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PM attacked on ministerial code Brown 'in charge' over the summer
(about 4 hours later)
Gordon Brown has "broken his own ministerial code" by publishing 10 statements just as MPs break up for their summer holidays, it was claimed. Gordon Brown will be in charge of the government this summer even while he is away on holiday, his spokesman says.
In total, 30 ministerial statements were being published on Tuesday - 10 of which relate to the PM, special advisers, travel and hospitality. When his predecessor Tony Blair jetted off for sunnier climes, his deputy John Prescott famously took the reins.
The code of conduct says efforts should be made to avoid leaving significant announcements to the day before recess. But this is not the case for Mr Brown. His spokesman said: "The prime minister is the prime minister and remains in charge whether he's on holiday or not."
Lib Dem MP Norman Baker said: "This is a clear attempt to bury bad news." Mr Prescott was deputy prime minister for 10 years to 2007 and stood in for Mr Blair for most of those summers.
This year Mr Brown is rumoured to be taking his family for a bucket and spade style holiday at Southwold in Suffolk and on the Scottish coast.
Obviously the prime minister will be in charge of the government over the summer, as would normally be the case Prime Minister's spokesman
But unlike Mr Blair, the prime minister does not have a named deputy - the nearest to one is Commons leader Harriet Harman, Labour's deputy leader.
When asked by reporters who would be in charge of the government over the summer, Mr Brown's official spokesman said: "Obviously the prime minister will be in charge of the government over the summer, as would normally be the case...
"There will be senior cabinet ministers in London throughout the summer to deal with any day to day government business."
The news that Mr Brown will not hand over while he is on holiday came as a large number of ministerial statements were rushed out on the last day before Parliament's summer recess.
Liberal Democrat MP Norman Baker accused Mr Brown of attempting to "bury bad news" by publishing 10 statements on the eve of MPs heading off from Westminster.
'Addicted to spin'
In total, 30 ministerial statements were published on Tuesday - 10 of which relate to the PM, special advisers, travel and hospitality.
The ministerial code of conduct, which is enforced by the prime minister, says "every effort should be made to avoid leaving significant announcements to the last day before a recess".
Written statements usually reveal the results of consultations, make announcements and give figures for amounts of money spent or costs incurred.Written statements usually reveal the results of consultations, make announcements and give figures for amounts of money spent or costs incurred.
'Violation' One showed Mr Brown made 47 visits across the UK between coming to office in June 2007 and March this year.
The majority of the 30 statements due out on Tuesday come from government departments and cover issues including teenage pregnancy, counter terrorism, national curriculum tests and the British Council.
But 10 of them come specifically from the prime minister's office and relate to ministerial gifts, UK visits made by the premier, official hospitality at Chequers, official and charity receptions at Downing Street, the cost of ministerial cars and ministerial travel.
This is a clear attempt to buy bad news by releasing it all together just as MPs are breaking up for the summer recess Norman BakerLiberal Democrat MP
Mr Baker said the publication of the statements just hours before MPs set off for their 11-week summer break mean the prime minister had "violated his own ministerial code of conduct 10 times in one day".Mr Baker said the publication of the statements just hours before MPs set off for their 11-week summer break mean the prime minister had "violated his own ministerial code of conduct 10 times in one day".
"It seems Gordon Brown is as addicted to spin and media manipulation as Tony Blair was," he said."It seems Gordon Brown is as addicted to spin and media manipulation as Tony Blair was," he said.
"Today's order paper shows 30 written statements being shoved out together in clear violation of the rules.
"This is a clear attempt to buy bad news by releasing it all together just as MPs are breaking up for the summer recess.""This is a clear attempt to buy bad news by releasing it all together just as MPs are breaking up for the summer recess."
Paragraph 9.3 of the Ministerial Code of Conduct, which is officially enforceable by the prime minister, states that "every effort should be made to avoid leaving significant announcements to the last day before a recess".