PMQs: Cameron mocked after PM’s biggest rebellion
Ed Miliband did not hold back from taunting David Cameron over last night's Lords reform rebellion in the final prime minister's questions before the summer recess.
The Labour leader used his questions to target the prime minister's personal response to the rebellion, in a Westminster awash with rumours about Cameron's angry brush with rebel ringleader Jesse Norman.
"He lost control of his party and not for the first time he lost his temper as well. We understand it was fisticuffs in the lobby," Miliband declared.
Cameron dismissed the "utterly pathetic" jibes as "a bunch of tittle-tattle and rumour", before criticising Labour for refusing to back the programme motion.
"If we want to see House of Lords reform all of those who support House of Lords reform not only need to support House of Lords reform but also support the means to bring House of Lords reform about," he urged.
Miliband quickly moved on to attack the coalition on the economy. He singled out the "millionaires' tax cut" in the Budget and accused Cameron of presiding over a "double-dip recession made in Downing Street".
He added: "The biggest failure facing this government is not the programme motion on Lords reform – it's their whole economic plan."
Cameron attacked New Labour's record in government in response. But his animated response only led Miliband to observe: "The redder he gets, the less he convinces people."
The prime minister hit back: "There's only one person who's red around here and that's Red Ed running the Labour party."
Their exchanges will be judged a success by Labour backbenchers, after Miliband effectively riled Cameron to back up negative impressions about the shortness o the prime minister's temper.
Opposition MPs will be delighted at this development after Cameron repeatedly taunted Gordon Brown for his Downing Street tantrums before the last general election.
