PMQs as-it-happened
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11:22 – No Gordon Brown today, with the prime minister is in New York, as part of a trip that takes in Brazil and Chile. Alright for some. Harriet Harman will be taking over instead, and presumably facing up to William Hague, her not-really-at-all opposite number, but the Tories best Commons performer. It seems inconceivable that Hague won’t attack on the Mervyn King remarks from yesterday which showed the tension between the Bank of England and the Treasury over further fiscal stimulus. Which is itself a sign of the tension between the Treasury (more cautious) and Downing Street (salivating). What a mess. The only incentive on Hague to lead on something else would be how obvious it all is. Somehow, I doubt that will stop him. On the other hand, the shadow foreign secretary does occasionally surprise us. Who would have thought a teenage Tory party conference attendee would go to the Notting Hill Carnival in a baseball cap? Yes, I know, that was a long time ago. But political journalists never forget.
12:03 – Slightly late today, but we’re off. Harman informs MPs where Brown is. She is asked by a Labour MP how the home secretary can assure the public about crime. Not the nicest set up question I’ve ever heard, but it’ll do. Burglary across London has fallen by half, apparently.
12:04 – Hague is up, and reminds her about the loan guarantee scheme he told her about three weeks ago. It’s still not up and running. Harman says £5 billion will be released to firms and that cash payment deferrals have helped 93 businesses. Oh, apparently, it was 93,000 businesses. She momentarily loses herself and says ‘sorry’. Doubt she’ll make that mistake again. “If they had their way it wouldn’t even be 93 businesses,” she says.
12:06 – More from Hague on the government still being behind the game. Too many schemes still not up and running. Harman indicates the unemployed would be having an even harder time if the Tories had their way and there was less fiscal stimulus and public spending. “It’s this party that called for a loan guarantee scheme way back in November,” Hague says. “Shouldn’t he [Brown] be implementing these things instead of unpacking his Speedos on a Latin American beach?” Hague asks, to muted laughter – but not from me. I found it funny. But then, I’m not eating lunch.
12:08 – Behind Harman, international development secretary Douglas Alexander looks terrible naughty, looking up at the leader of the House sheepishly. She could probably literally eat him for breakfast. “Let’s be absolutely clear what the governor said yesterday,” Hague says, and repeats his comments with evident glee. Brown was calling for another stimulus in front of the European parliament just when King said it. This is a “defining moment” Hague says. Harman agrees – “It’s a defining time because they would do nothing.” Pretty boring response, although she goes on to mock their inheritance tax proposal as a tax cut for a few millionaires with particular enthusiasm.
12:10 – Shouts of More. Hague gets up – “The question was about the governor of the Bank of England. I know inheritance may occupy the niece of the Baron of Longford…” Hague begins. The laughter is substantial. Even Harman laughs, and looks at him naughtily. You do get the sense these two genuinely like and admire each other. Unlike Brown and Cameron would happily stab each other for a fiver. Hague, for his final question, asks her to confirm the government is not in control of its own policy agenda or the finances of the country. “When our prime minister is working with world leaders they drift off to Europe’s far right,” Harman says. “They’ve set out their stall: it’s the millionaires’ manifesto.” Deafening calls for ‘more’. An unfortunate and rather meek backbencher has to get up after that and just about manages to get her question on job centres heard.
12:14 – Vince Cable is up. Yesterday, we had a very British coup, Cable says, by King’s comments, which essentially seized control of the British economy. “What freedom of manoeuvre does he [Brown] and the government have in terms of tax and spending?” Harman says he shouldn’t decry the PM’s international action, and should respect the fact Labour made the BoE independent in terms of interest rates.
12:16 – Cable calls for more sensible spending. He wants the VAT cut withdrawn and a tax cut for those on low pay paid for by the extraordinarily wealthy. Harman says they’re in agreement about fair and progressive tax policy. She hopes he supports government attempts to lower tax for those on low pay, even if the Tories are only interested in tax cuts for millionaires. Harman is less of a party woman than many around her, due primarily to her commitment to particular issues and general right-left politics. It’s particularly evident in the way she talks to Lib Dems – as naughty fellow travellers, rather than blue-blooded enemies.
12:18 – Lembit Opik, yes that one, stands up to call for evidence-based drug policy, which is another word for liberalisation. Harman says she’ll pass on his concerns to the PM, who recognises the need to cut down hard on use and trafficking. That wasn’t at all what Opik said – in fact it’s the opposite – but we can’t let that stand in our way.
12:19 – Jack Straw and Jacqui Smith seem to be having a civil conversation as cries ring out all around them – like a couple drinking tea while the Titanic goes down. When it ends, Straw returns to that remarkable ability of his whereby he sits supremely, unbelievably still and occasionally licks his lips. Darling leans over precipitously to say something to the two of them with a level of excitement previously thought impossible of him. Hazel Blears is grinning quite madly, like one of the victims of Joker’s laughing gas in the first Tim Burton movie.
12:22 – More Labour backbenchers stand to mock the Tories for flip-flopping on the inheritance tax proposals. Harman digs the knife in with “what sort of party opposes tax cuts for millions of people but …” I’m sure you can see where she was going with that.
12:24 – John McFall on Obama’s article today: will the government make sure people matter, and that employment is at the top of the agenda at the G20? The first question is, of course, meaningless, the second question is marginally less so. A question on Goodwin leads Harman to this: “As far as Sir Fred Goodwin is concerned, UKIA is on to it.” She doesn’t make the same mistake twice.
12:27 – John Baron stands for the Tories. The information commissioner has said the government is wrong to deny him information about the list of potential sites for Titan prisons, will they now give up the fight and let people know where these things are going to be? Harman says Straw has assured her there will be consultations. Her worst flaw as a politician is her best quality as a human – revealing discomfort when she supports something that she clearly doesn’t believe in.
12:29 – Simon Hughes asks for a government commitment to conflict prevention and a resolution in Sri Lanka. Harman welcomes his question and the attention on Sri Lanka. Hughes sits forward on his seat and eyes her suspiciously as she speaks. Harman defends the government’s programme in conflict prevention in a manner which can’t be fully verified right now. A question on local papers – which are shutting down at a remarkable pace. Harman says local and regional newspapers and radio are very important and Lord Carter is working on the issue. Interesting – if you’re in media anyway.
12:32 – Surprise statement from the Speaker. The UK strategy for countering international terrorism, discussed yesterday, wasn’t made readily available. “I regret members weren’t able to get hold of that document earlier”. In future he will require government departments to make copies available in time.
12:34 – The chamber clears. Hague did take Harman down in that one. I am, I accept, generally warmer to her than most commentators, but it was hardly a devastating win. The really interesting thing would be to see Hague take on Brown. My hunch is he’d crucify him. Harman remains impressive in this environment, even if she does, like her boss, resort to the ‘Tories will do nothing’ line rather more than she should. See you next week.
