Number 10 Press Briefing - Morning From 8 September 2010
From the Prime Minister's spokesperson on: the Prime Minister's father and the UK Special Rep for Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Prime Minister’s father
Asked if there was an update on the Prime Minister’s father who had been taken ill in France, the Prime Minister’s Spokesman (PMS) said there wasn’t. His understanding was that the Prime Minister had found out about his father this morning after receiving a phone call. He had spoken to doctors attending to his father in France and decided that he needed to go across and see him.
Asked if the Prime Minister was still in charge, the PMS said yes; the Prime Minister was always in charge.
Asked how the Prime Minister had travelled to France, the PMS said by plane.
Asked if there was any indication as to how long the Prime Minister would be away for, the PMS said that we would take stock this afternoon.
Asked what time the call came, the PMS said it came before 0700.
Asked if other family members were travelling with the Prime Minister, the PMS said that he didn’t think family members were travelling with him, but understood that his brother and sister were also travelling to France to be with their father.
Asked what else the Prime Minister had been scheduled to do today, the PMS said that he had been scheduled to have a number of meetings in the office.
Asked if the Deputy Prime Minister would deputise for the Prime Minister at the meetings, the PMS said that he imagined the Deputy Prime Minister had his own meetings scheduled for this afternoon, but he would stand in for the Prime Minister at PMQs.
UK Special Rep for Afghanistan and Pakistan
Asked for more information on Sir Sherard Cowper-Coles’ departure, the PMS referred people to the Foreign Office but said that it had been Sir Sherard Cowper-Coles’ decision to step down and that it did not affect our strategy in Afghanistan.