PM points to Hain’s achievements

Gordon Brown this afternoon delivered a strong defence of Peter Hain after the beleaguered cabinet minister had been described in the Commons as “a dead man walking” by a Shropshire MP.

The Prime Minister’s praise of Mr Hain’s record as Work and Pensions Secretary contrasted sharply with the “incompetent” label he attached less than 24 hours earlier to his colleague’s failure to declare donations to his failed campaign for Labour’s deputy leadership.

David Cameron and the Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg chose not to raise Mr Hain’s difficulties at Prime Minister’s Question Time, although the Conservative leader did manage to dub the Government as “incompetent” more than once. So it was left to Tory backbencher Philip Dunne to raise the issue which has dominated politics at Westminster for more than a week.

The Ludlow MP wondered, since Mr Hain was “a dead man walking”, what arrangements Mr Brown was making for a “competence transplant”.

Only Harriet Harman, who beat Mr Hain and the rest to the deputy leadership, was sitting between the Prime Minister and his embattled cabinet minister, so perhaps this was why he was more supportive this time than in previous statements.

He pointed to higher employment, lower unemployment, fewer incapacity benefit claims, and more long-term unemployed back in work as examples of what a good job the Work and Pensions Secretary was doing.

“That’s why I have confidence in what he’s doing,” declared Mr Brown.

Earlier, Mr Hain, wearing his other cabinet hat as Secretary of State for Wales, had faced Commons questions .

He was very nearly goaded by his Tory shadow Cheryl Gillan into repeating Norman Lamont’s infamous “Je ne regrette rien” statement when she questioned his dealings with businesses in Wales. “I have absolutely no regrets,” said Mr Hain, who said it was his “duty” to visit and show his support for companies in the principality.

Mr Cameron clearly chose to leave Mr Hain’s future to the two inquiries being conducted into his conduct, preferring to tackle the Prime Minister about the £55 billion of taxpayers’ money put into Northern Rock.

Mr Brown wasn’t giving much away, refusing to give any figures to his opponent, and instead - with the support of Speaker Michael Martin - repeatedly asking the Conservative leader about his position on the issue, which he claimed had chopped and changed over the months.

Mr Martin let him get away with it, declaring that the Prime Minister’s questions were “in order”. Mr Cameron sat down with a face like thunder.

by Westminster editor John Hipwood