Alan Campbell MP: speeches

Speeches

• 14 Jul 2026 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  The right hon. Gentleman might have raised it in the Daily Mail , but he did not raise it in the business statement yesterday, unlike others across the House. As for his suggestion that there should be a statement tomorrow, I remind him that if the business tomorrow was as he asks for it to be, there would be no statement. We do not have statements on Opposition days.

• 14 Jul 2026 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  The right hon. Gentleman was a very distinguished Chief Whip, but I fear that he is looking back at when he served in that role with rose-tinted spectacles. I remember both what we did to his party, and what it did to us. Opposition days are not set in stone, in the way that he is suggesting. Had we known what the motions were, that might have informed the debate on this decision, but I remind the House that there is a crisis escalating across the middle east. As for the future Prime Minister, the work of the Government will continue through the recess, and once the Prime Minister is in place, they will come to the House at the earliest opportunity following the recess.

• 14 Jul 2026 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  If I may, I will introduce some facts into the situation. I appreciate the frustration of Members when business is changed at short notice and when debates are postponed, but they will appreciate the importance of the House being able to discuss the escalating and fast-moving situation in the middle east before the recess. The right hon. Gentleman, who knows that I hold him in high regard, may want to take away the word “distastefully” and have another think about that. What is distasteful is the crisis erupting once again in the middle east. This is an opportunity to update the House, and for Members to give their views on this matter at the earliest opportunity. The right hon. Gentleman reads out a motion that, he tells us, was to be tabled for tomorrow. I have to say that that is the first I have heard of the motion; no such motion was tabled for the Opposition day tomorrow. We did not see the words of the motion. A decision was made on whether the House should debate an unfolding international crisis. The right hon. Gentleman talks about what might happen on Monday. He had the opportunity yesterday to raise the question of whether the future Prime Minister would come to the House on Monday. Others raised that issue, but he did not.

• 14 Jul 2026 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  I just point out gently to the hon. Lady that I have already said that the Government will continue during the recess. I expect that decisions and announcements will be made, and there was never going to be an opportunity for every new or existing Secretary of State to be brought to this House to answer questions. That is what we will do when the House reconvenes in September. I am sure that those Secretaries of State and the new Prime Minister will want to set out the Government’s plans at the earliest opportunity.

• 14 Jul 2026 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  The hon. Gentleman’s first point was that it happened to us, or we did it. I understand, because I would have been angry at the time. I can assure the House that I would have been very angry, and I understand the anger on the Opposition Benches. What I am saying, however, is that the decision is a choice between an issue relating to the international situation, which we need to discuss before the recess, and motions that we were yet to see. As for writing to or otherwise contacting my right hon. Friend the Member for Makerfield, I assure the hon. Gentleman that my right hon. Friend will know that the business for tomorrow has changed, and he will now know what the topic is, and if he wishes to come here to make his views plain on that particular issue—or if any other Member wishes to do so—that is a matter for my right hon. Friend.

• 14 Jul 2026 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  The reality is that if a new Administration is formed on Monday, it will take some time to get that Administration into place. As I said yesterday, there are no plans to change the recess dates; those dates were set for the convenience of Members, to enable them to plan ahead. The work of the Government will continue through the recess, and I am sure that once the next Prime Minister is in place, he will come to the House, following recess, to update it on his plans.

• 14 Jul 2026 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  I am sure that when the Prime Minister is in place, he will be coming to this House at the earliest opportunity following recess, and he will set that out. [ Interruption. ] Let me just answer the right hon. Gentleman’s question. I expect that when Ministers get up tomorrow to open or to respond to the debate they will set out Government policy. I do not expect that policy to change, even though the Administration might change. The Government will be setting out the plans for the summer. Even if we have a different Prime Minister and a different Administration, I am not sure that the policy will change in the way that the right hon. Gentleman seems to be suggesting.

• 14 Jul 2026 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  I hope to be able to confirm that in due course, but my hon. Friend is not far off.

• 14 Jul 2026 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  The right hon. Gentleman—who, again, was a very distinguished Chief Whip—might well agree with the former Chief Whip sitting next to him, but that does not make them right. I am not sure that the right hon. Gentleman is correct about what happened once a date was agreed, but if he is, that was because of the right hon. Gentleman’s decency in using the usual channels in that way. Perhaps there otherwise would have been a greater degree of uncertainty. As I have said, when the new Prime Minister is in place, he will come to the House at the earliest opportunity, following recess, and update the House.

