PMQs Live Blog
David Blackburn 3:00pm
Stay tuned for live coverage from 1500.
Later than usual this week because PMQs was pushed back as a mark of respect for Armistice Day. Serving soldiers are in the gallery to watch proceedings. I'm interested to hear Coffee Housers' thoughts on all this.
15:04: Brown opens up by paying tribute to the Great War generation and succeeding generations of servicemen and now he reads the butcher's bill. Tragically, this is becoming an expert way of wasting time.
15:05: Ann Begg asks about military equipment and a possible surge. Brown reiterates that he has pledged to send more troops and they will be fully equipped. Brown says that Obama will make the announcement in a few days. Lots about the strategy that will not change.
15:07: Here's Cameron. 20% Youth unemployment - the government have failed. Brown defends the record, despite the leaks about cuts that were made last week. Then, staggeringly, Brown says the figures include 250,000 students. Oh dear.
Cameron points to failures - Germany and France have nearly half a million fewer unemployed young people. Cameron playing the One Nation progressive card to good effect; the government has palpably failed. Brown defends by attacking the Tories' proposals, ie those drawn up by former government advisor David Freud. Can't see that one running.
15:12: Cameron in full flow now and its damaging. Here comes the leaked unemployment cuts - Cameron says that Brown's pledges about investment are disingenuous because of the mess he's made of the public finances.
15:14: Brown defends saying Cameron hasn't got a clue, which is rich. Cameron keeps on the disingenuous point and that Brown is planning cuts next year, lots of savage asides as well and Brown is floundering and the atmosphere is raucous for the first time this session. Brown does not answer the question - no commitment and convictions; expect cuts, though no one believed Brown's line in any event. Cameron wiped the floor.
15:18: Shoneigh MacIsaac introduces her admirable war memorials proposal - the house seems in agreement.
15:20: Each of the three party leaders have listed the war dead. I understand the need to respect the fallen, but is this really necessary.
15:20: Why is Labour cutting housing allowances? Good question. Brown says he doesn't believe the figures which show that 300,000 of the poorest in society will lose out so that the Treasury could save £175m.
Clegg says that's funny because they're Brown's figures. Brown says he's protecting the poor and reminds Clegg about his "savage cuts comment". Advantage Clegg I think because that cut is certainly official - it was leaked months ago. More evidence of the government's disingenuousness about cuts and investment.
15:22: A Labour backbencher recommends the introduction of a Tobin tax. Well, blow me, Brown responds with "This is the first time that he has agreed with my economic policy". Well that's rather witty, but also very revealing - Brown actually wants this dangerous tax. I wonder why...
15:25 Tory Tim Laughton says 60% of local authorities are failing to recruit and maintain childcare staff. PM replies all that Lord Laming's report into child protection was accepted in full.
15:27: Eurosceptic Independent MP Andrew Pelling, a former Tory, wants an EU referendum. Brown takes this to be the real voice of the Tory party
15:29: Elliot Morley with a plant about the fiscal stimulus and how it has helped manufacturing jobs in Grimsby. The Spectator has obtained an FOI request on this and the results are intriguing, more later.
Verdict: Brown is caught in a self-imposed Catch 22. He cannot admit that cuts are being planned for next year because that would be a recognition of economic mismanagement on his part and break his vote winning conceit about investment. But his credibility is being demolished by a succession of leaks that prove he's been planning cuts prior to the last budget. Cameron, and Clegg, pointed these out with real drive and Brown had no answer. The opposition won hands down.
Previous
Nicholas
November 11th, 2009 2:44pm Report this commentQuite right. Cameron should have pre-empted and gone on the offensive with a question as to whether Labour's manifesto referendum pledge had been "cast-iron". In mocking himself and attacking Labour he would have deflected this damage.
DavidDP
November 11th, 2009 3:03pm Report this commentThis is what, the fourth PMQs where they've managed to ensure Cameron can't attack due to the sombre nature of the day?
JR
November 11th, 2009 3:31pm Report this commentI think Brown was referring to the Conservatives opposing plans to ask single parents with children under 5 to look for work. Those single parents are a significant percentage of those in that catagory of youth unemployment. That policy was launched when Freud was working with the Government.
So a fair point in that case from Brown.
Chris
November 11th, 2009 3:31pm Report this comment>Brown actually wants this dangerous tax. I wonder why...
Pick one or all from
1. He perceives electoral advantage in it;
2. He's an idiot;
3. He's still an idiot.
Tankus
November 11th, 2009 3:37pm Report this commentCameron red with anger ....
QT's are becoming pointless , when was the last time Brown has given and honest straight answer ? ... ever ?
Irene
November 11th, 2009 3:50pm Report this commentI didn't see PMQs but I have just seen Boulton on Sky saying that Cameron tried to take on Brown regarding unemployment but Brown proved himself to be the master and Cameron had no answer - his verdict was that Brown won hands down ?????
TrevorsDen
November 11th, 2009 4:02pm Report this commentPMQs are indeed pointless - and it is quite wrong to read put names of dead soldiers at the beginning.
Michael Booth
November 11th, 2009 4:03pm Report this commentWhat actually is the point of this set-piece charade? Does it really hold the executive to account? Of course it doesn't. Brown, or any other PM for that matter, is not compelled to give a direct answer to any question and is at perfect liberty to use smoke, mirrors and whatever to waste time. Does the Leader of the Opposition ask the questions we would all like him to ask? No, of course not. Nothing on the Neather Revelations, nothing on the erosion of civil liberties, nothing on the sinister undertones to the Copenhagen summit which seems to hint at world government, nothing on things of interest to those outside the Westminster bubble (I hate that phrase). Question - is our parliamentary system fit for purpose?
Wrinklybutnice
November 11th, 2009 7:23pm Report this commentThe most significant waste of tax payers' money (and boy! are there some whoppers) is the entire Westminster system : Commons, Lords, salaries, expenses, limo fleets, personal security, junkets, global confs, pensions, advisors, quangos, PR, apparatchniks, and on and on and on ......
I'm not against the public funding of government. Just against the funding of *this* Government. Which over the last several parliaments has cut loose from any vestige of accountability, responsibility, and democrasy.
My own MP dutifully answers letters, raises issues, supports EDMs. But when is anything ever debated ? When is anybody ever held to account ?
eg : the Equitable Life "debate" : an EDM where many MPs signed up but didn't bother to turn up and actually speak, but then voted against, on a 3-Line Whip. That's not democratic.
Much Government support is based in Scotland (yes - the Lothian Question definitely matters in England); and elsewhere in constituencies where 20% plus are on welfare dependency. The funders of all this - the working person, and you and me with our carefully managed savings, are now totally disenfranchised. Nobody in control wants to hear our voices.
So if I want to protest - I risk being arrested under the Prevention of Terrorism Act. I feel I am now living in East Berlin, pre-1989.
We need a totally new system. But in the UK, Democrasy has ended up as a Catch 22.
Even worse : most people don't seem to be bothered. The level of political apathy, or worse : sheer ignorance : is frightening. I asked my socially aware, well educated, quite well-off chums : what they thought the % postal vote was in the last South Shields election was. "Hmmn - less than 1%. It's only for emergencies, isn't it ?"
I would really like to do something about this. But where to start ? Hopefully a public meeting with an articulate media-savvy spokes-person (plus about 10 million others throughout the country who are also pissed off and might just get out there onto the streets.)
Michael Booth, can it really get started ?
Michael Booth
November 11th, 2009 8:41pm Report this commentWay to go, wrinkles, way to go!
Jez
November 11th, 2009 10:13pm Report this commentThis is a joke.
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