"Dithering" Brown stumbles on Cameron's attacks
Fraser Nelson 1:33pm
When they didn’t mention MPs expenses last week, it was odd. This time it was downright embarrassing – and adds to the impression that they all have something to hide. Which, of course, they all do.First thing’s first: Ed Miliband seems to have a new job. He now sits next to Brown making theatrical grimaces and facial expressions of mock astonishment when Tories speak. Quite fun to watch. Oxford, LSE, Harvard – and he ends up as the highest-paid mime artist in Britain.
Not Cameron’s most barnstorming performance, but I think one of his best – in that he improvised, and applied some forensic questioning to what Brown had just said rather than moving on to the next pre-prepared question. As he did so, Brown moved on to his pre-prepared answers. It was fairly clear that Brown was the one reeling off soundbites – and relying his recent technique of asking Cameron questions. And Cameron didn’t let him get away with it. “He can’t answer a question, and can’t take a decision”. Precisely the right reponse.
Cameron again chose the “dithering” attack line theme, asking how many review Brown has and quoting Charles Clarke saying “current uncertainties are widespread, debilitating and give ammunition to Labour’s opponents.” Brown hit back listing the reviews he did when taking power: cannabis and supercasinos. “This is what the British people want,” he said. What the Daily Mail wanted, more specifically. (He threw in eco-towns, actually very unpopular as Peter Luff later pointed out). And then, a propos of nothing, we hear Brown Soundbite 12b: “We-are-the-party-which-has-created-3m-new-jobs-low inflation-and-low-interest-rates”. Etc etc.
This next sentence may sound dull, but it’s important. “We are proposing additional expenditure on school building, he is proposing to transfer that money to another programme.” This is Brown’s attack line on Cameron’s plans to liberalise supply of schools. If this is the best he can do, Cameron should really get motoring on this under-promoted agenda.
Brown finished off in a mess, He claimed that he was going to give every child the “right” to education until 18 and claims that’s the “biggest change to the education system in 60 years”. In his dreams. This “right” already exists: he wants to force them to stay in school to 18.
Clegg had a new angry facial expression, and a good LibDem theme – the surveillance state and bugging MPs. “Only 1,500 intercepts have been commissioned by ministers” – only? Clegg could have hit back here. Added to the 253,000 data requests made by police and 1,088 people spied on in “error” it’s some total. All the ammo is here (pdf) from the Interception of Communications Commissioner. Clegg should memorise it, and have another go at this ripe subject next time. He must learn to do a second question on the hoof, and turning Brown’s statistics back onto him.
No PMQs next week, due to recess. Which is a good thing. I came across a copy of The Spectator from 1868 the other day and the political column opened saying “Parliament is taking a long-overdue recess. Politicians are tired, and so are the public.” Five weeks into the new year, and I fully agree.
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Peter M
February 6th, 2008 2:37pm Report this commentWhen Brown starts asking questions of Cameron, he should retort with "The prime minister seems extremely keen to ask questions of me. How odd then that he chose to cancel the general election and pass up the opportunity of moving to this side of the house."
Sally C
February 6th, 2008 4:41pm Report this commentBearing in mind the power the Speaker has over MPs and his current attitude to the expenses situation, is it any wonder MPs don't raise it? I can not see Mr Martin taking a question from Frank Field at PMQs right now.
RW
February 6th, 2008 5:06pm Report this comment"Clegg had a new angry facial expression"; well, this is a welcome change from the usual querulous petulance. Does he do "user-friendly" as well? But seriously, the behaviour of Brown at PMQs is alarming, not least to his own side, and must raise deep concern about his psychological and much-vaunted intellectual claims to be able to cope with the demands of his great office of state. Things are going beyond the stage of entertaining ridicule from political commentators. This man just can't cope.
David
February 6th, 2008 6:25pm Report this comment"This next sentence may sound dull, but it’s important. “We are proposing additional expenditure on school building, he is proposing to transfer that money to another programme.”" I think you've missed something even more important-he didn't say 'proposing to cut the spending'. Suggests the plan to neuter that line of attack has worked....
