WHAT HAPPENED ON 13th December 1996?

12th December 1996

The Tory Rip Van Winkle brigade has

woken as it always does near a General Election to attack the last Labour Government. Obviously these people have been oblivious to the vast incompetence shown in the last four years alone. We've had the BSE crisis corruption record debt & crime the longest recession since the war the Black Wednesday fiasco & the running down of vital services.R Bentley Pontfract

13th December 1996

LOSS OF MAJORITY "MAKES NO DIFFERENCE"

The Prime Minister has said the loss of his parliamentary majority will not make a "material difference". And Mr Major said the Government would be "able to hang onto our preferred date" for the general election. Tony Blair hailed Labour's victory in the Barnsley East by-election as a "great" result. He added: "The Government majority has gone & we'll continue to pile on the pressure until the Government has gone"

13th December 1996

STOP FEUDING OR RISK DEFEAT ` ARCHER

Former Tory deputy chairman Lord Archer has warned the party to "pull together" or risk losing the General Election. "If we go into the next General Election as divided as we are today we will lose & we will deserve to lose." This followed Labour's by-election win which left 323 MPs taking the Tory whip ` equal to the combined Opposition. But Mr Major effectively has minority power after backbencher Sir John Gorst said he could not count on his support.

12th December 1996

CLARK SETS HIS SIGHTS ON COMMONS RETURN

Former Tory minister Alan Clark has thrown his hat into the ring to succeed the deselected Tory Sir Nicholas Scott. Mr Clark told BBC Radio he would be putting himself forward as a possible candidate for the Kensington & Chelsea seat at the general election. At first he appeared reluctant to commit himself. "I want to go back into Parliament " he said. When asked specifically about the London seat he finally said "yes".

13th December 1996

LOSS OF MAJORITY "MAKES NO DIFFERENCE"

The Prime Minister has said the loss of his parliamentary majority will not make a "material difference". And Mr Major said the Government would be "able to hang onto our preferred date" for the general election. Tony Blair hailed Labour's victory in the Barnsley East by-election as a "great" result. He added: "The Government majority has gone & we'll continue to pile on the pressure until the Government has gone"

13th December 1996

BLAIR VOWS TO CONTINUE ULSTER PROCESS

Labour leader Tony Blair has insisted the policy for peace in Ulster will remain unchanged if he wins the next General Election. He told a meeting at Queen's University in Belfast that Ulster should expect "continuity on the peace process". "We will work on the basis of agreements that have been reached in recent years " he said. And he said he was looking for a "bi-partisan approach" from Tories.

12th December 1996

What People were saying on

"He was a brilliant cartoonist & produced some of the best & funniest drawings of people in public life in recent decades" -Ian Hislop editor of Private Eye on the death of Willie Rushton one of the magazine's founders

"There is more chance of Home Secretary Michael Howard being kidnapped by little green men than of Chelsea topping the Premiership or me achieving high office in a Labour Government" ` Labour MP Tony Banks.

13th December 1996

LOSS OF MAJORITY "MAKES NO DIFFERENCE"

The Prime Minister has said the loss of his parliamentary majority will not make a "material difference". And Mr Major said the Government would be "able to hang onto our preferred date" for the general election. Tony Blair hailed Labour's victory in the Barnsley East by-election as a "great" result. He added: "The Government majority has gone & we'll continue to pile on the pressure until the Government has gone"

13th December 1996

EU LEADERS AGREE MONETARY UNION RULES

Agreement has been reached on the main details of a plan to force governments to control public spending after European monetary union. The so-called Stability Pact is reported to include fining defaulters billions of dollars. The details were announced at a meeting of EU leaders in Dublin. "I wish to tell you we have now agreed the entire document " Irish finance minister Ruairi Quinn said.

12th December 1996

PROTEST AT PLAN TO CHARGE CRASH DRIVERS

Plans to make motorists who cause crashes pay for victims' NHS treatment have been condemned by insurers. Law Commission proposals could save the NHS about £120m a year it is reported. But critics say it will lead to soaring insurance costs more hit-and-run accidents widespread insurance evasion and huge bureaucratic & legal bills. Health Secretary Stephen Dorrell will now decide whether to bring the idea before Parliament.

