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PMQs - The Verdict
Edward Davie
With the papers full of panic about a world economic downturn we might have expected a continuation of the Budget debate but the opposition party leaders, at least, had other matters on their minds.
But if Gordon Brown wanted a chance to talk about his economic record and competence to deal with future problems then some of his own backbenchers were spontaneously happy to oblige.
Bridgend MP Madeline Moon who had just introduced some young people from her constituency to the prime minister wanted him to assure them that "there would be apprenticeships and good jobs so they can build their future lives".
It gave Brown the chance to hail Labour's investment in education, training and job creation that had cut unemployment. Some Conservative backbenchers seemed unhappy - perhaps as a lack of economic prospects is one of the factors being blamed for a spate teenage suicides in and around that very south Wales town.
David Cameron got to his feet to raise the issue of the crackdown by the Chinese authorities in Tibet and told the prime minister that he should make it "absolutely clear that this is completely unacceptable".
Brown wrong-footed Cameron by telling him that he had been on the phone to his Chinese counterpart in the morning to say he was going to meet the Dalai Lama when he visits London in the near future.
The Tory leader could do little to respond except, a rare thing, to congratulate the prime minister for making "absolutely the right" decision.
"We make the right decisions at all times," Brown replied, to much mocking laughter from the opposition benches.
From one area of the Himalayas to another as Nick Clegg got up brandishing a medal given to him by a retired Gurkha soldier disgusted at the fact he was not granted British citizenship because he had served before 1997.
Brown paid his own tribute to the Gurkhas and pointed out that the government was the first to give them pensions, equal pay and the right to UK residency after four years of service and that the 1997 cut off date was because prior to that the regiment was based in Hong Kong.
It seemed pretty comprehensive but the Liberal Democrat leader described it as a "technical answer," and then sought to equate that "spectacular misjudgement" with the invasion of Iraq five years ago.
Then it was back to Cameron and he offered Brown "the chance to answer the questions he has completely failed to do in recent weeks". And so we had a best of old questions on everything from free votes on the fertilisation and embryology bill to compulsory ID cards, A-levels and the Number 10 press operation.
On the latter Cameron got some laughs from his backbenchers by quoting Brown's new "spin doctor" Stephen Carter as saying that "living in Downing Street is like living in a surreal cartoon", and the chief strategist as saying his favourite book was "the unstoppable power of leaderless organisations".
By reminding people of unanswered questions, the Conservative leader was continuing his strategy of painting the prime minister as an evasive ditherer - "if he can't make a decision about this [insert issue] no wonder the country is in such a mess".
Cameron also had time to patronise Ed Balls who had heckled him in recent weeks: "Good to see the children's secretary sitting so quietly this week.
"He had a choice: either he had to shout more clearly or to sit quiet, and he has made the right choice," Cameron patronised.
Brown's retort to all this was a fairly effective if well rehearsed attack on the Tories only asking about tittle-tattle because they, unlike the government, lacked the policies to address the country's problems.
The Verdict
Gordon Brown: 7/10 - Spiked Cameron's guns on meeting the Dalai Lama.
David Cameron: 6/10 - Scattergun approach too diffuse.
Nick Clegg: 5/10 - Equating Gurkha citizenship and Iraq invasion decisions missed any target.
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Published: Wed, 19 Mar 2008 14:55:44 GMT+00
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