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Alistair Darling stays north of the border while standing in for PM
Paul Waugh, Deputy Political Editor17.08.09
Gordon Brown's summer holiday cover came under fire today after it emerged that Alistair Darling was spending only two and a half days in London standing in for the premier this week.
Mr Darling, who is the latest minister to “mind the shop” for the Prime Minister, drew criticism from the Tories for spending most of his time in Scotland rather than Whitehall.
After spending the weekend in his Edinburgh constituency, the Chancellor was visiting a Business Payment Support Service in Glasgow today and was due to come to London only tonight. He is set to spend tomorrow and Wednesday behind his desk at the Treasury but will be off north of the border again on Thursday.
Mr Brown has deputised Harriet Harman, Lord Mandelson, Mr Darling and Jack Straw to act as “duty minister” while he is away with his family.
But the Conservatives seized on Mr Darling's absence, as well as that of Ed Balls, who will miss this Thursday's A-level results while he continues his own break.
Junior ministers David Lammy and Ian Wright will deputise for the Schools Secretary.
Greg Hands, shadow treasury minister, pointed out that Mr Darling had a small majority in his Edinburgh constituency.
Mr Hands said: “It seems as if the Government has already given up and its ministers are now part-timers.
“Nobody is here to defend Gordon Brown's failing regime and even those temporarily in charge seem to be on holiday.Darling is again showing his preference for shoring up his own vote in Edinburgh, rather than sorting out the country's economic problems. It is also shocking that Ed Balls isn't even here for the key moment in the education calendar.”
A No 10 spokesman rejected the criticism. He said: “Alistair Darling is kept in close contact with developments by that modern piece of technology, the telephone.”
He said that it was “only right” that specialist ministers were dealing with A-level results.
A source close to Mr Darling added: “The last time we looked, Edinburgh was part of the United Kingdom.”
Mr Brown, who spent a few days in the Lake District last week but is now back in his constituency north of Edinburgh, broke off from his holiday to issue a statement on the 200th fatality in Afghanistan.
But he faced further criticism when it emerged that he was not visiting wounded troops in Edinburgh. Junior defence minister Kevan Jones visited the “recovery centre” in the city instead.
Reader views (20)
Richard Lane, Kariong, NSW, Australia
If you live in Spain you collect your pension at the same rate as UK residents, if they treat you ex pats down under differently, personaly I'd take them to court.
- P Staker, London
Is he really staying there?! That would be really good news for the economy and financial system. Pound sterling confidence would finally rise again!
- Jacqueline, Hampstead, London
Who cares where he is. I mean for heavens sake these people have telephones, video conferencing and it's not like they actually are doing anything useful. Why do you think they have the civil service. The cabinet does not run the job of govt the civil servants do.
- Anthony, London
when will someone come out and say it, Brown is falling apart (breakdown) and that is why he is incommunicado
- Neil, London
Still he's closer home than Corfu. Labour just have to sit back and let the Tories dig their own hole and bury themselves in it.
- Dhan Raj, Basildon
How much time is Brown having off exactly that he needs FOUR stand-ins? I can just imagine the cabinet meeting that led to that decision - "I want to be in charge!", "No, me!", "It should be me to represent all wimmin!" "If it's not me, I'll scream!"
- Kevin T, Beckenham, Kent
But he's PM of the UK, not just England. The Queen spends all summer in Scotland so why shouldn't Darling spend a week there ?
- Keith Price, Luton England
As a Scot, resident in England, I applaud Mr Darling's decision to stay in Bonnie Scotland for his summer holidays. Its curious that whilst Mr McDoom, Baldrick Darling, Lord Mendacious and Pals are away, the country's economy appears to be somewhat livelier than it was before the summer hols!!
I wonder if all these useless Numpties stayed away permanently, and an early General Election was called. Then there would be an increase in business and other confidence. And why not!!
- Uncle Vanya, East Anglia Area UK
To William Hickey, absolutely spot on.
To Richard Lane, I'm sorry but if you decide to skip the country and live elsewhere you can't expect to be 'kept' by residents in the UK paying your pension. Those paying tax/national insurance etc now are in fact paying for those who are retired and already receiving a pension. In turn, in a few years when I retire for example, those in employment then will be paying in for my state pension. That's how it works and therefore anyone who dislikes this country enough to leave, can't expect to have a steady increase in their state payments. It's quite right that their pension stays at the rate it was when they skipped off to pastures new.
- Geraldine, London
What's all the fuss about? Even though I'm a Londoner, I do recognise that there are places outside of here that are equally important.
- Dani, London
hurray! the teletubbies are in charge!
- Madgefan, London
Good riddance to bad rubbish - do n't return to England Alistair.
- Anglo, Sussex England
While I am 2nd to no one in wanting this shower out of office, does it really matter whether Darling is in London or Scotland? With luck he'll stay there on a permanent basis.
- Paul, London
New Labour make a chocolate fireguard look high-tech.
- Ted, London
I don't think he could run a bath.......
- William, Southend
A New Coat
I lost my job, no fault of my own and now being next it could be my home.
The welfare benefit, there is a long wait; the whole of the system is in such a state.
Not asking to claim for a second new home, or even two seats, for my Only Throne.
Not asking to claim for a brand new bath plug, not asking to claim for the cleaner, my Bruv.
Not asking to claim for a WIDE Screen TV, or one of those late night special movies.
Alistair my Darling, you disregard most couples, the 13 week rule is just in a big muddle.
My partner works 19 hours part time, the wait for help is still 39...
“39 weeks”, the mortgage company shriek, the bailiff letters falling fast at my feet.
But don’t worry Mr Brown, or any in office, it’s not your mess, or is it? honest?
My kingdom, my castle, my draw bridge, no moat, you all just sit there and claim for a coat.
A Wish if I had one and be it just mine, to place you in my shoes, just biding my time.
A fight we must win to save our home, a fight we are fighting, all on our own.
But don’t you all worry, or twist in your sleep; if it’s not comfy, claim for silk sheets.
And if your garden is not all Percy Thrower, I hear Geoff Hoon has a great sit on mower...
So why write this poem one might ask, this country, this government is one great big farce.
William Hickey 2009 ©
- William, Southend
Does this latest move enable Darling to "flip" homes from No. 11 to No. 10 for expenses purposes?
- R.F., Yorks, UK
Perhaps everybody in the country should have a turn. It couldn't be any worse than the current shambles, and, who knows, we might actually get sombody who speaks a form of the English language that is decipherable to other English people, and who doesn't onstantly LIE. It obviously coldn't be a politician.
- Lezli Taubler, London/England
If Harriet Harman wants to concentrate on women's equality issues why doesn't she focus on women UK state pensioners now living in Australia, receiving the pension they got when they first retired or when they migrated to Australia or Canada, e.g. an 85 year old woman receives the 1984 basic state pension. Compare this to a man living in the UK receiving the 2009 rate.
So Harriet Harman, where is the equality?
- Richard Lane, Kariong, NSW, Australia
Dizzy Darling will be minding the shop!
A shop with GBP1,400,000,000,000.00 SHORT IN THE TILL.
Another week of clap-trap from the Labour parasites.
- Reuben Camara, Republic of Morecambe, UK
