The week in Westminster December 22nd – January 12th
Parliament is in recess for the duration of the festive season but it returns half way through January.
The length of the Christmas break caused a little controversy in the House as it was winding down, with parliament’s only UKIP MP, Bob Spink, tabling a motion calling for it to be shorter.
It read: “That this House expresses embarrassment and concern about the extraordinary length of the Christmas recess and, while accepting that honourable members do much constituency and preparatory parliamentary work during recesses, understands the public anger at what is an insensitively and inappropriately long recess; considers that this matter is bringing parliament and politics into disrepute; and therefore calls on the government to reduce the length of the recess.”
But turkeys don’t vote for Christmas, and human don’t vote to have their holidays shortened, so Mr Spink’s motion didn’t gather much support.
Things get up and running again on January 12th, with questions on defence and the second reading of business rate supplement legislation. Hazel Blears, local government secretary, answering questions on the balance of power between central and local government at the communities and local government select committee.
Later in the week, the first prime minister’s questions of the new year will be followed by a debate on the future strategic relationship with Iraq.