Fraser Nelson
February 6th, 2008 6:41pm Report this commentDavid, he did bang on about that later on - but not very articulately. His line about "we want to educate all kids, he wants to educate just some" is supposed to be a nod to spending and Cameron's refusal to force kids to be in school to 18. GB is desperate to make this into a wedge issue. I think it can become one - but only if the Tories explain their school reform properly and then GB will be on the wrong side of that wedge.
Travis Bickle
February 6th, 2008 7:35pm Report this commentMiliband can gurn for England, I expect this unfortunate trait whenever anyone else is speaking goes down extremely well in delicate foreign negotiations.. NOT. A most inappropriate incumbent of one of our great offices of state (along with current home secretary and pm to name but two) Did Brown ask Cameron his full quota of questions today? Blair could get away with this tactic, alas his successor just looks more and more shifty and untrustworthy every day.
Mark Heenan
February 6th, 2008 10:36pm Report this commentI think Cameron really ought to just ask Brown something absolutely mind-numbingly simple so that we can see if he's physically capable of actually answering a question, such as "will the Prime Minister tell the house what his name is" (Of course, tradition dictates that MPs names are not to be revealed in the chamber...)
Nicholas Millman
February 6th, 2008 11:22pm Report this comment"Oxford, LSE, Harvard" - still looks like a dweeb though. His front bench facial olympics remind me of Sir John Mills performance in "Ryan's Daughter". Saw Milliband D, Condoleeza & GB on TB tonight. Scary to think our foreign policy is in the hands of this odd trio.
Austin Barry
February 6th, 2008 11:28pm Report this commentI thought Miliband's scare-the-kids panto face hilarious. There's old Brown, whose dithering persona now seems to be reflected in his stuttering aphasia, seemingly flanked by a scowling Japanese-Noh-theatre B-actor. Hopeless. Why doesn't Mr. Dithers arrange for snaggle-toothed Ms Flint in a low-cut dress to distract attention from his frightful gibberings?
Kevyn Bodman
February 7th, 2008 5:15am Report this commentTravis Bickle: Ed Miliband is not David Miliband.
Nicholas Millman
February 7th, 2008 8:09am Report this commentAustin Barry: "a scowling Japanese-Noh-theatre B-actor" - that is a hilarious comparison and has me thinking about the whole cabinet.
"Noh actors and musicians never rehearse for performances together. Instead, each actor, musician, and choral chanter practices his or her fundamental movements, songs, and dances independently or under the tutelage of a senior member of the school. Thus, the tempo of a given performance is not set by any single performer but established by the interactions of all the performers together."
And it shows. The New Labour/Common Purpose song and dance routine is getting really tiresome.
John Sheppard
February 7th, 2008 8:25am Report this commentMr Bodman, Ah ! Yes ,Ed is the really stupid one
Max Kaye
February 7th, 2008 9:32am Report this commentI assume that a compilation video of all young Millipede's gurnings will be shortly on YouTube.
Alice Dedahlin
February 7th, 2008 1:59pm Report this commentOne note of caution to David Cameron. Although I enjoy the way that he forces Gordon in to a corner and watches him struggle, like a cat playing with a mouse, he must be careful not to go over the top. This week he risked doing that when he said that Gordon Brown's soundbites were 'rubbish'. Dave needs to start sounding more statesmanlike and less like a schoolboy poking fun at the small podgy geek with a stammer, who always annoys everyone in the playground.
David Gillies
February 7th, 2008 5:31pm Report this commentThe idea that Brown has some kind of super-sized intellect increasingly seems to be nothing more than a mantra, a shibboleth. Articulacy and verbal agility are not absolute determinants of intelligence, but I would suggest that they are very highly predictive. If the man can't think on his feet, what reason do we have to believe he can think sitting down?
Stephen
February 8th, 2008 4:53pm Report this comment"...the fact is" followed by a long line statistics. Not a very convincing reply. I don't think Gordon is enjoying the job as much as he thought he would. Tony Blair must be enjoying the spectacle. Not as easy as it looks!
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