PMQs live blog
Peter Hoskin 11:44amStay tuned for live coverage from 1200.
1200: Alistair Darling is sat next to Brown. How cosy.
1201: And we're off. Brown starts with condolences for fallens soldiers – sadly, seven names to read out.
1202: Labour MP Jamie Reed asks Brown for reassurances that the public will one day see the taxpayers' cash that's been pumped into the banks. He gets in a dig at George Osborne's public shares plan. Brown responds by banging on about the G20.
1204: Cameron now. He leads off with a question about the deaths at the Stafford Hospital – asking whether a private inquiry is sufficient to tragedy and the public interest.
1206: Brown gives a managerial response – saying that the government is doing all it can.
1207: Cameron points out that above average death rates had been happening inthe Mid-Staffordshire trust since 2005, but there was a delay before they were investigated. He calls for more openness and transparency.
1208: Brown's reponse is, effectively, that there's transparency enough.
1209: Cameron segues into the "forces of Hell" story, saying that "Just as we need transparency in the NHS, we need transparency at the heart of goverment." The Tory benches start cheering, but it's a bit abrupt on the back of such a sombre topic.
1210: Brown jokes that this is the "closest" Cameron has come to "discussing the economy" for months.
1211: A fiery response from Cameron, who says that if Brown wants to talk about the economy, then what about the deficit, pensions, etc.
1212: Good line from Cameron, in reference to Brown coterie of spinners: "How come the moral compass points everywhere but at the PM?"
1214: Brown's claiming that the Tories are flip-flopping on the economy, and that Cameron and Osborne have "got everything wrong" since the recession started. But he's struggling to sound convincing. Cameron points out that – if Darling got everything right – why did the PM try to get rid of him?
1215: It's rattling along at quite a pace. Neither Brown nor Cameron really making new points, but the former is floundering.
1217: Clegg now, and he starts with one of his strongest topics: the "unfairness" of the tax system for low-income earners. Brown highlights tax credits, as he usually does. Clegg hits back by asking how we can really believe that there will be a "future fair for all".
1219: We're into backbench questions.
1221: Brown teed-up for a dig at the Tories: "they're funded from offshore".
1223: And then Brown has the cheek to scold the Tories for asking a planted question about bullying in Downing St. It was a bit clumsy, though - asking whether Blair meant it "literally" when he called Brown a "great clunking fist".
1227: Apologies, all: technical problems slowing me down a bit. There have been questions about Corus and criminal justice since last update.
1228: Thoughtful question from Richard Benyon, who asks whether the PM realises that the public may not be behind the Afghan conflict - and that the government faces a "moral imperative" to make the case for our presence in Afghanistan.
1230: Bercow stops Brown just as he's getting into his flow about the Tories cutting "child services" to pay for "an inheritance tax cut for millionaires," yadda, yadda, yadda.
1232: Michael Ancram asks about the peace process in Northern Ireland. Brown says there needs to be a "lasting" solution.
1234: Brown rounds things off with a dig at the Tories, natch, over taxes on the banks. My verdict soon.
VERDICT: Cameron didn't really tear Brown to shreds – but, then, he didn't need to in order to score a comfortable victory today. Darling's "forces of Hell" line was always likely to make Brown's life uncomfortable, and so it proved. The PM tried as best he could to caricature the Tories as a party of, and for, privilege – and, in that, he was joined by most of the Labour backbenchers. But there's only one story coming out of all this: the Brown and Darling split. Regardless of how close the pair sit next to each other.
Previous
AndyinBrum
February 24th, 2010 12:15pm Report this commentCameron has utterly owned him again, Brown does not answer the question again his avoidance is answer enough
Tankus
February 24th, 2010 12:25pm Report this commentConsidering the pressure Brown has been under the last few days , he's had worse performances .
Camerons not kicking hard enough into a massive open goal .
charles hercock
February 24th, 2010 12:26pm Report this commentHow can we have confidence in their management of the economy if PM and Chancellor are not at one.This is becoming serious.In the name of God go
Red Rag
February 24th, 2010 12:27pm Report this commentIs that it? Is that the best Cameron could muster?
No wonder his lead is falling. Nice to see George Osborne, where has he been hiding the last few months?
http://www.redrag1.blogspot.com/
charles hercock
February 24th, 2010 12:32pm Report this commentThe PM's performance was shallow and at times he seemed to verge on the hysterical
Chris lancashire
February 24th, 2010 12:34pm Report this commentIt really is time that the Speaker put a stop to this series of stupid planted questions.
