Finance Bill

As I have been explaining, I cannot do that. The House of Commons has this absurd procedure whereby either we let things through or we table proposals such as this just to hold the Government back for a moment, so that they have to think again. We are then accused of trying to press the nuclear button. The constructive thing that we cannot do in Budget debates is propose how the Government might get out of the big hole that they have dug and fallen into. As we now have a reforming Speaker, I hope that that is one of the areas in which we will bring about change, but that is for the future. Today's debate is about whether we demand additional measures to help those who earn the smallest wage packets in our country; it is about whether we rectify the attack that the abolition of the 10p rate made on their standard of living. The Minister has mustered all his skill from the Front Bench. He has given us reassurance, but he has not given us any actual proposals. As a result, I shall press new clause 1 to a Division. Question put, That the clause be read a Second time. The House divided: Ayes 268, Noes 311.