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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| Brown 'in charge' over the summer | Brown 'in charge' over the summer |
| (39 minutes later) | |
| Gordon Brown will be in charge of the government this summer even while he is away on holiday, his spokesman says. | Gordon Brown will be in charge of the government this summer even while he is away on holiday, his spokesman says. |
| When his predecessor Tony Blair jetted off for sunnier climes, his deputy John Prescott famously took over. | |
| 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." | 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." |
| Mr Prescott was deputy prime minister for 10 years to 2007 and stood in for Mr Blair for most of those summers. | 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 | 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. | 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... | 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." | "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. | 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. | 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' | 'Addicted to spin' |
| In total, 30 ministerial statements were published on Tuesday - 10 of which relate to the PM, special advisers, travel and hospitality. | 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". | 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. |
| One showed Mr Brown made 47 visits across the UK between coming to office in June 2007 and March this year. | One showed Mr Brown made 47 visits across the UK between coming to office in June 2007 and March this year. |
| Another revealed that the government spent just over £6m on ministers' cars and drivers in 2007/08 - paying for 87 vehicles. The Home Office spent most - £477,000. The Scotland Office had the lowest bill - £66,200. | |
| Mr Baker said it was "shameful" that ministers were spending so much "being ferried around in the lap of luxury". | |
| He added that the publication of the statements, just hours before MPs set off for their 11-week summer break, means the prime minister has "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. |
| "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." |
| For the Conservatives, shadow Cabinet Office minister Francis Maude said: "Gordon Brown pledged to end the era of spin, but instead he's rushed to use more taxpayers' cash to hire a growing number of spin doctors in a vain attempt to stop his popularity from plummeting any further. | |
| "With people across the country struggling with the rising cost of living, Gordon Brown has once again demonstrated his willingness to use public money for his own political ends." |