Tempting though it would be to spring a great surprise on the hon. Gentleman and others, the date of Dissolution is set down in the Fixed-term Parliaments Act 2011 as 30 March, so there is no doubt at all about that date. Of course, it is possible for people to...

Tempting though it would be to spring a great surprise on the hon. Gentleman and others, the date of Dissolution is set down in the Fixed-term Parliaments Act 2011 as 30 March, so there is no doubt at all about that date. Of course, it is possible for people to...

Dissolution of Parliament. Un-allotted half-day Opposition day debate. Motion negatived on division (268 votes to 340).

Dissolution of Parliament. Un-allotted half-day Opposition day debate. Motion negatived on division (268 votes to 340).

There are many cases in history when Governments have called general elections because they wish to seek a mandate for whatever policies they were putting to the country long before the expiry of a Parliament—[Interruption.] I refer the hon. Gentleman to Baldwin in 1923, before the Under-Secretary of State for...

There are many cases in history when Governments have called general elections because they wish to seek a mandate for whatever policies they were putting to the country long before the expiry of a Parliament—[Interruption.] I refer the hon. Gentleman to Baldwin in 1923, before the Under-Secretary of State for...

I congratulate the Secretary of State for Wales; to hold that office is one of the greatest honours that life can bring, and to hold it twice is a piece of great good fortune. He said that I had in the past somehow landed the current shadow Welsh Secretary in...

I congratulate the Secretary of State for Wales; to hold that office is one of the greatest honours that life can bring, and to hold it twice is a piece of great good fortune. He said that I had in the past somehow landed the current shadow Welsh Secretary in...

I am not going to give way any more, because I am nearly at the end of my speech. [Hon. Members: "Go on!"] Well, the hon. Lady is so charming that I shall do so.

I am not going to give way any more, because I am nearly at the end of my speech. [Hon. Members: "Go on!"] Well, the hon. Lady is so charming that I shall do so.

I assure the hon. Lady that I am not afraid of any lady from Wales except my mother-in-law, so she need not worry about that. Secondly, I have not indulged in any character assassination; Lord Mandelson will be most flattered by what I have said about him today—I am simply...

I assure the hon. Lady that I am not afraid of any lady from Wales except my mother-in-law, so she need not worry about that. Secondly, I have not indulged in any character assassination; Lord Mandelson will be most flattered by what I have said about him today—I am simply...

I have almost concluded, but we must have the entertainment of listening to the right hon. Gentleman.

I have almost concluded, but we must have the entertainment of listening to the right hon. Gentleman.

First, I think that the right hon. Gentleman was not just laughing at my joke about Lord Mandelson; he was laughing with it. That is sad news for him, because it means what has in fact already been reflected in the reshuffle: however desperate the Government have been to find...

First, I think that the right hon. Gentleman was not just laughing at my joke about Lord Mandelson; he was laughing with it. That is sad news for him, because it means what has in fact already been reflected in the reshuffle: however desperate the Government have been to find...