MP's excuse not true and not good enough - Butt Philip (Bridgwater and West Somerset Liberal Democrats)

Bridgwater and West Somerset Liberal Democrats <info@bawslibdems.org.uk>

MP's excuse not true and not good enough - Butt Philip

March 30, 2009 10:40 AM

Theo Butt Philip has hit out at Ian Liddell-Grainger over comments on the Fuel Poverty Bill made in the Bridgwater Times.

Ian Liddell-Grainger claimed that the Bill had "no chance of becoming law" 89 MPs voted in favour, just 11 more would have meant the Bill passed on to the committee stage for further scrutinising after which it could have made it onto the statue book.

Ian Liddell-Grainger also claimed that no Lib Dem Bill had been passed in nearly 100 years. In fact since the Second World War over 20 Liberal or Liberal Democrat Bills have made it onto the statute book, including 4 since Mr Liddell-Grainger was elected in 2001.

Theo Butt Philip said:

"It saddens me that Mr Liddell-Grainger seems happy to make such statements without having any basis in fact. Over Given that 4 of the Bills have been passed in the relatively short time Mr Liddell-Grainger has been and MP I am surprised he didn't notice. Maybe Mr Liddell-Grainger should spend less time trying to score cheap party political points and more time paying attention to what goes on in Parliament which is, after all, one of the things he's paid to do."

The Fuel Poverty Bill was introduced by David Heath, Lib Dem MP for Somerton and Frome, and proposed putting a duty on the Government to deliver a massive home insulation programme which would halve the energy needed to heat the average home and end the scandal of those who use pre-pay meters paying higher rates for their gas and electricity.