http://www.dorries.org.uk/Blogs/2008/May/10#10

In a recent letter to MPs, Gordon Brown wrote;

I wanted to write to you to set out my reasons for supporting all the measures in the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill, and to clarify how we propose to handle it in Parliament

Gordon Brown thinks animal human hybrids are 'vital to the progression of stem cell research'

By contrast Robert Winston, the Peer who took the Bill through committee stage in the Lords, is not so sure on animal human hybrids...

'But if the hybrid embryo thing doesn't go through, it in no way shakes the body of science... It's a nice adjunct; a useful extra. But if we don't have that resource, it won't fundamentally alter the science of stem cell biology.' (Robert Winston, Telegraph, 10 May 2008)

And is even less enthusiastic about saviour siblings...

"I'm very unhappy about 'saviour siblings'."

His concern is that children selected to provide treatment for a sick brother or sister may be put under undue pressure to give bone marrow or organs. So it wouldn't break his heart if the measure was voted down? "Absolutely not," he says. (Robert Winston, Telegraph, 10 May 2008)

So, if Lord Winston is the Peer and eminent scientist Gordon Brown thought was the right man to lead this Bill where it began its course, in the House of Lords, why does Gordon Brown think his un-learned opinion is more valid?

When faced with a conundrum like this I always like to do a Hansel and Gretel and follow the money.

You can bet your life it’s stacked up behind this Bill somewhere.

Who do we believe, Gordon or Winston, and why?

http://www.dorries.org.uk/Blogs/2008/May/10#10

http://www.the20weekscampaign.org/

After a slow start the 20 reasons for 20 weeks web site has suddenly begun to gather momentum.

I have watched the ticker clicking by and I reckon within the next few minutes we will have passed 2000!

Don’t anyone nag me for not doing the perma link thingy, you know what it’s like at weekends, just little old me !!

http://www.dorries.org.uk/Blogs/2008/May/10#10

I was woken up by requests for media when it was still dark.

I didn't get to sleep until 2 and so feel like a zombie.

I gave so many interviews yesterday that I just talked all day non stop, from morning until night.

The report presented on TV today by the Doctors' Union the BMA - which I believe, along with other Unions funds the pro-abortion activists 'voice for choice' - has given the 20 week campaign a great lift and will guarantee that the campaign stays in the media spotlight over the weekend.

For the BMA to argue that the survival rates of neo nates born 12 years ago should endorse the 24 week limit today, is, as I said yesterday, an act of desperation, but one that suits me and the media opportunities such a biased piece of 'research' provides.

The difference between being a back and front bencher, is that on the front bench you have a team around you and a press officer filtering and handling your media requests - during a profile/feature interview with the Guardian I had to keep interrupting to take other interviews which were deadline driven.

I felt very rude, but what could I do?!

Having agreed to give a speech in Radlett, I have to turn almost all media requests down today which is sad as it means I have lost the opportunity to put my case over for the 20 week campaign on some of the prime time news bulletins. However, I promised to be in Radlett and that's where I will be.

After Radlett I have a surgery in Ampthill, Mid Beds at which Marcus Brigstock will be joining me.

I will blog a photo of proof at about 5pm and let you know what he's doing at one of my surgeries!

In the meantime, if you haven't yet visited the 20 weeks web site click here!

And for more, I've done ITV and will do channel 4 news at 7.30.

http://www.dorries.org.uk/Blogs/2008/May/09#09

When the abortion vote is over the loudest sound will be the ‘phew’ emanating from my mobile phone, which is on overtime-plus at the moment.

The BMA union is getting fairly desperate.

The BMA, along with other unions, funds ‘Voice for Choice’ which is the pro-abortion lobbying organisation.

The BMJ is the union’s trade magazine and has produced a report showing that there has been no improvement in neo-natal survival rates for 12 years.

I think this report insults the intelligence of the public and MPs alike.

No improvement in neo-natal care in twelve years? Really? So where has all the money that has been pumped into neo-natal services gone then?

