Labour and Conservatives exchange letters on Vulture Funds
On Friday 12 March, Douglas Alexander, the International Development Secretary, wrote to David Cameron, following the objection at the third reading in Parliament that afternoon:
Dear David,
As you will be aware, your MPs today killed a Private Member's Bill that would have put an end to the disgraceful practice of corporations buying up old debts of some of the world's poorest countries and then suing them for large sums.
The bill had enjoyed widespread support both within parliament and from leading charities such as the Jubilee Debt Campaign.
I had hoped that all Members of Parliament would suppotr Mr Gwynne's bill but your party today objected to it, knowing that this would mean it will run out of time and have no chance of becoming law.
I find it incredible that Conservative MPs in the chamber - who had pledged their support to the bill - then objected to it and refused to admit who was responsible.
I can only conclude that this was a decision taken by your front bench in a direct breach of the commitments you had given. If the Conservative party - which has pledged its support to the bill and to debt relief in general - is to have any credibility on this issue in the future you must now make your position clear and come clean on whether this important bill was blocked on your shadow cabinet's instructions.
I await your speedy response,
Yours sincerely
Douglas Alexander
In response, the Conservative Party's Treasury Minister David Gauke sent this reply on Tuesday 16 March:
Dear Douglas
I refer to your letter to David Cameron of 12 March 2010 with regard to the Debt Relief (Developing Countries) Bill. I have been leading for the Conservative frontbench on this Bill and, consequently, David has asked me to respond.
As you are well aware, the Conservative frontbench has acted constructively throughout the course of this Bill. Notwithstanding this, insufficient Parliamentary time has been found so far to ensure that the Bill is debated at all its stages in the House of Commons. Nonetheless, at no stage has the Conservative frontbench objected to the Bill progressing.
You mention that the Bill was objected to in the House on Friday ‘knowing that this would mean it will run out of time and have no chance of becoming law’. However, the Bill was due to be debated this Thursday but has now been removed from the Order Paper. This should have provided an opportunity for the Bill to proceed to the House of Lords before Easter. Why has it been removed?
It is within the power of the Government to ensure that the Bill is able to complete its Commons stages. We are willing to work with the Government to enable this to happen.
We await confirmation that the Government is prepared to allocate time for the Debt Relief (Developing Countries) Bill to complete its House of Commons stages. If this does not happen, and in the light of the partisan tone of your letter, it would appear that the Government is deliberately allowing the Bill to die whilst seeking to obtain party political advantage by laying the blame on others.
I await your speedy response.
Yours sincerely
David Gauke MP
Jubilee Debt Campaign believes that political interest in this issue is positive and overdue.
However we remain concerned that neither the Government nor opposition parties have committed to introduce legislation on this matter if they win the General Election. We believe the best way for political parties to demonstrate their commitment to the measures contained in the Vulture Funds Bill is to make this pledge as soon as possible.