PMQs: As-it-happened
Review our minute-by-minute coverage of a strong PMQs for Gordon Brown here.
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This session is now over, but you can see how it developed below.
11:05 – Good morning, everyone, and welcome to what is one of those delightful wintry mornings in the Palace of Westminster. The sun is shining, in a rather watery sort of way, and MPs are distracting themselves from the ongoing expenses scandal disgrace by gawping at the newly-erected Christmas tree. They’ll be huddling together for bodily warmth in the Commons in the not-too-distant future. Join us from midday for our minute-by-minute coverage.
11:52 – How the time flies. There’s now just eight minutes or so to go until PMQs kicks off. The Commons chamber is slowly filling up as Douglas Alexander fields international development questions; not long to go, folks, not long to go.
11:55 – Usually these warm-up moments are enlivened by a thrilling little anecdote from the morning’s lobby briefing. But today’s was possibly the most boring on record, despite going on for half an hour. The best line was about the January 28th Afghanistan conference we can look forward to in the new year. “There has been a lot of talk about benchmarks and milestones. I’m sure there will be a lot of discussion about that.” Hardly news gold.
11:58 – My colleagues in the press gallery are running down the corridor to the chamber, abandoning me to my online journalism fate.
12:00 – Big Ben bongs 12:00, as a high-pitched Alexander winds up. Gordon Brown is rifling through his notes, looking a little rushed.
12:01 – And we’re off. Doug Naismith gets the first question, but first the PM will give his usual tributes to the Afghanistan war dead. Just one this week. “Our thoughts are with his family and friends.”
12:03 Naismith asks about patient safety, following the Basildon hospital disaster. “I am sorry when any patient receives less than the best care and help in the NHS,” Brown replies. He says independent regulation, transparency and the Care Quality Commission have all been set up by the government. CQC reforms will be shifted forward from April to January next year.
12:05 – David Cameron stands up. He kicks off with Afghanistan, following Barack Obama’s announcement of a US surge. But what will this mean for British forces? “Will the US reinforcement mean we will be able to have our troops concentrated in fewer places?” It’s a practical, decent question. Brown says he’s very pleased with the Obama statement. British troops will be more densely concentrated, he admits, pointing out that he made this clear on Monday.
12:07 – Cameron’s next question is about the transfer of provinces, and the withdrawal question. Does transfer imply withdrawal? “That is how it’s reported in every single media outlet,” Cameron says, after Brown shakes his head. Labour backbenchers don’t seem impressed.
12:08 – Brown, again unimpressed, says Cameron should spend more time reading transcripts of his (Brown’s) press conferences. He clarifies the issue, saying the partnering of Afghan and British forces will continue regardless of transfer.
12:09 – Next, Cameron moves to the economy. It turns out Britain is the last G20 country to leave the recession. But Brown rejects the claim, saying Spain remains in trouble too. Brown gets a cheer after saying Cameron is “simply talking down Britain”.
12:10 – That kicks things off nicely. Cameron compares Britain’s miserable economic performance with others. “Can he tell us what on earth he meant when he said ‘we are leading the rest of the world out of recession’?” Brown: “Not one policy!” He starts listing the “action” the government has taken.
12:11 – After a series of soundbites we’ve heard before, Brown comes up with a new one. “The voice will be that of a modern public relations man, the mindset is that of a 1930s,” Brown says, not bothering to finish the sentence. Cameron is on the offensive too, mocking Ed Balls’ “ultra-marginal constituency”. This is baffling to those outside the Westminster village.
12:12 – Cameron, also trying a variation on a theme, says Brown’s three biggest claims are his biggest failures. But Brown comes up on top again, replying: “The more he talks, the less he actually says.” Labour backbenchers are loving this. The PM continues, questioning Tory policies. “More!” the government benches say.
12:13 – Speaker John Bercow interrupts to rebuke culture secretary Ben Bradshaw. Cameron points out he too needs to be thinking about defending his constituency. He then makes his next point.
12:14 – Brown tries to wriggle out of asking the question, ignoring calls of “Answer” from the opposition benches. He says Cameron is on the defensive and moves the issue on to “public services for the many and inheritance tax policy for the few”. In open class warfare, Brown finishes by saying between Cameron and “Mr Goldsmith” “their inheritance tax policy seems to have been dreamed up on the fields of Eton.”
12:15 – Bercow seems more amused than angry as he calls for order. He says he’s glad MPs are enjoying themselves, adding rather cryptically it seems as if they’ve had rather a “hearty breakfast”.
12:17 – Here’s Nick Clegg. Can he follow up his excellent question from last week? He starts with Obama’s speech, which he observes insightfully is “very important”. He wants to know whether, when working with the Afghan government, it might be better to skip Karzai and just deal with local officials instead. “President Obama will be grateful for his endorsement,” Brown says sarcastically, to howls of laughter from Labour.
12:19 – Brown says the London conference on January 28th is the big opportunity for President Karzai to sell himself. Clegg wants to know how preparations are going. “It would be no use for the future of Afghanistan if there is no security around Afghanistan,” he says wisely.
12:20 – And now we can all relax as Celia Barlow asks important questions about the invention of the “intraocular lens”. politics.co.uk‘s own Emmeline Saunders has some interesting observations about Cameron’s tie, which – for the umpteenth PMQs in a row – is purple. “Wonder if it’s the same one each week, or if he has a selection – running the full gauntlet of the mauve-violet spectrum,” she ponders.
12:22 – Right, let’s focus back on the action. And Brown is droning on about the Commonwealth finance agreement announced at the weekend, eating up the minutes. It’s the political equivalent of playing for the whistle, boys, playing for the whistle.
12:24 – Anne Mackintosh, wearing a hideously bright blue jacket, asks a question about the flooding in Cumbria. Brown says government grants are making a big difference, and have done in recent years. “She should see the wider investment,” Brown says.
12:25 – Brown gets in a dig against the Tory front bench, which is looking a little more ruffled this lunchtime. “It’s only unfortunate the leader of the opposition and the shadow chancellor are even opposed by the shadow shadow chancellor,” he says. Doesn’t really matter what it’s about, does it?
12:26 – The PM promises “action” to move forward investment in Britain’s low-carbon economy. He says he thought the debate had moved beyond debates about whether or not climate change is real.
12:27 – A Tory backbencher asks a question about Europe. Big mistake, as Brown lays into the Conservatives for not being interested in being “at the heart of Europe”.
12:28 – Plaid Cymru’s Elfyn Llwyd wants to know what Wales will get for the £427 million it’s paying for the Olympics. Brown assures him “culture” and other benefits will be overflowing.
12:30 – Environmental audit committee chairman Tim Yeo wants to know what the Pre-Budget Report will do on green taxes. Brown botches his attempt to attack the Tories on the issue.
12:32 – Cheers as grandee Sir Peter Tapsell calls on Brown to “wesign” after his “weckless” Afghan policies. “Can I thank him for his advice,” Brown says. “He has not always been right – he advised me not to make the Bank of England independent.” The Labour benches seem to like that.
12:33 – And after a question from Glenrothes victor Lindsay Roy, the session comes to an end. What a bizarre PMQs, rather more amusing than most, with Brown in an unusually cheerful mood. Dare we say it, but it certainly feels as if Cameron has struggled to drive his points home this autumn.
