Short Money - this is an utterly misleading sham consultation - Chris Bryant

Chris Bryant MP, Labour’s Shadow Leader of the House, commenting on the consultation on Short Money published today, said:

“This is an utterly misleading sham consultation from a Government apparently determined to use every trick in the book to keep themselves in power forever.

“When the Tories were in Opposition they argued that Opposition Parties needed to be properly resourced to hold the Government to account and they took £46 million in Short Money. Now they are in power they want to slash the money used to scrutinise government in Parliament.

“When they were in Opposition they argued that the Government should cut the number of party political Special Advisers. Now they are in government they have increased the number and cost of Tory Special Advisers, taking it higher than ever.

“This is yet more evidence of a growing authoritarian tendency in government.

“They are cutting the number of elected MPs but have added four times as many extra unelected Lords. They’ve gagged charities, they’ve changed the rules in the Commons and they’re trying to attack Trade Union support for the Labour Party and muzzle the Lords. It is all part of a partisan plan to give the Tories an unfair advantage at the expense of other parties.”