Lord Monkington-Smythe
February 24th, 2010 12:34pm Report this commentThe problem is that the goverment is so morally bankrupt that actually shaming it in debate is nigh-on impossible.
TrevorsDen
February 24th, 2010 12:39pm Report this commentBrowns busy apologising now for something thats not his fault.
Chance would be a fine thing if he would apologise for the things he HAS done.
Nick
February 24th, 2010 12:40pm Report this commentI didn't think Cameron was particularly good but there was no doubt that Brown looked and acted extremely uncomfortably.
JONNY
February 24th, 2010 12:52pm Report this commentCriticise Cameron how you may
but Brown was abysmal even for him, plumbing the depths of crude gutter sniping
His obsession with the Tories is worryingly pathological
Chris lancashire
February 24th, 2010 12:57pm Report this commentMy Lord Monkington-Smythe actually makes a very good point. Too rarely do we pause, reflect and compare how low Brown and his unpleasant coterie have dragged British politics. Compare Brown's blustering, rabid partisan shouting to Thatcher, Major or Blair at the Despatch Box - and weep.
Sally Chatterjee
February 24th, 2010 12:59pm Report this commentBrown was as furtive as ever but this meant Cameron couldn't land the knockout blow. Running away from the questions shows just how weak Brown's position is.
Sir Graphus
February 24th, 2010 1:02pm Report this commentI think, Milord Monkington, you have hit the nail on the head.
Armed with immunity from shame, Brown has attacked Cameron on breaking his Lisbon pledge, his economic policies and competence, his spin, and I think Cameron has been so gobsmacked that he hasn't had a response. Today, I thought he got to grips with the likely Brown responses.
Robert Williams
February 24th, 2010 1:03pm Report this commentCameron still doesn't appreciate Brown's unscrupulousness.
He asked a question on GDP per capita, as reported in The Times "Mr Osborne will publish figures showing that national output per person has fallen during the course of a Parliament for the first time."
Brown denied it on the basis of the change from 1997 rather than 2005.
Conservatives keep failing to be sufficiently forensic in their questioning.
welease woger
February 24th, 2010 1:18pm Report this commentWhat a disgrace that PMQ was.
Labour had a plan of just howling across Cameron as soon as he spoke and it worked to a certain extent. The price for that was to drag down the reputation of parliament further (Daily politics emails were critical of all sides even though the shouting was very clearly coming from the Labour benches) but what do they care?
The speaker is useless and partisan. Last time he admonished the Conservatives but today directed his comments the whole house despite the fact he was only looking at the Labour benches. Again he made no attempt to force Brown to answer the questions put to him.
Labour MPs are crawlers of the worst type. Do none of them have legitimate concerns of their constituents to raise?
And just when I thought it couldn't get any worse up pops Stephen Pound.
Austin Barry
February 24th, 2010 1:19pm Report this commentPeter Hitchens has got it right:
"....politics are dead in this country. Mr Cameron can't attack Mr Brown on any major policy, because he agrees with Mr Brown "
Yes, chaps, don't mention the EU, immigration or the war in Afghanistan, they're not important. But bullying, let's discuss...
TrevorsDen
February 24th, 2010 1:31pm Report this commentIts absurd to say Cameron agrees with Brown -- but then again Hitchins is absurd.
Labour now agree with Thatcher on trade union reform - after all they have has 1 years to repeal the legislation but have not.
Quote was, 'has fallen during the course of a Parliament for the first time' --- well that is forensically correct. Brown lies in reply, what can anyone do?
My understanding is, but have not seen the direct quote, that Sir Gus, "spoke to the PM about how to get the best out of his staff but never about bullying"
Well Brown has never been accused of 'bullying' ...
If this quote is true then its game set and match to Rawnsley.
Verity
February 24th, 2010 1:38pm Report this commentAustin Barry - Quite.
oldtimer
February 24th, 2010 1:53pm Report this commentWatched PMQs this week to see how "hell" would work out and if Cameron looked stressed re poll declines. "Hell" made for good viewing, amplified by a rerun (on the Daily Politics) of the HongKong animation of life with Brown. Cameron did not look or sound under pressure at all.
There was also a revealing piece about Sir Gus O`Donnell`s evidence to the Justice Committee, where he effectively vindicated Rawnsley`s account. Robinson also played this with a good straight bat against the barracking of the Labour MP in the studio (name escapes me).
denis cooper
February 24th, 2010 2:00pm Report this commentThis PMQs Show is a small but disgraceful misuse of Parliamentary time and public resources, demeaning to our national democracy.
