Isn\’t that what we were promised? Gosh, how lucky we are!
The Home Office was involved in another spin row last night after a series of identical quotations were sent out under different names on a government press release.
The department issued regionalised press releases a month ago to mark Jacqui Smith, the Home Secretary, meeting representatives of the Youth Parliament.
The press release for the North East region quoted Natalie Irvin, member of UK Youth Parliament for the North East, saying: “This has been a chance for the Home Secretary to meet some young people who have been affected by gun and knife crime and to hear about our experiences and the ideas we have to tackle this violent behaviour.
“It is good to hear that gun and knife crime is a key priority for the Government – they must not let this continue to destroy young people’s lives. I’m glad that the Home Secretary met us to talk about these issues.”
But one good thing has in fact come out of it:
Keith Vaz, chairman of the Home Affairs Select Committee, said: “It would be good to know how it is possible for so many different people with different personalities, having had a meeting with Jacqui Smith, all had come out with exactly the same quotation. I would have thought that each one would have had a different insight to the meeting.”
Keith Vaz is in fact capable of saying something intereswting. Who knew?
Wow, I am amazed and astonished. But he’s one of the few Labour MP’s to say that it’d only be fair to have a referendum.