Courtesy challenge for Welsh MPs
The Speaker has been asked to intervene in a spat over "courtesy" between two Welsh MPs.
Kevin Brennan (Labour, Cardiff West) wanted to know why he wasn't invited to an event featuring many of his constituents held in the Commons last night.
Alun Cairns (Conservative, Vale of Glamorgan) did invite Mr Brennan, and other opposition MPs, but only at 6.29pm - one minute before the event began.
His e-mail, a copy of which has arrived in my inbox, points out that "the Secretary of State will be speaking at 7pm".
Mr Brennan sent his own reply by e-mail: "I was glad to be able to pop in after speaking in the House, but I have to say that to host an event like this without informing and inviting colleagues from Cardiff in advance, let alone Welsh colleagues in general, is a gross discourtesy.
"Your e-mail was sent one minute before the event began, and while I was speaking in the House. Like many colleagues I have hosted Welsh events over the years and always invited colleagues irrespective of Party well in advance where it is a non-party political matter. Why weren't we told before now?"
Mr Cairns has since apologised, although that did not stop Mr Brennan raising the matter with the Speaker today.
John Bercow told him there was nothing in Parliament's standing orders about this sort of thing but it was a matter of courtesy: "I am in favour of unfailing courtesy."
The Secretary of State, Cheryl Gillan, may have pulled out of a lecture tonight amid fears of a protest and heavy police costs, but she presumably felt safe enough in the Commons to attend last night's event, even if the Wales Office chose not to alert the media to her attendance or what she had to say.
UPDATE 1430 from the Wales Office: "The Cardiff Ambassadors event last night was a function in the House, not a press event. The SofS' speech covered a number of areas, including the links between London and Wales, the relationship between Whitehall and Cardiff Bay - the respect agenda, the CSR and its impact on Wales and economic growth."
Hello. I'm David Cornock and I'm parliamentary correspondent for ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Wales. This is the blog for the latest news and gossip from the Westminster village - with a Welsh accent.
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