I've just done a 5 minute review of PMQs with SNP MP Angus Macneill and Paul Goodman MP for the Tories. I'll put it up later this afternoon.
It was a fairly boisterous House today. In terms of body language and style I thought this was Brown's strongest performance so far, but he was sadly lacking in argument and content. He even said that Ireland wasn't having a referendum at one point, which was clearly wrong. David cameron linked the EU question rather well with public dissastisfaction about politicians who break their promises. He seems to be saying to the public: "I know you think politicians are shysters. I feel your pain".
Nick Clegg had a torrid time and just wasn't at the races. He's become a political masochist version of Britney Spears, as if he is subliminally sayin: "Hit me baby one more timem"
I'll score Brown 6, Cameron 6 and Clegg 2. And you?
31 comments:
We will now have people seriously talking about replacing Clegg as party leader... I have an election in May against a libdem candidate who won the ward by one vote four years ago.
When they elected Clegg i was worried that we could suffer from new leader honeymoon in May, but that seems less and less likely now.
Keep it up Clegg....
"Cameron...seems to be saying to the public: "I know you think politicians are shysters. I feel your pain"."
A strategy that can only backfire on Dave. If he doesn't realise that he is tarring himself with his own brush, then he is not fit to lead the party. Still got time to get rid before the election. Where's Davis when you need him?
I agree GB was on good form today, I think the error that has been made by many over the last few months is to compare Brown's early PMQs with Blair's later ones after he'd had years of practice and seen off several Tory leaders. You misheard what the PM said about Ireland by the way.
David Cameron seemed weak; why did he waste two questions on a matter being investigated by the police to which he knew there could only be a "no comment" response? He seemed to set and bait the "Johnson will cut transport and police budgets" trap for himself and of course fell right in.
Thought Cameron did extremely well on the referendum questions, easily beating Brown.
The session will be remembered though for the disaster that is the Liberal democrats at the moment.
I agree that Brown was doing a little better than usual. But what he says is pants. DC had his usual poise but it's backed up by accurate and sober content. No easy jibes today - a statesmanlike performance. So my score is Cameron 7 - Brown - 5 and Clegg - nul points.
Brown 7, Cameron 6 and Clegg 0.....
I was quite surprised that Cameron chose the tack he did on Europe. Yes, it added to his campaign to show Brown can’t answer a simple question (and breaking the referendum promise), but the line of questioning allowed Brown to expose the divisions within the Tory party. Far from embarrassing Brown, Cameron left the goal open for Brown to score an easy ‘Tories and Europe’ goal. Cameron’s clever comparisons (or in fact contrasts) with Blair, designed to rile Brown, seems to miss the target although I’m sure privately Brown was irritated.
Half time saw Captain Clegg get nervously to his feet to put his two questions to the PM. Or at least I think he did, it may have been a mouse squeaking. Brown continues to relish the opportunity to do down the Lib Dems and highlight the current shambles that is the party leadership. On another note, why does Clegg persist in holding a scruffy rolled up piece of paper in his hand like a school boy. Have a full set of papers in your hand man, give yourself something to flourish!
The second set of questions from Cameron focuses on the race to be London’s mayor. Brown’s policy of refusing to answer questions backfires slightly as he can’t condemn possible sleaze in the Mayor’s office. Is there a mayoral election coming up?
Result 2 - 1 to Brown
http://dispatchoftheday.blogspot.com/
Certainly agree with your Britney Spears reference.
Isn't it time someone came to take his party into care for its own safety ?
I missed most of it sadly.. what was all the furore about when one of the female MPs asked a question?
Think I would agree with your score; although 2 seems generous for Clegg!
If Cameron is going on the "anti-westminister" ticket; he has to appear less westminster centric.
Brown is becoming more like Blair every day, a consummate actor lacking in all principle.
I think Brown should be constrained to less than 6/10 when he doesn't answer any questions. But his own side will have been reassured by his performance.
Unlike the doomed Lib Dems.
When I hear Grooovey Dave saying 'I feel your pain' I remember that he told a Scotch audience that the threat to the union comes not from a lop-sided and unfinished devolution settlement but from English 'ignorance', I recall that just before Christmas he told another Scotch audience that 'Br*tain punches above her weight' thanks to Sc*tland (England therefore punching below hers) and that before an audience of women he called for the burden of proof to be reduced in rape cases so as to ensure an increase in the conviction rate, and I am confirmed, yet again, in my belief that he is simply another of the 'shysters' who will say whatever he thinks his audience wants to hear in order to secure their votes.
He won't be given mine.
Cameron just shaded it, listened to on the radio. Suspect he will have the better sound bites on the news. Gordon still alternates between throwing back a question and reciting tractor production statistics - it's just he now does it with slightly less obvious discomfort.
Iain, you say Brown was strong in terms of body language and style but sadly lacking in argument and content.
But content is everything. The public are not fools. They know when people are talking bollocks, however smooth the delivery. They understood, for example, that Tony Benn, though one of the finest speakers in the House, was as mad as a hatter.
Are you kidding? Brown beat down the young cannabis smoking whippersnapper that is Cameron easily today!
Iain,
The view in the Westminster Village will probably be a very slight win to Cameron, but in the world outside it will be yet another example of Brown failing to answer the question.
Cameron being less aggressive is a good thing too.
Another big win for Cameron.
Cameron 7 for articulating policy well and asking the right questions.
Brown 3 For trotting out the usual rubbish that keeps core Labour voters on side maybe.