A baby born at 23 weeks today stands no better a chance of living than it did in 1996?

This report is the most desperate piece of tosh produced by the pro-choice lobby and it smells of one thing, desperation.

However, my thanks go to the BMA. Their news release has only been out a couple of hours and journalists have made comment like “I can’t believe they are serious” and “it’s impossible to believe”.

I think they may have just shot themselves in the foot with this one.

.

http://www.dorries.org.uk/Blogs/2008/May/08#08

On a Wednesday morning David Cameron strides along the corridor to PMQ’s.

His aides shuffle and trot alongside in a vain attempt to keep up with him, as he chats and and laughs whilst walking down to the House.

He waves and says hello to anyone he knows on the way and returns smiles to those he doesn’t.

As he walked into the chamber today he was the picture of disgustingly good health. Tanned, smiling confident. Totally at ease with both his surroundings and the task ahead.

His PPS Desi Swayne who entered the chamber with him shuffles along the second row past those of us who were seated, knocking back the jokes about his pretty pink tie, grinning from ear to ear, about to take his important seat behind David.

It wasn’t like that for Gordon.

Gordon walked along the corridor surrounded by his aides in sombre silence.

You could have cut the atmosphere with a knife.

His pallor was a deathly waxy grey and he half stooped as he walked, shoulders haunched by the weight of defeat.

His aides looked scared witless. Not a word passed. No one dared speak.

No smiles to passers-by or friendly aknowledgments.

Gordon Brown walked into the chamber and, as he moved along past the Speaker's chair to his place in front of the dispatch box, looked to all the world like a dead man walking.

http://www.dorries.org.uk/Blogs/2008/May/07#07

The press conference yesterday almost became a fiasco.

To be perfectly honest, I hadn't really expected anyone to turn up. So when I walked into a room full of cameras and journalists, it was a bit of a shock to say the least.

I arrived in the room just as a jobs-worth security guard from the Himmler school of charm and diplomacy, called the Palace of Westminster police to escort the cameramen off the estate.

It took a call to the deputy Sergeant at Arms to discover that we could audio record only. And the use of that would be what? In case I forgot what I said?

It appears the House of Commons' authorities had decided that my press conference was OK for radio. But not TV.

Just who are these faceless people who occupy hundreds, nay thousands of offices in this Palace, which belongs to the people, and the representatives of the people?

Who are these nameless bureaucrats who tell  an elected MP sent to Parliament by the people, that I can't film in a room which broadcasts committee meetings every day to the nation, from five permanent suspended cameras?

Who are these people sat in plush offices centred around the chamber whilst MPs walk miles to and fro each day, and camp out in corridors and the library; and by what right do they tell me that an event planned to launch a major campaign, aimed at amending legislation, cannot continue?

Someone who has a democratic right, a far greater right than any jobs-worth officious rude security guard, to be here.

Who has the right to run this place? Is it the people or the bureaucrats?

As it was we de-camped onto College Green.

Within seconds another security guard arrived. He asked me did I have a permit?

I said yes. I lied, we began.

Perhaps someone would now like to report me to the standards committee?

I am  going to hunt down one of the legal constitutional  brains over here.  I have rights and I am going to find out what they are and, make sure every other MP knows what they are too.

There should be a balance between the executive and the administration, however it appears to me that balance needs to be redressed.

As it was, despite the attempts by the House of Commons' politeriat to thwart the day, it was a beautiful sunny day and worked out really well.

We had interlopers, the MP who is the Labour version of Evan Harris - Chris McCafferty - sent her husband and researcher along.

They were very welcome!

Click here to watch the Press Conference

http://www.dorries.org.uk/Blogs/2008/May/07#07

At 00.40 on Saturday morning I sent my daughter a text message, it read – he did it, he did it Boris is Mayor!

 At 00.50 I sent another one, it read– Sorry darling, happy birthday princess xx

As a Queen once said, she was not amused!!

