Why is Ashcroft asking about Cameron’s flights?

by Guest
10:20 am - April 17th 2012

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contribution by James Mills

An enjoyable part of my job involves monitoring Parliamentary Questions. It’s a good way of finding out things about the government and also the MP/Peer asking the question.

One of my personal favourite Peers is Lord Ashcroft as he usually asks quite pointy questions now he has a some what frosty relationship with Downing Street.

In the past he has asked questions on the obvious subjects that a tax dodging Lord of Belize would ask questions about: the top rate of tax or lobbying for an airports on his “island dream”…

However, one of his recent questions has particularly caught my eye:

Government: Air Travel
Lord Ashcroft: To ask Her Majesty’s Government who, other than British Airways staff, travelled on the chartered aircraft with the Prime Minister to the United States on 13 March.[HL16486]

The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (Lord Strathclyde): As set out in the Ministerial Code, details of ministerial overseas travel are published quarterly, covering date, destination, purpose of trip, type of transport (ie scheduled, RAF, chartered or Eurostar), the number of officials accompanying the Minister for non-scheduled travel, and the cost. You can access this information at: www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/resource-library/ministerial-gifts-hospitality-travel-and-meetings-external-organisations. Information covering the period January-March 2012 is expected to be published by the summer.

The time in question was Cameron’s visit to the USA for the so called “Oberon” visit. I remember thinking at the time that it was a little bit risky to have both the Chancellor, Foreign Secretary and the Prime Minister on one flight. Even the Royals don’t do that, and they are the unelected part of our state.

There is two reasons for Ashcroft to be asking this sort of question. One, Ashcroft was just a bit bored. Or two, he wants to know who has Cameron’s ear and has accompanied him on said flight.

As Ashcroft is ‘Peering’ into rather than out of the tent more these days it would seem likely he is using parliamentary ways to do it. Anyway, just like him we will have to wait until summer to find out who was on that flight.

—
James Mills has started a new blog at: From a Sedentary Position

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Liberal Conspiracy
Why is Ashcroft asking about Cameron's flights? http://t.co/GIroyM5Y
BevR
Why is Ashcroft asking about Cameron's flights? http://t.co/GIroyM5Y
James
Why is Ashcroft asking about Cameron’s flights? | Liberal Conspiracy http://t.co/EZhyWx6r via @libcon
Jason Brickley
Why is Ashcroft asking about Cameron’s flights? http://t.co/5XisU8t0
leftlinks
Liberal Conspiracy – Why is Ashcroft asking about Cameron’s flights? http://t.co/wNftvMzC
Bob Ellard
Why is Ashcroft asking about Cameron's flights? http://t.co/GIroyM5Y
James Mills
RT @libcon: Why is Ashcroft asking about Cameron's flights? http://t.co/X2EUglam
Ross Allan
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Dr Belinda Webb
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Sandra Ayres
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lewis wilde
Curious that Lord Ashcroft is VERY interested in this trip by David Cameron http://t.co/NzCuZXjL. Some background here http://t.co/SRyKaUQG
Clive Burgess
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Stuart McAdam
Curious that Lord Ashcroft is VERY interested in this trip by David Cameron http://t.co/NzCuZXjL. Some background here http://t.co/SRyKaUQG