Monday 19 January 2004

Some MPs are more equal than others

I'm not a huge fan of the Scottish National Party - they would have more chance of persuading us on the case for independence if they didn't assume that all right-thinking folk must be, well, left-thinking. But on this matter I support them:
The SNP and Welsh Nationalist Plaid Cymru have joined forces to demand the same access to the Hutton Report as the main opposition parties at Westminster.

Last week, it emerged that Tony Blair, the Prime Minister, will receive a copy of the report 24 hours before it is made public.

The Conservative Party and the Liberal Democrats attacked the move after they were told they would receive it only six hours before its publication.

Now the SNP and Plaid Cymru have written to the Prime Minister demanding the same access to the Hutton Report as the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats.

Of course the Nationalists should see the Hutton Report at the same time as the Tories and LibDems. Needless to say I don't think that Tony Blair should see a copy before any opposition members.