PMQs as-it-happened
Read our minute-by-minute account of this week’s prime minister’s questions.
By Ian Dunt
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11:00 – Could we be looking at our first PMQ knockabout on ID cards? After months of recession-based questions, recent events tag a bundle of political issues to our economic woes, mostly by a fierce concentration on exactly what the government will drop to fix the books. The most obvious candidate today is ID cards, with Jacqui Smith announcing Manchester as the target area and revealing more grossly underestimated costs. Seems like the ideal opportunity for David Cameron to seize on the issue. Although, with April being Labour’s worst month since last summer, the Tory leader has the luxury of picking his weapon today.
11:57 – The chamber is full. We’ll be kicking off in a couple of minutes.
12:02 – Brown appears tired and haggard, but behind him Jack Straw wears his remarkable smile, like a particularly content gremlin.
12:02 – Cameron: “A series of U-turns and Cabinet minister openly questioning the authority of the prime minister”. Does he accept his authority is in decline? Brown tells him he reduces everything to personality, but “we’re getting on with the issue of governing”.
12:04 – Cameron goes up a gear. Why is Hazel Blear still in Cabinet after mocking the prime minister in print? Brown again turns on the same point – “He has nothing to say about…” then insert policy area. “This just won’t wash,” Cameron retorts. “Ah, she’s appeared.” She wrote an article about his failure of authority, Cameron says, before reading out sections of her article. This is going to hurt her badly. Ever get that sinking feeling? She’s got it now, although she’s putting a brave, smiley face on it, like a mother watching her son cover his face in chocolate cake.
12:06 – Brown: Government is about making big decision in difficult times, and Cameron’s not up to it. A good, solid response from the prime minister. Cameron replies by listing a series of bad judgements, from ID cards to the Gurkhas. Brown says Cameron U-turned on matching Labour spending, and expenditure cuts. “Let’s remember he was hug a hoodie, that was another one of his U-turns. Compassionate Conservativism – it has gone, gone, gone.” Cameron: “I’m sure that sounded great in the bunker.”
12:08 – If Brown’s so confident why doesn’t he do “what Margaret Thatcher did, and Tony Blair did, after four years of a parliament, and call a general election?” Ouch. Brown avoids the question, but the Tories explode in borderline orgasmic pleasure. “What is it about this prime minister and elections?” Cameron asks. He cites his coronation, the nearly-election, and now a fear of going to the country. “No-one doubts he went into politics for the right reasons, but it’s clear he isn’t up for the job,” Cameron says before calling again for an election.
12:10 – Brown: “I’ve listened to six of his questions, and not one of them is about policy.” Cameron’s not up to the job. Two men shouting “not up to the job” at each other for ten minutes. That’s British democracy. Nick Clegg is up.
12:11 – He cites Brown’s education speech yesterday, and reels off appalling statistics about children. “How is a bit of tinkering with a schools complaints procedure going to deal with that?” Brown questions his stats, and reels off, rather traditionally, a list of Labour achievements on the issue, including the fact Labour has invested more on literacy than any other British government.
12:13 – “There comes a point when stubbornness isn’t leadership, it’s stupidity,” Clegg says. Labour erupts. “At least I say it to his face,” Clegg shouts at the Labour backbenches. Brown practises his calm demeanour to contrast with a heated-up Clegg. He shuts the question down.
12:15 – It’s quite remarkable to note how beaten and anaemic the Labour front-bench looks. It’s difficult not to pity the home secretary, who appears as if she’s trying to forget some deep-seated childhood trauma. Alan Johnson has sunk down in his seat, to the point where his head barely reaches Jacqui Smith’s shoulders. Jack Straw’s smile is dead now, and he appears close to stand-by.
12:17 – A question on workplace bullying – framed to lambaste Brown for reports of a “Whitehall boss” throwing mobile phones and printers around, sees Brown respond that – in all seriousness – complaints will be dealt with in the normal manner. It’s so damning on his character Cameron could never have achieved it, and confirms all attacks on him for humourlessness. The next question is on the insanely popular petition for Brown to resign. Brown says he now has had to listen to Tory backbenchers not addressing policy, along with their boss.
12:20 – Another Tory question on elections. “Two years ago the prime minister pulled out of an election” so he could map out his vision. How is that going? Brown resorts to his previous answer – that the Tories aren’t asking about policy. This isn’t entirely fair of course, they have spent the last six month’s worth of PMQs addressing the recession, but no party can resist the disintegration of the government over the last month.
12:23 – Will there be a full debate and vote before the next stage of the Trident programme? Brown swats it aside, because defence debates happen regularly – not quite the same thing and he knows it. The Tories are notably silent, not wishing to highlight any internal debates of their own . David Davis muted the idea of scrapping the scheme last week. Ed Garnier stands up to ask about Blear’s comments in much the same manner as the MPs who preceded him. Brown again has the same response about policy. This is now tiresome.
12:25 – Former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith asks about the Gurkhas. “Does the PM notice that last week the whole House united to reject the government’s decision?” Will the government be bound by the terms of that vote last week? Brown responds – more than a little pathetically, but truthfully – with all the nice things Labour did for the Gurkhas. “We will listen to the voice of the House as it was expressed last Wednesday. We will come back to the House with a statement.” Make of that what you will.
12:28 – We’re winding down now, although a question on Stafford hospital leads Brown to mention those concerned about their treatment there can receive an independent clinical review.
12:30 – The last question is on Swindon council budget cuts. It’s framed as a warning about Tory cuts. “You don’t have to look in a crystal ball, you look at every Tory authority in the country,” Brown says, jumping on a friendly question to round things off. Cameron did tear the prime minister apart but you have to take these things in context, and with the headlines so appalling for the PM,. I’d suggestion he chalks this one up as a win. Well, not so much a win, as an effective damage-limitation manoeuvre. It could have been much worse.