• 14 Jul 2026 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  I am not seeking to usurp that. What I am saying is that I have also been in this place for the past 25 years, to jog the hon. Gentleman’s memory, and it has happened. It does happen on occasion. [Hon. Members: “When?”] Look, I cannot give the hon. Gentleman the dates off the top of my head, but I am absolutely confident that it happened. It happened during his Government—the Government whom he supported. It happened, and I think the record will demonstrate that. This is a highly unusual situation. We are heading towards a recess; the House needs an opportunity to discuss this situation further, and that is what I am seeking to provide.

• 14 Jul 2026 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  As I recall, Boris Johnson was appointed before the summer recess, and there was time for him to make a statement. If I am incorrect, I apologise, but I am confident that was the case. The right hon. Lady raises an interesting question about whether tomorrow not being an Opposition day creates space for statements. I will take that question away and think about it.

• 14 Jul 2026 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  I am grateful to the right hon. Gentleman for informing those on the Government Benches what the other topic was going to be for the Opposition day debate. [ Interruption. ] I am standing at the Dispatch Box, and Mr Speaker knows the importance I put on Ministers telling the absolute truth when they stand here. I was totally unaware until the right hon. Gentleman just told us— [ Interruption. ] No, I was totally unaware of the topic, not just the wording. That illustrates his point about the usual channels, because the usual channels, funnily enough, are a two-way process. It is about the Opposition saying to the Government, “This is what we are going to raise”, and then making sure that the debate rises to that, because the Government are informed in sufficient time. If he has a problem with how the usual channels are working, he might want to talk to his side.

• 14 Jul 2026 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  As I have said before, and I say again, when the new Prime Minister is in place he will come and make a statement to the House, and set out his plans on those and other matters. The hon. Gentleman has raised the issue of taxation— [Interruption.] Hon. Members might want to listen to this, because it answers a question that they have asked before and to which I now have an answer. The universal credit vote was blocked on 7 September 2021 by Jacob Rees-Mogg, who scrapped an Opposition day in order to vote for a national insurance rise.

• 14 Jul 2026 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  The right hon. Gentleman is a very distinguished Member of this House, but I do think that the Opposition are talking lightly about what is unfolding in the middle east. This Government have brought statements and debates about Iran to the Floor of the House, but the Opposition are suggesting that nothing that is happening out there is sufficient to merit a debate tomorrow, before the recess, in which the Government can set out their position, and hon. and right hon. Members can set out their views and inform the Government. I think that this is the right way to go about it. If there is need for a recall of the House during the recess to discuss this or any other matter, that will be considered in the usual way.

• 14 Jul 2026 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  The general debate on Iran will be followed by a motion to approve a statutory instrument relating to national security. The business for the remainder of the week is unchanged. Thursday 16 July—The Sir David Amess summer Adjournment debate. The subject of which has been determined by the Backbench Business Committee. The House will rise for the summer recess at the conclusion of business on Thursday 16 July and return on Tuesday 1 September. I will make a further business statement on Thursday.

• 14 Jul 2026 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  I do not agree with the hon. Gentleman at all. The work of the Government will continue throughout the recess. What the Government will set out tomorrow is our position on the situation in the middle east. If, heaven forbid, there is a need to recall Parliament or indeed we return to this matter in September, even with a new Prime Minister, I do not expect there to be a major difference in that regard. The hon. Gentleman knows that this is a matter of the highest importance to our constituents. [Interruption.] There is no statement today because we are changing the business for tomorrow to give Members on both sides of the House the opportunity to make their case, perhaps in an extended way, rather than simply in a statement. That is what this important issue tomorrow deserves.

• 14 Jul 2026 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  With permission, Mr Speaker, I would like to make a short statement to update the House on tomorrow’s business. The business for tomorrow is now: Wednesday 15 July—A general debate on Iran— [ Interruption . ]

• 14 Jul 2026 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  That is because on the day the Opposition were suggesting my right hon. Friend should come here and make that statement he will be putting together a new Administration—presumably appointing a new Cabinet, and then a new Administration. He will be setting out— [Interruption.] If Members want to scrutinise an Administration, they should at least provide an opportunity for the Prime Minister and the Administration to be in place. However, that is not the reason why tomorrow’s business is being altered. Tomorrow’s business is being altered because we are on the verge of a conflagration, and a decision was made without knowledge of what the motions would to be for tomorrow. A decision was made that it was appropriate for the House to consider that matter, rather than the motions that were yet to be tabled.

