Why Ed Miliband's PMQs slip-up matters
Peter Hoskin 6:17pm
The exchange about rail fares in PMQs earlier was, it's true, not one for the photo
album. But the way it's resolved itself this afternoon has been considerably more diverting. You see, it turns out that David Cameron was
right: Labour did arrange for these fare increases when in government. And, what's more, Ed Miliband was wrong: the coalition didn't ‘reverse’ the cap on fares that Labour then
conveniently introduced in the run up to the general election. That cap was limited to one year by the Labour government itself. It was always intended that it would expire on 1 January 2011, at
which point — barring a new cap — the train companies could go back to the hyper-inflated fares they'd imposed previously. And that's what happened. No coalition reversals, just the
logical unwinding of the system that Labour had put in place.
‘So what?’ you might say, ‘score one to Cameron, and let's be done with it.’ But I'd say it matters a bit more than that. After all, what does this tell us about Miliband's team? After a week in which they haven't exactly excelled themselves, they sent their boss into PMQs with a line of attack that wasn't just uninspiring, but also fundamentally flawed. It's barely forgivable when a Prime Minister doesn't know the facts that he's being quizzed about. But when an Opposition leader is unclear about an attack that he has launched himself? That's a finer vintage of incompetence. Team Miliband may try to twist and prevaricate this evening, but the simple fact remains: they brought this subject up themselves, and now they're being pummelled by it.
And then, more importantly, what does this tell us about the Labour leader? One of the most persistent assumptions behind his rule has been that, okay, he may not be the best orator, he may not have rock star charisma, he may have knifed his own brother to get the top job, and so on — but, oh yes, at least he knows his stuff. Call it the ‘Wonk Defence’ if you like: Miliband is the guy who has read and memorised the most think-tank reports, and will always come out on top in any statistical sparring with Cameron. But today undermines that claim. Were something like this to happen again, then Miliband's dwindling attractiveness to his own party would dwindle even faster.
Previous
Paddy
January 11th, 2012 7:28pm Report this commentJustine Greening succinctly put the record straight in HOC this afternoon.
It seems the rail company knew it was a one year holiday (only) in the run-up to the election.
Scrobs...
January 11th, 2012 8:20pm Report this commentI'd have thought that the rail companies knew what they were doing, while the twillits at Nulab HQ didn't understand the commercial position.
No surprise there then.
Douglas Carter
January 11th, 2012 8:26pm Report this commentAll this would be fine if it were an interactive video game\soap opera.
Unfortunately, it's being played out with taxpayers money and lives which are all too real. That Cameron might have scored against Miliband is hardly an achievement. I have a pot-plant in the back garden which could get one over on either of them even in the charisma stakes.
All three Parties are currently led by persons who have spent their entire working lives learning the tricks by which they might become Party Leaders. Their erstwhile replacements in each two-and-one-eighth party have identical career patterns.
When someone wants to present me with a Prime Minister whose sum of parts is actually more than a slick and insincere PR creation, please let me know. Up to then, articles such as this are merely academic.
Kevin Lynchehaun
January 11th, 2012 9:01pm Report this commentOr possibly his own "Team" are setting him up for a fall?
Sally Chatterjee
January 11th, 2012 9:03pm Report this commentMiliband was hoisted by his own petard. He often tries to find an obscure fact to grill the PM about. This time he tried a question on the contractual minutiae of the railways.
Yet he ended up showing his own incompetence and even helping many to associate pricey rail fares with Labour's legacy.
He really is out of his depth.
Phil
January 11th, 2012 9:13pm Report this commentDoug - Ed Lied through his eye teeth as an insincere, slick PR created inquisitorial wonk-get over it.
Heartless Curmudgeon
January 11th, 2012 9:18pm Report this commentI like it: Vintage . . . Incompetence
Now, if only . . . the H2B could steel (or iron) himself to recognise and proclaim the incompetence, - some say criminal incompetence, - of his Hero, - then we might start making progress, - instead of this bed of roses he offers to NooLieBOre and the Limpid Dimwits.
Johnnydub
January 11th, 2012 9:25pm Report this commentVery succintly put Douglas.
I would also identify another issue - that of homgenisation of policy.
There's no identity to any of the political parties. They may be three different brands of soap powder...but they're all soap powders...
And bluntly we need some serious leadership... the next twenty years are going to me tough and messy...
toco
January 11th, 2012 10:08pm Report this commentRed Ed and his trades union bruvvers should accept that even countries like Russia and China have moved to a more enlightened and pragmatic view of this planet rather than continuing to blame Margaret Thatcher for anything they feel offends their naive and ignorant points of view.Having said that I sincerely hope Labour retains Red Ed and his miserable followers well beyond the next election.
Ryan
January 11th, 2012 10:31pm Report this commentI agree this is more then a trivial matter on several levels --
1. It shows how poor the Labour research and briefing is.
2. It reinforces the PM's strength. Well briefed and on top of his game.
3. It shows Miliband up to be a petty pointscorer (which he is) and his credabulity take a big knock when over and over he told the PM he was wrong (when he wasn't) -- deeply embarrassing.
4. It shows how calculating Labour were to introduce the cap for election year, something the PM nailed Miliband on.
In general, a small bit, but endemic of much bigger problems in style, substance and delivery for Labour.
TrevorsDen
January 11th, 2012 11:19pm Report this commentSadly Gordon Brown is never seen in parliament for poor little Ed to ask. And Mr Balls (Mr Cooper?) is not speaking to him.
David Ossitt
January 11th, 2012 11:22pm Report this comment“After all, what does this tell us about Miliband's team? After a week in which they haven't exactly excelled themselves, they sent their boss into PMQs with a line of attack that wasn't just uninspiring, but also fundamentally flawed.”
Might that be deliberate?
2trueblue
January 11th, 2012 11:39pm Report this commentWhat matters is how it will all play out now. The media will in their usual lazy way not pick up the ball.
Tarka the Rotter
January 12th, 2012 10:15am Report this commentwe deserve better - from all of them
PaulD
January 12th, 2012 3:37pm Report this commentThat makes two of them. See Andrew Gilligan's report in the Torygraph about Ken Livingstone trying to pretend bus fares went down during his reign.
The only evidence he could provide was a graph carried by the Independent. It turns out this was supplied by Ken's very own Transport for London and that all other data shows the fares soared!
I hesitate to label anyone a liar but...
AR
January 12th, 2012 5:20pm Report this commentFor what it's worth, Miliband did the same in his Today interview earlier this week in relation to the Winter Fuel Payment: he claimed the government had cut it, whereas they'd maintained it at the level as funded by the previous government. Labour had simply boosted it for a year prior to the election.
Cynic
January 12th, 2012 7:46pm Report this commentThat photograph is a cracker! Would you buy a used policy from this man?
Matt
January 12th, 2012 8:40pm Report this commentHe either did not know what he was doing whilst in government, or he is a liar.
Either way he is becoming an irrelevance.
Mike Emery
January 14th, 2012 1:21pm Report this commentMiliBalls, what a pair. At least they are consistent with other Labour leaders, Incompetent!! Worrying though if this is the best that the opposition can come up with.
Major Plonquer 1
January 16th, 2012 7:57am Report this commentJust because Oor Ed was the most famous Brown-noser in the last government, just because he beat his brother for the post of Dear Leader by a nose, just because he was nosing ahead in the polls before he committed a fatal error with his famous nose job, just because his career is now nose-diving doesn't mean Oor Ed has a nose for figures.
It's as plain as the nose on his face.
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