Number 10 Press Briefing - Afternoon From 20 January 2011
From the Prime Minister's spokesperson on: Baroness Warsi speech, Counter Terrorism and Riven Vincent.
Baroness Warsi Speech
Asked if the Prime Minister had cleared Baroness Warsi, the Prime Minister’s Spokeswoman (PMS) said that she would not get into the process used in this or any other speech
Asked if the Prime Minister supported Baroness Warsi’s comments, the PMS said that Baroness Warsi had not yet made her speech but that the Prime Minister thought it was a very important debate.
Asked if the Prime Minister felt that discrimination against Muslims had become more prevalent in society, the PMS said that the Prime Minister was against discrimination and inequality, and repeated that he thought it was an important debate to have. We wanted Britain to become an integrated society, where everyone participated, and we needed to work with communities to prevent extremism.
Counter Terrorism
Asked why the Government had used an Urgent Question today to announce policy, the PMS said that Damian Green had made a statement today but the Home Secretary would make a fuller statement next week. It was a statement of fact that the six month extension to the 28 day limit for pre-charge detention would end in the next few days. The Home Secretary would say more in her statement on Wednesday.
Riven Vincent
Asked if the Prime Minister had written to Riven Vincent, the PMS said yes, the letter had just been sent.
Asked if the letter would be published, the PMS said no, it was a private letter.
Asked if the Prime Minister would get involved in similar cases if asked, the PMS said that the Prime Minister had said this afternoon that he had experience of caring for a disabled child and had every sympathy with families in similar positions. As such, we had put hundreds of millions of pounds’ more into respite care. The duty of care in this case seemed to lie with the council and they were looking into it.