affairs committee, suggested some of the constitutional changes had been "window dressing" - Mr Brown said there had been significant changes, such as giving MPs' a vote on going to war. | Sir Patrick Cormack, chairman of the Northern Ireland Affairs committee, suggested some of the constitutional changes had been "window dressing" - Mr Brown said there had been significant changes, such as giving MPs' a vote on going to war. |
| He was also questioned on "managing the economic slowdown" a day after predictions of lower standards of living in the UK for at least a year. | He was also questioned on "managing the economic slowdown" a day after predictions of lower standards of living in the UK for at least a year. |
| Quizzed by Labour's European scrutiny committee chairman Michael Connarty, Mr Brown said people saw the disadvantages of globalisation - like job losses to emerging economies like China - without appreciating the benefits - like cheaper consumer goods. He said western economies were capable of adapting and producing high value goods and services. | Quizzed by Labour's European scrutiny committee chairman Michael Connarty, Mr Brown said people saw the disadvantages of globalisation - like job losses to emerging economies like China - without appreciating the benefits - like cheaper consumer goods. He said western economies were capable of adapting and producing high value goods and services. |
| Asked whether he was still enjoying being prime minister Mr Brown said: it was "the best job in the world" and "plenty of other people" wanted it. | Asked whether he was still enjoying being prime minister Mr Brown said: it was "the best job in the world" and "plenty of other people" wanted it. |