Cameron attacks Brown over 'humiliating climbdown'
Cameron attacks Brown over expenses charges
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By Matt Hallam. |  |
Monday, 08, Feb 2010 07:33
By Richard James.
David Cameron has attacked Gordon Brown and his style of leadership as it was announced Labour had withdrawn the whip from three MPs facing criminal charges.
The Conservative leader described the decision to throw Elliot Morley, David Chaytor and Jim Devine out of the Labour party as "humiliating" and a "climbdown" by the government.
Mr Cameron went on to launch a scathing attack on the prime minister, who he claimed was "just not incapable" of reforming the political system.
"He can't reform the institution because he is the institution: he made it," the Toru leader said.
"The character of his government - secretive, power-hoarding, controlling - is his character. Just as he's the roadblock to public service reform, he's the roadblock to political reform."
Mr Cameron, who last week withdrew the whip from Tory peer Lord Hanningfield - the fourth person facing charges over expenses claims, repeatedly stated the Conservatives' election tagline: "We can't go on like this" during his speech in east London, claiming his party represented the "new generation" compared to old guard of the prime minister.
The Tory leader has accused Mr Brown of failing to prevent the three disgraced Labour MPs from trying to escape prosecution by attempting to use parliamentary privilege to avoid appearing in court.
Reports during the weekend claimed the legal teams for the trio may attempt to argue their expenses claims were covered by parliamentary privilege, a system developed to prevent members of parliament from being sued over what they said in the House of Commons.
The reports have drawn criticism from members of all three main parties, with the MPs urged not to use parliamentary privilege as a defence for their claims.
Mr Cameron said today the Conservatives have begun work on a new parliamentary privilege act that would be introduced immediately if they are elected into office later this year.
He also attacked corporate lobbying in parliament, describing it as "the next big scandal waiting to happen", and said his party would double the current period of time ministers are barred from taking private sector jobs after leaving office.
Responding to Mr Cameron's attacks, Downing Street earlier accused the Conservatives leader of "desperation" in attacking the prime minister over the actions of the three Labour MPs.
The MPs and Lord Hanningfield all face charges of false accounting under section 17 of the Theft Act 1968.
All four have denied the charges.