Brown urged to 'assert authority'

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 3, 2009
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Page last updated at 03:57 GMT, Wednesday, 3 June 2009 04:57 UK E-mail this to a friend Printable version by Biodun Iginla, BBC News, London Mr Brown says he wants to rebuild the public's trust in Parliament Senior figures in the Labour Party have urged Gordon BrownGordon Brown to assert his authority ahead of Thursday's European and English local elections. The party's former deputy leader, Roy Hattersley, said the prime minister needed to "take control". His comments came after sources close to Jacqui SmithJacqui Smith said she would stand down as home secretary in a reshuffle. Meanwhile the Armed Forces Minister, Bob Ainsworth, has defended his claims of £5,925 for work on his second home. Speaking to me at the BBC, Lord Hattersley said Gordon Brown needed to show strong leadership. He said: "What he's got to do is really take control, not just appear to take control, not just hope for headlines, but he has to have a reshuffle which shows it's his government, the people he wants are doing the jobs he wants them to do, no compromises, no balance, Gordon Brown the boss." Former minister Peter Kilfoyle also urged Mr Brown to act decisively. "I think it's rather inflated, the idea that there's chaos, but I think there's now a very real responsibility on the prime minister to show some outward signs of his authority, and he's got to exercise that authority without fear of favour", he said. Charity work Jacqui Smith became the first cabinet casualty of the expenses scandal when sources close to her said she would step down in a planned reshuffle for the sake of her family. Ms Smith, who wants to remain an MP, was criticised for listing her sister's London house as her main home - and her husband's claim for an adult movie. Children's Minister Beverley Hughes also announced on Tuesday that she wanted to leave in the shake-up - for family reasons - while Cabinet Office Minister Tom WatsonTom Watson is also expected to step down. Ex-cabinet minister Patricia Hewitt said she would not seek re-election so she could concentrate on her charity work in India. Universities Secretary John Denham denied the departures meant Gordon Brown was facing a crisis. He said: "I've seen a number of reshuffles, many over the years I've been in Parliament. I think in almost every one there has been one or more ministers have indicated in advance that they didn't want to be considered." But an editorial in the left-of-centre Guardian newspaper has criticised Mr Brown and called for the Labour Party to "cut him loose". 'Not good rules' The Daily Telegraph says Mr Ainsworth, the MP for Coventry North East, claimed almost £6,000 for redecoration and other work on his second home. The newspaper says he also tried to claim £2,225 for a corner sofa unit and £1,000 for a LCD television, but both amounts were reduced by the House of Commons fees office. Mr Ainsworth told the Telegraph that he had only claimed for necessary repair work and had accepted a cap on the claims for the television and sofa. He said he "acted within the spirit and the letter of the rules" but added that "the rules were not good rules. We now must act to change this". MPS LEAVING PARLIAMENT The following MPs have said in the past three weeks that they will not contest the next election Conservative: Andrew MacKay, Julie Kirkbride, Douglas Hogg, Sir Peter Viggers, Anthony Steen, Sir Nicholas and Ann Winterton, Christopher Fraser Labour: Margaret Moran, Ben Chapman, David Chaytor, Ian McCartney, John Smith, Patricia Hewitt, Beverley Hughes, Michael MartinMichael Martin (Speaker) Hewitt to stand down as MP On Tuesday, four Labour MPs were barred from standing at the next election after the party's National Executive Committee "star chamber" examined their expenses claims. But the local party of one of those MPs, backbencher Ian Gibson, accused the Labour leadership of operating a "kangaroo court." Martin Booth said the 'star chamber' had ignored local support for the Norwich North MP, who sold his taxpayer-subsidised flat to his daughter at a cut price. He said: "It was not a star chamber, it was a kangaroo court. They had decided before he even went." Mr Gibson was the only one of the four MPs formally barred not to have already announced he would quit. The others who were formally stripped of their nominations were David Chaytor (Bury North) and Elliot Morley (Scunthorpe), who both claimed thousands of pounds for interest on non-existent mortgages and Margaret Moran, who claimed £22,500 for treating dry rot at a home 100 miles from her Luton South constituency. The prime minister has said that he will start chairing a new National Democratic Renewal Council, made up of ministers, from next week. Mr Brown confirmed to me at the BBC he is planning a reshuffle but refused to be drawn on individual ministers' roles, amid speculation that Chancellor Alistair DarlingAlistair Darling, whose expenses have also been questioned, may also be moved. The SNP and Plaid Cymru have announced they will use an opposition day debate next Wednesday to urge the prime minister to request the dissolution of Parliament and hold a general election.

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What are these? E-mail this to a friend Printable version POSTED BY BIODUNIGINLA AT 7:30 AM LABELS: BBC NEWS BIODUN IGINLA, GORDON BROWN