MPS ABANDON BROWN AS GOVERNMENT POSTS GO UNFILLED

MPS ABANDON BROWN AS GOVERNMENT POSTS GO UNFILLED

LABOUR BELEAGURED AS GENERAL ELECTION DRAWS CLOSER

Reports that at least 12 Parliamentary Private Secretary posts have not been filled following June's reshuffle show how beleaguered the UK Labour Government has become and expose real apathy on the Labour backbenches says SNP MP Angus MacNeil.

PPS posts are normally filled by MPs looking to embark on a ministerial career but, as 12 go unfilled and the Prime Minister looks increasingly to the House of Lords for Government ministers, the shortage MPs willing to serve in the UK Government has been revealed.

The last parliamentary term saw a number of high profile PPS resignations and Downing Street have now admitted they no longer keep a comprehensive list of post holders.

Commenting on the reports, which appear in today’s Financial Times, Mr MacNeil said:

“Gordon Brown’s administration is an absolute shambles. There have been so many departures in recent months that Downing Street can’t even keep track.

“The Prime Minister has not only lost public confidence, he has clearly lost credibility within his own party as well.

“PPS is the first step on the government career ladder but Labour MPs no longer believe the climb is worth their while.

“It’s no wonder that even the payroll vote is abandoning the Prime Minister. In recent months, the UK Government has made a farcical attempt to privatise Royal Mail, tried to throw loyal Ghurkha soldiers out of the UK and threatened the Scottish recovery with £500m of cuts while pushing ahead with unnecessary vanity projects such as Trident.

"How can Labour ask the public to vote for Gordon Brown, when their own MPs don't even want to work for him?"