Blair and Howard go head-to-head in Commons
Conservative Party leader Michael Howard has renewed his calls for a Homeland Security Minister, before taking the opportunity to attack the Prime Minister on his style of government.
Speaking in the Commons during his weekly question time, Tony Blair argued that the present arrangements under the Home Secretary work well, denying the need for a specific Ministerial post to be created.
However, the government would act on any advice of better ways of dealing with any perceived threat, Mr Blair said.
On the resignation of the Work and Pensions Secretary, Mr Blair said that Andrew Smith had made a significant contribution in reducing unemployment and implementing the New Deal, which has helped one million people into work.
Responding to Michael Howard raising the departing DWP Secretary’s comments that he was ‘sick and tired after three months of poison and briefing against him’, Mr Blair insisted that the debate should focus on policy.
Continuing to draw on divisions in the government, Mr Howard referred to comments made by the Labour party’s chairman on the ‘ill discipline and briefing within the Westminster village’.
The Prime Minister again returned to policy, blasting the lack of ideas that the opposition possess and laughing off proposals on interest rates for student loans. He also championed the government’s economic and social record.
In reply, Mr Howard attacked the Government’s policies on tuition fees and pledged that a Conservative government would not go back on its promises.
Mr Blair suggested that under a Conservative government, there would be a ‘£500m gaping hole’ in university finances.
The Prime Minister then defended his own style of government, instead pointing out that the government’s record is what should take precedent.
Quoting the one-time Minister for Welfare Reform Frank Field, Mr Howard said that ‘when Labour came to office we had one of the best pension provisions in Europe and now we have some of the weakest’.
According to Mr Blair, pensioners were continuing to benefit from the pension credit, free television licences and winter fuel payments, amongst others. In contrast, the Tories’ policies, including the phasing out of the Pension credit, would hit low-income households, said Mr Blair.
Earlier, Mr Howard spoke of the ‘anguish and heartache at the terrible events in Beslan’, as well as offering condolences for the soldiers that have lost their lives in Iraq.