Clegg 0.5 for not walking out.
Cameron's "and answer came there none" was good enough. He managed to make the points and highlight that Brown never answers a straight question with a straight answer. I think if Cameron pushes that further he'll gain more support. Not a stunning performance, but workmanlike.
Clegg was simply too dreadful for words. He's a major embarrasment now, being the story rather than directing the story. He's going to have to do a whole lot better than this if the Lib Dems want to survive.
Brown was his usual turgid self, scoring a few points, raising his voice periodically. But I'm sorry, there's something about all of the NuLab people that when they start speaking I get massive tinnitus. All I can hear is the noise, not the content. It's a bit like hearing dogs barking - what does it actually mean?
And speaking of dogs, yes there they were again this week, the NuLab old dogs sitting on the front bench snarling, barking, grimacing and nodding away dementedly, but their eyes give the game away. They look like whipped curs. I'll bet they're all mighty relieved to get back to their kennels for another week.
You were right, it was I who misheard. GB did inadvertently suggest that the Irish were to have a referendum (having in the previous sentence said they wasn't). But it was a simple slip of the tongue - he said "including Ireland" instead of "excluding Ireland" when he referred to the nine countries that were due to hold or did hold referendums on the Constitution but which (with the exception of Ireland) will not be doing so for this treaty.
(Ireland is bound by its own constitution to have one - perhaps the UK's eurosceptics should hire a boat)
I'm struggling to find this week's on the BBC website. Are they trying to bury bad news?
Grateful for any pointers.
thanks
Me? I must have scored about 9. As for the couple of muppets at the front, oh, about 2 each. Very low score draw.
'Clegg'? Isn't he a character in some appalling BBC "sitcom" that provides a retirement home for ageing actors?
On the subject of the Lib Dems (sort of) ... isn't it interesting how well first-past-the-post has worked for the Republicans compared to the PR of the Democrats.
Had the Republicans used PR, they would be in a hell of a state right now with infighting and confusion. As it is, they've managed to unite behind a candidate with plenty of run-in time to the election.
The Democrats, on the other hand, are tearing each other apart. If Hillary does win the nomination, how many Obama supporters will actually vote for her (and vice-versa)?
All McCain has to do is stand back, build up his money and act Presidential.
Could this well be the end of the Lib Dem party... In most election calculators the Lib Dem MP count could well go down to under 20, and this vote for a referendum which they knew they wouldn't win and to abstain from a vote that is splitting the party apart could well critically damage them. Nick Clegg's performance was pitiful and Camerons approach could and should be different. But if he did what the country wanted him too and become euro sceptic it would see the party break in two. Brown must be grinning from ear to ear as he blunder busts through with no credible challenge. And this country desperately needs that challenger to appear.
Anon @ 2.25 - you aren't perchance 'bom' in another life over at the Coffee House? The tell tale word "whippersnapper" gives you away old chum. Nobody talks like this anymore - and especially not 18 year old students. Save it for when you're pretending to be a crusty old UKIP voter.
And as for smoking cannabis, didn't most of Brown's cabinet confess to smoking the weed last summer? The forced smirks at the 'celebrity drugs' planted question were an embarrassment.
Scoring PMQs while Labour force thru the Lisbon treaty is like fiddling while Rome burns.
Where's the Opposition when we need them ? Out to lunch, again.
Don't agree with your analysis of Brown's key performance, his response to DCs questions on the referendum. He once again repeated the NuLab agreed mantra and then went into "Opposition Leaders Question Time". Fortunately DC pointed this out, hope he continues to do so each time Brown continues to ask questions instead of answering them.
Agree that DC wasted his two questions on the crookedness of the London Mayor's fiefdom. Though maybe Guido can again provide an insight into some "deeper" reason for these questions.
IDS made an excellent contribution to today's debate. For all his shortcomings as leader at least he was consistent from the Maastricht Treaty days rammed through by pants Major.
Ken Clarke was equally consistent the rest are all humbugs.
Must have drifted off into an alternate universe where Brown was the same old. Sorry, didn't see the improvement that others have seen.
Brown still gets riled by Dave, slamming his papers down in a temper, regardless of the quality of the questions. That said, Dave continued to poke the gvt about the public attitude towards politicians.
I don't care whether some consider that tars the Tories at the same time - I already know those who deserve it. Forget the green credentials and look at the grey areas.
For that alone, I will support Cameron.
Clegg is clueless and will be replaced, so no point in discussing his performance.
Ted said...
"I'm struggling to find this week's on the BBC website. Are they trying to bury bad news?
Grateful for any pointers.
You can find it here:
PMQs
It is embedded in the "Daily Politics" programme. I don't know how long it will be available for.
That link doesn't seem to have worked. Try cutting and pasting this.
http://newsvote.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/default.stm
It takes you to the BBC News Politics page where there is a link to PMQs.
You got it about right Iain, except giving Clegg twice what he was worth.
nuttycow said...
"I missed most of it sadly.. what was all the furore about when one of the female MPs asked a question?"
Not very much. The idiot woman got Parliamentary procedure wrong. She stood up and gave the number of the question (i.e. 'Number n Mr Speaker') when she should have asked a question.
Then Brown compounded the error by standing up to answer even though nothing had been asked.
Eventually the Speaker remembered to sort it out and she was allowed to ask her boring question.
@ Anonymous 11:50 AM
"Eventually the Speaker remembered to sort it out and she was allowed to ask her boring question".
And then Brown trotted out his equally boring (and largely irrelevant) answer.
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