Mulholland spoke for 23 minutes during an adjournment debate on the pubco model last night but said he would not be taking any interventions unless members of the House had told him they want to intervene.
Adjournment debates are held for 30 minutes at the end of each day’s sitting. The MP who tabled the relevant adjournment debate is called to speak and a Minister will reply
During a Twitter spat after the debate Griffiths said: “A number MPs walk out of @GregMulholland1 pub debate when told its a GM prearranged to speak for 23 mins.”
Griffiths challenged Mulholland on why he refused questions. Mulholland said an email had been sent with details but Griffiths said he never received it.
Griffiths tweeted: “Bad day for democracy & parliament when a supposed debate is choreographed to the minute like that. Might as well emailed it to Hansard.”
Mulholland responded: "Andrew, unless you want to be seen as complicit in #pubco abuses & ripoff, your tweets tonight are a big mistake."
The two MPs had previously joined forces to fight the case for the beer duty escalator.
The Tweet exchange:
AG: A number MPs walk out of @GregMulholland1 pub debate when told its a pre-choreographed act, not a debate. GM prearranged to speak for 23 mins
GM: @agriffithsmp Er Andrew, an adjournment debate is a speech from a backbencher & reply from a Minister. My email made clear interventions.
AG: @GregMulholland1 no email today! But why with almost the whole 30 mins did you refuse questions unless they had been cleared in advance?
GM: @agriffithsmp yes, that's what an adjournment debate is. Be careful where you go with this. Much #pubco behaviour you shouldn't support.
AG: Bad day for democracy & parliament when a supposed debate is choreographed to the minute like that. Might as well emailed it to Hansard
GM: @agriffithsmp Andrew, unless you want to be seen as complicit in #pubco abuses & ripoff, your tweets tonight are a big mistake.
AG: @GregMulholland1 says he won't take MPs interventions unless prearranged with him in advance. Not so much a debate as a gentlemans excuse me!
GM: @agriffithsmp on this, you either support #pubs or the pub shutting #pubcos. Andrew's choice to expose the different view.
AG: @GregMulholland1 Gavin Williamson took 14 interventions in his 30 min Beer Duty adjournment debate, incl you. How many did you take tonight?