• 14 Jul 2026 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  As I have said, the new Prime Minister will wish to come to this place, and, on the points that the hon. Lady has raised, he will want to answer questions; but let me give her a different scenario for what tomorrow might have looked like if it had been an Opposition day. We could have had a motion which, perhaps, the whole House could have got behind, about the dangerous international situation— [Interruption.] We could have done that, because we could have risen to the occasion. But what we got—the shadow Leader of the House read it out—was a party political motion. We did not know that, but it turns out to be proven— [Interruption.] Let me be clear: we did not know the wording of the motion. We did not know what that was. But let me just say this. I do not appear to be so all the time, but I am always optimistic. Sometimes I expect Opposition parties to use Opposition days to rise to the occasion. Unfortunately, however, I am disappointed yet again.

• 13 Jul 2026 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  I agree with the shadow Leader of the House about the tragedy of Ann Widdecombe and I echo his words. I do not agree with the right hon. Gentleman’s description of the run-up to this change of business and the fact that the Bill will come before us tomorrow. This is an important Bill and we have been signalling for some time that it is coming—as he knows, because we have had a dialogue about it. But only today have I been able to confirm it, as this has been the earliest opportunity, Mr Speaker. The right hon. Gentleman talks about amendments. A number of amendments to the Bill have been laid for a long time. The Government have brought forward further amendments and they are in the Vote Office. I regret that there is not a greater length of time for colleagues to scrutinise them, but they are available and I am sure there will be a way of facilitating a full debate tomorrow. There has been no abbreviation of the process—it is a sitting programme motion, as was agreed by the House after Second Reading. I want to assure the House that, as will no doubt come out in the debate, the agencies and the families have been central to the process, and that is why we have taken time to get it right. That is why it has been delayed, but it is an important Bill that colleagues on both sides of the House will want to see before the summer recess. That is what we are facilitating.

• 13 Jul 2026 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  I share my hon. Friend’s hope. This is an important Bill and an important matter. It is, of course, about the victims of Hillsborough and their families, and the campaign that they have needed to wage for far too long, but it is also of profound importance to public service and how we do business in our country. That is why the Bill is of such importance.

• 13 Jul 2026 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  Thank you, Mr Speaker. I just announced the recess dates. There are no plans to change the dates on which the House is sitting. As you have alluded to, Mr Speaker, recess dates are agreed by the House in advance to give colleagues certainty about parliamentary business. Just to reassure the House, the work of the Government will continue through the recess.

• 13 Jul 2026 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  My hon. Friend is absolutely right that the Representation of the People Bill is an important Bill. I will announce in due course when it will return to this House, but it will be returning to this House.

• 13 Jul 2026 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  With permission, Mr Speaker, I would like to make a short statement to provide an update on this week’s business. The business for tomorrow is now: Tuesday 14 July—Remaining stages of the Public Office (Accountability) Bill, followed by consideration of Lords amendments to the Steel Industry (Nationalisation) Bill. Members who are considering tabling amendments to the Public Office (Accountability) Bill should consult the Public Bill Office as soon as possible. The Government will ensure that the text of our new amendments is made available to members in the Vote Office straightaway. The business for the remainder of the week is unchanged: Wednesday 15 July—Opposition day, third allotted day. Debate on a motion in the name of the official Opposition, subject to be announced, followed by a motion to approve a statutory instrument relating to national security. Thursday 16 July—The Sir David Amess summer Adjournment debate. The subject for this debate was determined by the Backbench Business Committee. The House will rise for the summer recess at the conclusion of business on Thursday 16 July and return on Tuesday 1 September. I will make a further business statement on Thursday.

• 9 Jul 2026 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  My hon. Friend illustrates the power and influence of business questions. She is a true champion for small businesses in her constituency. As I have said on a number of occasions, small businesses are at the heart of our local communities, and we are absolutely committed to supporting them, including through our £10 million hospitality support fund. She has listed what I am sure are just a few of the fantastic cafés in her constituency. Should I find myself in Grimsby, I would be delighted to accompany her to one or more of them. She may want to raise the issue of hospitality more widely during the pre-recess Adjournment debate or in a Westminster Hall debate when we return. I am sure that if she were to raise the issue, others would join her, because Members have similar concerns across their constituencies.