The answer to the hon. Gentleman is yes, I do accept that, but it is not the issue. The issue is that successive Labour and Tory Prime Ministers have said that there shall not be any parliamentary oversight, and I believe that they have done so because they are weak and craven before the security and intelligence services. The point that the hon. Gentleman raises is addressed in the US Congress, which has a very powerful committee to oversee security and intelligence matters. It does not appoint suspect people, but the pride of Congress—and of this place—is that parliamentary institutions should be able to make judgments of that sort.
Whitsun Adjournment
Proceeding contribution from
Andrew Mackinlay
(Labour)
in the House of Commons on Thursday, 22 May 2008.
It occurred during Adjournment debate on Whitsun Adjournment.
About this proceeding contribution
Reference
476 c427 Session
2007-08Chamber / Committee
House of Commons chamberLibrarians' tools
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