Briefing from the Prime Minister’s Official Spokesman on: President Bush, Criminal Justice Bill, Foundation Hospitals, Istanbul Bombings and PM Health.
President Bush
Asked to clarify the position on Guantanamo Bay, the Prime Minister’s Official Spokesman (PMOS) said that as we had been making consistently clear this week, we did not expect the issue to be resolved during President Bush’s visit. It appeared that the only people who did think such a thing were the media. As we had explained, there was a balance to be struck between justice and security. Today, however, our attention had been focussed more on other matters.
Asked if the President would be cutting short his visit to Sedgefield tomorrow, the PMOS said no. Asked for details of his itinerary, the PMOS said that we would release further information as and when security permitted us to do so.
Criminal Justice Bill
Asked to confirm reports that the Prime Minister had personally vetoed a deal on the Criminal Justice Bill, the PMOS said that he was not aware of such a matter. Asked if the Prime Minister wanted to see the Bill go through in full or not at all rather than acceded to demands and curtail it, the PMOS said that these were matters which were currently being handled in the House. The Government believed that the Commons had made its will known on this issue. As a general principle, convention allowed for the House of Lords to make its view known as long as it listened to the voice of the Commons. In the Government’s opinion, that convention should be allowed to take its normal course. Put to him that there appeared to be more than one Government view in terms of reports that deals which were being offered by the Home Office were then being vetoed by the Prime Minister, the PMOS said that he had no evidence to support that suggestion. The Government as a whole remained committed to the view that these were necessary measures. Asked if it was possible that the House might have to sit next week to finish debating the Bill, the PMOS said that discussions were continuing in the Commons about this matter. It would be wrong of him to pre-empt what was going on in the House.
Foundation Hospitals
Asked if Downing Street welcomed the fact that the House of Lords had ‘bowed down’ on Foundation Hospitals, the PMOS said we welcomed the fact that the will of the Commons had been upheld in accordance with the normal convention. We also welcomed the fact that the Government’s reforms for the health service would now proceed. It went without saying that we hoped the same thing would happen with the Criminal Justice Bill.
Istanbul Bombings
Asked for a reaction to the reported death of the British Consul General in the Istanbul bomb attacks today, the PMOS said that today had clearly been a grim and sad day. The Foreign Office was handling details of the casualties and fatalities and would be making the position clearer in the next few hours. It was only right for the proper steps to be taken in terms of verification before we commented in detail. In answer to further questions, the PMOS said that the Foreign Office would be issuing another statement later on today. They would confirm that a Foreign Office team would be travelling to Istanbul together with a team from the Met Police.
PM Health
Asked if the Prime Minister had had any reason to be concerned about his heart prior to the incident on Sunday 19 October in the light of today’s Daily Mirror story, the PMOS replied that we had said all that needed to be said at the time. He had nothing further to add. Put to him that it was surely no coincidence that both the Queen and President Clinton had apparently known about the Prime Minister’s heart condition, the PMOS repeated that the position had been made clear at the time by him, his colleague and the Prime Minister himself in his interview with Jeremy Vine on Radio 2. That position had been based on the opinion of medical experts. Consequently, there was nothing further to say about the matter. Put to him that both the Queen and President Clinton were extremely well informed on ‘delicate matters’ and it was surely no coincidence that both had made the same claim, the PMOS said that the journalist seemed to be implying that the Queen herself had made the claim. That was factually incorrect. Put to him that it was not, the PMOS said he wasn’t aware that the Queen had given an interview to the Daily Mirror.
Asked if the Prime Minister had had a medical check-up, the PMOS said he wasn’t aware if he had or hadn’t. Asked if Downing Street had ever confirmed that the Prime Minister had no history of heart trouble, the PMOS repeated that we had made the position clear at the time. He had absolutely no intention of getting drawn into a discussion about a third-hand account of a conversation which might or might not have taken place.
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