An air of resignation in PMQs

Flying Rodents

The Red-Headed Chipmunk (Neotamius marmitus) stores plenty of ammunition and produces volleys of ground-raking fire-power.

(From the Modern Warfare Manual of Rodent Labour Campaigns)

Not the usual biased poster

What no tissues this week, have you ran out after last weeks efforts. Must do better....not enough "Cameron was masteful"...."Cameron was superb"...."Cameron was urrghhh, it's gone on the keyboard"

2 out of 10.

Denis Cooper

A solid performance from Brown, in party political terms, and a strong show of support from the Labour backbenches.

Cameron is psychologically hampered not only by knowing that Brown is right to say that the Tories have few concrete policies, but also by knowing that he himself has created an insurmountable obstacle to the early election which he claims to want.

There are in principle two Tory positions on the Lisbon Treaty which would not couple our general election with the repeat referendum in Ireland.

The first is to say that the UK has already formally ratified the treaty, and that ratification cannot be reversed.

That would mean that it would be safe to allow him to become Prime Minister at any time which seemed convenient.

The second is to say that although the UK has already formally ratified the treaty, that ratification is devoid of democratic legitimacy and a Tory government would put the treaty to a national referendum as promised, no matter what had happened in other EU member states.

That would mean that there was no point in trying to delay an election until after the treaty had come into force, because he would hold a referendum anyway.

Cameron is not stupid, and I'm sure he understands that the half-baked position he has actually adopted is not only illogical - because a treaty which lacks democratic legitimacy in the UK cannot possibly gain democratic legitimacy in the UK through a vote taken in another country - but also ensures that every means will be adopted to keep him out of Downing Street until the treaty has come into force.

Nicholas J. Rogers

Clegg said that real choice is between the Lib Dems and the Conservatives, not Labour.

David

The questions on Darling looked like a set-up for next week, post reshuffle when Darling won't be there any more.

CS

Denis, I don't see your point.

Why is the position half-baked and why is it illogical?

I'm not saying that it isn't, merely that your long spiel above doesn't provide any evidence to support it.

Henry Rogers

Why the same post from Dennis in two adjoining threads? And in neither case is his analysis of the Tory EU position particularly relevant to that particular thread.

A point worth considering is that what we want to see at PMQ is the PM answering (don't snigger!) questions rather than a general election manifesto from the opposition.

oldtimer

Brown`s bleat to Cameron " Why don't you ask about policies?" was revealing.

Anyone daft to enough to watch PMQs week in, week out knows that Brown never answers questions that are put to him. It was Brown`s attempt to change the subject from the embarrassment of losing so many ministers in the space of 24 hours.

PMQs is a debased occasion because of Brown`s refusal to answer questions put to him. It thus has become an exercise in verbal exchanges in search of a newsworthy soundbite. Cameron got in his soundbite about the need for a general election now - and quite neatly I thought. I`m on the side of those think that Cameron did not want to do much damage to Brown. Why should he when Brown`s ex-ministers are doing it for him?

Otherwise it was mostly the usual tedious stuff.

TrevorsDen

CS - Denis just sets up an Aunt Sally of alleged Tory policies to moan about them.

Browns claims of do nothing and no policies are of course totally bogus. Its a non answer to any question thats put to him. Cameron has only so much time and simply has to get on with it.

The reality is that Browns 'salvation act' is hugely expensive leading to masses of debt and nationalising the banks is not leading to saving the economy. Job lisses are still ongoing.

But Cameron is right not to use the economy as a stick to hit Brown. Its a natural law that recoveries follow slumps. A recovery will not be Browns work.

By the way - anyone remember that National Economic Recoverty Committee or whatever it was called? Has it done announced achieved anything yet?

JONNY

'A solid performance from Brown, in party political terms, and a strong show of support from the Labour backbenches.'

Not the pantomime I was watching Denis Cooper.
I thought it was the Great Leader at his most boring grinding repetitive worst.

Just wish I was as easily pleased as you are.

mac

Mr 2 out of 10:

'Tissues'. That you there, Mr Timney?

No, wait: "you've ran out . . . " a Roy Walker fan?