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Brown 'right to wait over Hain' | Brown 'right to wait over Hain' |
(about 1 hour later) | |
Gordon Brown has said he was right not to decide on Peter Hain's future before the Electoral Commission reported its findings on donations. | Gordon Brown has said he was right not to decide on Peter Hain's future before the Electoral Commission reported its findings on donations. |
Mr Hain resigned after the organisation asked police to investigate the late declaration of £103,000 given to his Labour deputy leadership campaign. | Mr Hain resigned after the organisation asked police to investigate the late declaration of £103,000 given to his Labour deputy leadership campaign. |
The prime minister said it had been "the right thing to do" not to sack him as work and pensions secretary. | The prime minister said it had been "the right thing to do" not to sack him as work and pensions secretary. |
But the Conservatives have accused Mr Brown of "dithering". | But the Conservatives have accused Mr Brown of "dithering". |
'Facts' | 'Facts' |
Mr Hain, who has been replaced as work and pensions secretary by James Purnell, came sixth in the race to be Labour's deputy leader. | Mr Hain, who has been replaced as work and pensions secretary by James Purnell, came sixth in the race to be Labour's deputy leader. |
He resigned on Thursday, promising to clear his name. | He resigned on Thursday, promising to clear his name. |
Mr Brown, speaking at the world economic forum in Davos, said: "I always said, and I think this is the right thing to do, that we wait until the Electoral Commission itself reported. | Mr Brown, speaking at the world economic forum in Davos, said: "I always said, and I think this is the right thing to do, that we wait until the Electoral Commission itself reported. |
CABINET RESHUFFLE Work and Pensions Secretary: James PurnellCulture Secretary: Andy BurnhamChief Secretary to the Treasury: Yvette CooperHousing Minister: Caroline FlintSecretary of State for Wales: Paul Murphy Profile: James PurnellProfile: Andy Burnham | CABINET RESHUFFLE Work and Pensions Secretary: James PurnellCulture Secretary: Andy BurnhamChief Secretary to the Treasury: Yvette CooperHousing Minister: Caroline FlintSecretary of State for Wales: Paul Murphy Profile: James PurnellProfile: Andy Burnham |
"They have the facts, they were looking at them, they made the judgement and now we get on with the business." | |
In another interview for BBC One's The Politics Show, to be broadcast on Sunday, Mr Brown said: "If people make mistakes, as happened with the party's general secretary. then they resign... He left. | |
"Now that Peter Hain is under investigation... he has resigned." | |
When asked about Labour's continuing problems with campaign finance scandals, Mr Brown referred to the cash-for-honours affair, which happened when Tony Blair was prime minister. | |
He said: "The political funding that gained most attention is something that happened long before I was leader of the Labour party." | |
Mr Brown added that he would have taken action earlier had he known that funding rules were being broken. | |
But the prime minister refused to "speculate" on whether Mr Hain has any future in government if his name is cleared. | |
'Move on' | |
Earlier, Mr Purnell, in a BBC interview, was asked whether the Hain funding row and other controversies involving donations had left a "bit of a taint around the question of Labour's relationship with money" | |
He replied: "No. I don't think so." | He replied: "No. I don't think so." |
Mr Purnell added : "I do think what is right to do is to move forward on Sir Hayden Phillips' recommendations and that's what we are committed to doing... David Cameron should do the same thing." | Mr Purnell added : "I do think what is right to do is to move forward on Sir Hayden Phillips' recommendations and that's what we are committed to doing... David Cameron should do the same thing." |
The Conservatives also say they want to reform party funding - and have called for a cap on donations. | The Conservatives also say they want to reform party funding - and have called for a cap on donations. |
But they have said the funding scandals to have hit Labour have been caused by ministers failing to follow the existing rules, which were brought in by Labour. | But they have said the funding scandals to have hit Labour have been caused by ministers failing to follow the existing rules, which were brought in by Labour. |
Shadow Cabinet Office minister Francis Maude said: "We have always said we will restart talks as soon as Gordon Brown accepts the need for an across-the-board cap on donations. | Shadow Cabinet Office minister Francis Maude said: "We have always said we will restart talks as soon as Gordon Brown accepts the need for an across-the-board cap on donations. |
"The talks broke down last October because Labour were unwilling to consider any meaningful reform of the trade unions' control of Labour's finances." | "The talks broke down last October because Labour were unwilling to consider any meaningful reform of the trade unions' control of Labour's finances." |
Mr Hain, the MP for Neath, is the first cabinet member to quit under Gordon Brown's premiership. His other post - Welsh secretary - goes to Paul Murphy. | Mr Hain, the MP for Neath, is the first cabinet member to quit under Gordon Brown's premiership. His other post - Welsh secretary - goes to Paul Murphy. |
In the reshuffle, Mr Purnell is replaced as culture secretary by Andy Burnham. Yvette Cooper replaces Mr Burnham as chief secretary to the treasury, and Caroline Flint becomes housing minister. | In the reshuffle, Mr Purnell is replaced as culture secretary by Andy Burnham. Yvette Cooper replaces Mr Burnham as chief secretary to the treasury, and Caroline Flint becomes housing minister. |