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| PMQs: Cameron and Miliband clash over Lynton Crosby | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| David Cameron was attacked by Ed Miliband at Prime Minister's Questions over his election strategist's links to the tobacco industry. | |
| The Labour leader claimed Lynton Crosby influenced the decision to shelve plain cigarette packaging. | |
| He dubbed Mr Cameron the prime minister for "Benson and Hedge funds". | |
| Mr Cameron said the decision to seek further evidence on plain packaging was made by him and the health secretary and Labour had made the same judgement. | |
| The prime minister has refused to be drawn on whether he had a conversation with Mr Crosby before making the controversial decision, saying the Australian has "never lobbied me on anything". | |
| 'No influence' | |
| Mr Miliband said: "The whole of the country will have heard those same weasel words that you are sticking to. You can't deny that he had a conversation with Lynton Crosby about this issue. | |
| "Even by the standards of this prime minister, this is a disgraceful episode. [Tory MP Sarah Wollaston] described it as a 'day of shame for this government'. | |
| "You are the prime minister for Benson and Hedge funds and you know it. Can't you see that there is a devastating conflict of interest between having your key adviser raking it in from big tobacco and then advising you not to go ahead with plain packaging?" | |
| Earlier, Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg also insisted Mr Crosby had no influence on government policy. | |
| Mr Clegg told BBC Radio 5 Live: "I have never met the guy. I don't know what he looks like. I wouldn't recognise him if I passed him in the street." | Mr Clegg told BBC Radio 5 Live: "I have never met the guy. I don't know what he looks like. I wouldn't recognise him if I passed him in the street." |
| Mr Crosby is accused by Labour of influencing the decision to shelve a ban on branding on cigarette packets. | Mr Crosby is accused by Labour of influencing the decision to shelve a ban on branding on cigarette packets. |
| The lobbyist lists among his clients the tobacco giant Philip Morris. | The lobbyist lists among his clients the tobacco giant Philip Morris. |
| Asked if Mr Crosby had influenced the decision to delay the introduction of plain packaging for cigarettes in England and Wales, Mr Clegg said the decision was taken by the health secretary on the basis that the evidence to support the policy was still inconclusive. | Asked if Mr Crosby had influenced the decision to delay the introduction of plain packaging for cigarettes in England and Wales, Mr Clegg said the decision was taken by the health secretary on the basis that the evidence to support the policy was still inconclusive. |
| "He is completely irrelevant to the discussions within the coalition government," said Mr Clegg, adding that Mr Crosby has "no role in government policy - he is an employee of the Conservative Party". | "He is completely irrelevant to the discussions within the coalition government," said Mr Clegg, adding that Mr Crosby has "no role in government policy - he is an employee of the Conservative Party". |
| 'Transparency' | 'Transparency' |
| The government announced this week it was putting a decision on plain packaging on hold to study the results of a similar policy in Australia, where plain packets were introduced in December last year in an effort to cut smoking. | The government announced this week it was putting a decision on plain packaging on hold to study the results of a similar policy in Australia, where plain packets were introduced in December last year in an effort to cut smoking. |
| Labour seized on the apparent U-turn as evidence of the influence of Mr Crosby, who was drafted in earlier this year to sharpen up the Conservatives' campaigning ahead of the next general election. | Labour seized on the apparent U-turn as evidence of the influence of Mr Crosby, who was drafted in earlier this year to sharpen up the Conservatives' campaigning ahead of the next general election. |
| The Australian spin doctor had previously overseen Boris Johnson's victory in last year's London mayoral contest and his public affairs firm has been working with tobacco giant Philip Morris in the UK since November. | The Australian spin doctor had previously overseen Boris Johnson's victory in last year's London mayoral contest and his public affairs firm has been working with tobacco giant Philip Morris in the UK since November. |
| Senior ministers have been lining up to deny Mr Crosby had any influence on policy discussions. | Senior ministers have been lining up to deny Mr Crosby had any influence on policy discussions. |
| Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt said: "Lynton Crosby's work is for the Conservative Party. He hasn't lobbied me and he hasn't lobbied the prime minister on issues to do with public health and there is a clear dividing line. | Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt said: "Lynton Crosby's work is for the Conservative Party. He hasn't lobbied me and he hasn't lobbied the prime minister on issues to do with public health and there is a clear dividing line. |
| "There is also transparency. We are not hiding this fact." | "There is also transparency. We are not hiding this fact." |
| Scandals | Scandals |
| Tory MP and former GP Sarah Wollaston has accused Mr Crosby of persuading David Cameron to sacrifice potentially controversial public health policies such as plain packaging and minimum alcohol pricing for electoral reasons. | Tory MP and former GP Sarah Wollaston has accused Mr Crosby of persuading David Cameron to sacrifice potentially controversial public health policies such as plain packaging and minimum alcohol pricing for electoral reasons. |
| Shadow public health minister Diane Abbott said on Friday there was no evidence of a direct link between Lynton Crosby and health ministers but, after further evidence of his links with the tobacco industry emerged over the weekend, she accused David Cameron of "not being straight with the British public" over the affair. | Shadow public health minister Diane Abbott said on Friday there was no evidence of a direct link between Lynton Crosby and health ministers but, after further evidence of his links with the tobacco industry emerged over the weekend, she accused David Cameron of "not being straight with the British public" over the affair. |
| "There are a growing number of questions for which David Cameron has failed to provide answers," she added. | "There are a growing number of questions for which David Cameron has failed to provide answers," she added. |
| It comes as MPs begin a fresh attempt to clean-up the lobbying industry in the wake of a string of cash-for-influence scandals. | It comes as MPs begin a fresh attempt to clean-up the lobbying industry in the wake of a string of cash-for-influence scandals. |
| The government's lobbying bill is expected to create a register of lobbying agencies, who sometimes employ former MPs to influence government decision-making on behalf of corporate clients. | The government's lobbying bill is expected to create a register of lobbying agencies, who sometimes employ former MPs to influence government decision-making on behalf of corporate clients. |
| The firms would have to publish a full list of their clients, although some campaigners say this will have a limited effect as it only include "third party" lobbyists, rather than companies, charities and trade unions themselves. | The firms would have to publish a full list of their clients, although some campaigners say this will have a limited effect as it only include "third party" lobbyists, rather than companies, charities and trade unions themselves. |
| On Tuesday, the House of Commons authorities withdrew around 50 parliamentary passes linked to staff employed by all-party parliamentary groups in response to concerns about political lobbying. | On Tuesday, the House of Commons authorities withdrew around 50 parliamentary passes linked to staff employed by all-party parliamentary groups in response to concerns about political lobbying. |