13th December 1996

LOSS OF MAJORITY "MAKES NO DIFFERENCE"

The Prime Minister has said the loss of his parliamentary majority will not make a "material difference". And Mr Major said the Government would be "able to hang onto our preferred date" for the general election. Tony Blair hailed Labour's victory in the Barnsley East by-election as a "great" result. He added: "The Government majority has gone & we'll continue to pile on the pressure until the Government has gone"

13th December 1996

MONDAY'S BUSINESS AGENDA IN PARLIAMENT

Business in the Commons gets under way with questions on National Heritage and to the Lord Chancellor's Department There will then be a debate on European Common Fisheries Policy. It will be opened by deputy agriculture and fisheries minister Tony Baldry followed by Labour's Gavin Strang. In the Lords the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office Bill & Civil Procedure Bill get a third reading & the Firearms Bill its second reading.

12th December 1996

TORIES SHOULD TAKE TAX OATH - PRESCOTT

Labour Deputy Leader John Prescott has accused the Government of making dishonest claims about its tax record. Referring to yesterday's report on the Willett's affair he said future Tory tax promises should be made on oath. "The Tories have lost the trust of the nation " Mr Prescott said standing in for Tony Blair at Question Time. The Prime Minister retorted that Labour and taxes went together "like strawberries & cream".

13th December 1996

LOSS OF MAJORITY "MAKES NO DIFFERENCE"

The Prime Minister has said the loss of his parliamentary majority will not make a "material difference". And Mr Major said the Government would be "able to hang onto our preferred date" for the general election. Tony Blair hailed Labour's victory in the Barnsley East by-election as a "great" result. He added: "The Government majority has gone & we'll continue to pile on the pressure until the Government has gone"

13th December 1996

MAJOR COMMITTED TO SEARCH FOR NI PEACE

The Prime Minister has insisted he is committed to the peace process in Northern Ireland. Mr Major denied he had become "disengaged" from the search for peace. He also warned Sinn Fein & the IRA that there could be no inclusive talks with them while "Semtex & a gun" were hidden beneath the negotiating table. Some Irish negotiators had claimed Mr Major had become distracted by his position in the House of Commons.

12th December 1996

TORIES SHOULD TAKE TAX OATH - PRESCOTT

Labour Deputy Leader John Prescott has accused the Government of making dishonest claims about its tax record. Referring to yesterday's report on the Willett's affair he said future Tory tax promises should be made on oath. "The Tories have lost the trust of the nation " Mr Prescott said standing in for Tony Blair at Question Time. The Prime Minister retorted that Labour and taxes went together "like strawberries & cream".

13th December 1996

LOSS OF MAJORITY "MAKES NO DIFFERENCE"

The Prime Minister has said the loss of his parliamentary majority will not make a "material difference". And Mr Major said the Government would be "able to hang onto our preferred date" for the general election. Tony Blair hailed Labour's victory in the Barnsley East by-election as a "great" result. He added: "The Government majority has gone & we'll continue to pile on the pressure until the Government has gone"

13th December 1996

BLAIR VOWS TO CONTINUE ULSTER PROCESS

Labour leader Tony Blair has insisted the policy for peace in Ulster will remain unchanged if he wins the next General Election. He told a meeting at Queen's University in Belfast that Ulster should expect "continuity on the peace process". "We will work on the basis of agreements that have been reached in recent years " he said. And he said he was looking for a "bi-partisan approach" from Tories.

12th December 1996

The Tory Rip Van Winkle brigade has

woken as it always does near a General Election to attack the last Labour Government. Obviously these people have been oblivious to the vast incompetence shown in the last four years alone. We've had the BSE crisis corruption record debt & crime the longest recession since the war the Black Wednesday fiasco & the running down of vital services.R Bentley Pontfract

13th December 1996

LOSS OF MAJORITY "MAKES NO DIFFERENCE"

The Prime Minister has said the loss of his parliamentary majority will not make a "material difference". And Mr Major said the Government would be "able to hang onto our preferred date" for the general election. Tony Blair hailed Labour's victory in the Barnsley East by-election as a "great" result. He added: "The Government majority has gone & we'll continue to pile on the pressure until the Government has gone"

13th December 1996

JUDGEMENT RESERVED IN "McLIBEL" CASE

Judgement has been reserved at the High Court in the libel action brought by the McDonald's fast-food chain against two environmental activists. The case the longest in British legal history lasted two-and-a-half years. A final judgement is expected next year. Dave Morris & Helen Steel made allegations about McDonald's food. The case has generated 20 000 pages of transcripts & the evidence of more than 100 witnesses has been heard.