I can't help giggling though every time I think of it :-)

http://www.dorries.org.uk/Blogs/2008/May/06#06

The campaign launches in earnest today. Even in my wildest dreams, I could not have imagined the coverage that The Daily Mail has given us this morning. Not sure I will ever appear on the front page again!

The 20 reasons are listed in full in the article, just click on the link above.

Amanda Platell has also dedicated a page to the campaign and we have the top of the Daily Mail Comment Strip. 

The 20 Reasons for 20 Weeks website launches today, of which I am immensely proud and grateful to all the people, who have made the campaign happen.

My first ever press conference takes place at 3.30pm!

If there is any humour to be found in this campaign, it may be in listening to Dr Evan Harris MP shouting at the presenter on the BBC Asian network this morning - I am sure they have the listen back facility.

http://www.dorries.org.uk/Blogs/2008/May/06#06

Having worked all morning I have just got around to reading yesterday’s Observer.

There is an article, ‘what does Cameron need to do next’. Brown has lost. What David needs to do to win the next general election will become the emerging debate over the next few months.

To me this issue is about far more than developing a few policies on crime and health.

David needs to connect with the greater majority of the general public. The connection between him and them is vital; it’s happening now and needs to go deeper.

Low income families are hurting. In a week when the 10p tax band was removed school dinners went up to £2 per child. The streets are no longer safe, house prices are in decline, you can’t get a mortgage or educate your children well.  In today’s Britain, Its tough trying to heat your home, fill your car or feed your family.

David needs to show that he will make this country a different and better place than it is under Labour. He cares about the low paid with genuine passion.

He’s a family man, a dad who loves his kids. He finds it easy to empathise with those parents who can’t give their children the things in life they want to – like a decent education or quick access to the healthcare they need. He finds it easy to put himself into someone elses position and understand how they feel.

To win the next General Election he needs to learn how to convey that genuine passion and empathy right in through the front door of every struggling family home in Britain.

And then people will vote for him, they will know he really feels for them, because he can walk in their shoes.

http://www.dorries.org.uk/Blogs/2008/May/05#05

Chatting to other MPs from under my duvet from where I refused to move, having had so little sleep over the last 48hrs, we were all agreed on one thing - there is absolutely no such thing as a safe seat.

Comparisons with ’95 are tricky. There weren’t the same number of alternative parties and besides, John Major got more of the vote share than Brown did on Thursday despite the number of fringe parties who do often claim the disenfranchised voter, which would also have affected our share of the vote on Thursday night in a big way.

Winners ond losers over 48hrs other than political parties  - YouGov called it right, Jeremy Vine presented it so seriously wrong!

Whilst everyone else chats about strategy and scenarios, I am only concerned about one rather big issue – how am I going to remember the names of 200 new MPs? I’m going to have to start learning them now!

I won’t be blogging again until Monday night when I will have some big news.

The rest of this weekend is given over entirely to serious socialising, having fun, spoiling my girls, a birthday lunch, walking the dogs and did you know, it’s Margarita Saturday today?

Now, where did I put the Limes?

http://www.dorries.org.uk/Blogs/2008/May/03#03

Good Morning Boys and Girls.

Has anyone seen Gordon? He's the man in charge don't you know, where do you think he could be hiding? Hello?

Gordon, come out and play, all the boys and girls are waiting to see you.

Let's go and see if we can find him shall we?

Is he hiding here in No 10?

Let's open the door and step inside.

Oooh what's under this big desk in the corner, lets lift the lid boys and girls and take a look.

Oh there you are, you silly boy, what are you doing hiding under teddy Harman, PC Smith, Big BufHoon and the Mayor.

Look, you are making Big BufHoon cry, that’s not very nice is it.

Oh dear boys and girls, Gordon’s not looking very well today.

Lets put him back in the desk shall we and see if he can face coming out tomorrow.

Poor Gordon, say bye bye to Gordon boys and girls.

Bye bye Gordon, bye bye PC Smith, Bye bye Big BufHoon Bye Bye Mayor.

Time to go home.

http://www.dorries.org.uk/Blogs/2008/May/02#02