Peter Bone Asks If William Hague Would Be In Charge Of UK In The Event Of David Cameron's Death

Who Would Be In Charge In The Event Of The PM's Death?
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Peter Bone sought clarification about what role William Hague would play in event of a terrorist attack which killed the prime minster again on Tuesday.

Deputy prime minister Nick Clegg has suggested the Conservative MP's persistent questions about who would run the country in the event of David Cameron's death represent a morbid fascination.

But Bone was not dissuaded, asking William Hague on Tuesday afternoon if "under contingency plans if the prime minister was killed during a terrorist attack it would be the foreign secretary who took charge of the government until the Queen could choose a new prime minister."

Hague reminded Bone that the government "don't consider it as appropriate to talk about these plans in public".

"I can assure him that arrangements are in place," the foreign secretary said. And in a reference to his wife, who is frequently brought up in the Commons, Hague added: "I cannot guarantee there will a place in the bunker for Mrs Bone."

In December Bone took to the airwaves, saying his inquiries into the contingency arrangements for the prime minister's death were entirely appropriate.

“At the moment what would happen in the terrible events I’ve described? Nobody would know who’s in charge. Would the defence secretary be it? Would it be the cabinet office? Would it be William Hague? Would it be Nick Clegg? Who knows?” he told the BBC.