Not that any of the protagonists give a **** about our national democracy.
BenM
February 24th, 2010 2:04pm Report this comment"The PM tried as best he could to caricature the Tories as a Party of, and for privilege..."
No need to caricature at all.
That is exactly what the Tories are all about!
Ghengis
February 24th, 2010 2:08pm Report this commentTrevorsDen -- My understanding is, but have not seen the direct quote, that Sir Gus, "spoke to the PM about how to get the best out of his staff but never about bullying"--
Surely that's civil service speak for "cease bullying then staff"
Ivy Eileen
February 24th, 2010 2:10pm Report this commentMilord Monkington-Smythe is spot on. If someone's a crud, you get no traction through calling him a double crud.
As I've posted before, Brown is totally tribal. He will say anything, do anything no matter how absurd or false to get in a dig that plays well temporarily to the gallery - in this case, his backbenchers. His taunt about Tory planted questions was farcical (not just hypocritical), but he'll say it anyway to get in his pre-prepared taunt.
The guy can only behave in the manner of a rabble-rousing Opposition Leader, not as the supposed premier Statesman of this country.
TrevorsDen and others - I thought I heard Cameron say "this Parliament" ?
John David Barnett
February 24th, 2010 2:35pm Report this commentBen M
Everyone knows that the Tory party is the one-nation party.
Lucy Jones
February 24th, 2010 3:11pm Report this commentDid anyone pick up on Cameron talking of an election in 6 weeks? April 8th?
Gary Williams
February 24th, 2010 3:14pm Report this comment"http://www.redrag1.blogspot.com/"
You are entitled to publish whatever twaddle you like, but is it necessary for you to advertise it here? This place is for discussion, not self-promotion.
You would be wise not to emulate the bad taste of your political heroes.
Neil McEvoy
February 24th, 2010 3:18pm Report this comment"Camerons not kicking hard enough into a massive open goal".
Tankus - I don't think you've played centre forward. A tap-in is more likely to score.
Ivy Eileen
February 24th, 2010 3:26pm Report this commentFor further confirmation (if it was ever needed) - go to Ian Dale's Diary ("So Charlie,any Comment?") and then, through it, patch onto Nick Cohen's column on Standpoint Online. Read his (Cohen's) reports of this February and (especially)of May '09. You need a strong stomach.
inigo jones
February 24th, 2010 3:30pm Report this commentApart from Gordon and Alistair, who looked like they were trying hard not to hug oneanother, the rest of the Labour front bench seemed pretty miserable, as well they might be, with the ship sinking beneath them. How much longer have we to endure this pathetic shambles before Gormless calls the Election?
Major Plonquer
February 24th, 2010 3:33pm Report this commentThe real story should be that Alistair Darling didn't 'take it like a man' like Peter Mandelson did.
Next week the story will likely be that Alistair Darling 'took it like a dog' - as Peter Mandelson would like.
inigo jones
February 24th, 2010 3:40pm Report this commentWhy do they always let Gordon Brown get away with his ridiculous assertion that the Tory's raising of the IHT threshold will only benefit 'the richest 3000 estates in the Country'? Anyone can see that it will benefit an infinitely larger number of very ordinary people with quite modest homes, which they have spent their lives working and saving for. How dare the State steal their childrens' inheritance?
inigo jones
February 24th, 2010 4:34pm Report this commentMAJOR PLONQUER :: What an outrageous posting re Darling and Mandelson. This must be the most disgusting thing I have ever witnessed on these blogs. How could anyone imagine such depravity.
Jez
February 24th, 2010 11:54pm Report this commentI can't believe i'm going to spend my time playing along with this bollocks.... but;
In regard to today...
Even if Brown were to throw another 'apology' in toward the Argentinians... e.g; to go with the ones to Biko, the cargo of the Armistad, Ghandi's untouchable's and Bambi's mum (who i thought we'd killed also?), then at least there would have been at least one 'point' made in this weekly, utter f*cking waste of time a.k.a; PMQ's.
We've sent an oil rig down to the Falklands- Latin / Central America and the Caribbean states spontaneously unite against the UK.... and the US will *not* back / support us?
Eh?! Afghanistan?.... Iraq?
You read the above 'live blog' and maybe you can ask yourselves;
What are these constantly use-less b*stards playing at- *Yet again*.
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