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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Tories target Hain 'incompetence' | Tories target Hain 'incompetence' |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| Peter Hain is coming under fire from MPs as alleged "incompetence" over his donations is linked to his running of the Department for Work and Pensions. | Peter Hain is coming under fire from MPs as alleged "incompetence" over his donations is linked to his running of the Department for Work and Pensions. |
| Conservative spokesman Chris Grayling said it "all appears to be getting a bit much" for Mr Hain. | Conservative spokesman Chris Grayling said it "all appears to be getting a bit much" for Mr Hain. |
| But he was warned to stick to the subject of the debate, illegal immigration, by Speaker Michael Martin. | But he was warned to stick to the subject of the debate, illegal immigration, by Speaker Michael Martin. |
| Mr Hain said Mr Grayling was "far more interested in making political points" than dealing with illegal workers. | Mr Hain said Mr Grayling was "far more interested in making political points" than dealing with illegal workers. |
| The Conservatives switched the subject of the Commons debate from pensioner poverty to illegal immigration earlier on Wednesday. | |
| It follows claims 6,500 illegal immigrants employed as security guards were given National Insurance numbers. | |
| Mr Grayling said this was the "tip of the iceberg" and he accused the government of handing National Insurance numbers to "tens and possibly hundreds of thousands" of illegal immigrants. | |
| "Some people might call that incompetence," said the Tory work and pensions spokesman. | |
| "Just when the secretary of state thought that things could not get any worse, the chaos spreads to another part of his job." | |
| 'Would not dignify' | |
| At the same time, Mr Grayling added Mr Hain "could not sort out the confusion with his campaign finances because he was too busy getting on with his two jobs in government - what a state of utter chaos". | |
| He said Mr Hain had been responsible for a "whole series of calamities" including a "fiasco" over migrant worker figures and said "keeping things private has become a bit of a habit" for Mr Hain. | |
| Mr Hain accused Mr Grayling of framing the debate under a "false premise", after they dropped their plans to debate pensioner poverty. | |
| He said the government had introduced new "checks and controls" on the issuing of national insurance numbers to foreign workers. | |
| He repeatedly declined to answer questions from Tory backbenchers referring to the row over donations to his deputy leadership campaign and allegations of "incompetence," saying he "would not dignify" them with a response. |