Finance Bill debates

Being stuck with tracking the progress of the annual Finance Bill through parliament, it is hard not to be left cold by the near total absence of any quality or depth displayed in the debates of recent years. There are, of course, some honourable exceptions, and at least Stephen Timms is a huge step up in credibility from the not at all missed Dim Prawn.

But, at the other end of the spectrum, there are others who are so mediocre that one assumes they are only allowed to participate in the expectation that they provide everyone else with a source of amusement. 

This year we have been cruelly deprived of the hilarity of Rob Marris’ contributions at the Committee Stage but, not to be deterred from giving his fans what they come for, he has popped up in with this gem:

Rob Marris: Will my right hon. Friend give way?

Mr. Timms: I gladly give way to my hon. Friend, whom we greatly missed in Committee.

Rob Marris: Actually, I do not wish to press my point —I have reread the provision and I now understand it.

Hansard, 7 July 2009, Column 846

That's Rob Marris, who according to Wikipedia, is backbencher of the year 2008 and an MP who impresses his colleagues with his ability to study a problem in depth before coming up with his own carefully analysed conclusions. 

Elsewhere, in the same debate,  and having moved on to tax avoidance, Mr Marris, a qualified lawyer, displayed this award winning ability to study a problem in depth by managing to rename Ramsay and to move the Court of Appeal's decision from 1979 to 1985.

There is, as yet, no confirmation of the rumour that the soon to be job seeking "Saint" Rob will be selling his publicly funded second home in London and donating the projected £65K profit thereon to worthy causes in his former constituency of Wolverhampton South West.