I have just e-mailed my MP, the Prime Minister in waiting, to congratulate him on winning the Conservative Party leadership contest but also to ask him whether, in common with 14 other Tory MPs who have already done so, he would be minded to sign EDM 1111 as he did EDM 337 in February 2004.
Received a reply later stating that, as Leader of the Opposition, David won't be signing EDMs; however, " he will always be able to ask specific questions to Ministers on your behalf if you would like to him to."
So I will now ask him "To ask the Rt Hon Dr John Reid MP, Secretary of State for Defence:
1. Whether he will appoint a Judge of the High Court or some other person who has held high judicial office to conduct an independent and impartial review of all the evidence that has been gathered in all the hearings and inquiries that have been held regarding the crash of the Chinook helicopter on the Mull of Kintyre on 2nd June 1994.
2. Further, for that person to advise whether, having regard to the appropriate burden and standard of proof, such evidence is sufficient to support the conclusion that the pilots were guilty of gross negligence.
3. For the Rt Hon Dr John Reid MP, Secretary of State for Defence to follow the advice of that person and to act accordingly."
Last edited by BEagle; 7th Dec 2005 at 12:41.