Lloyd Evans Lloyd Evans

An unequal contest

Hague for prime minister? According to one of the wilder Tory theories, a hung parliament could force a humiliated Cameron from office and put the trusted Hague into Number 10 at the head of a coalition government. On today’s showing Hague has lost his hunger for power. With Brown in Northern Ireland on Superman duty, Hague was pressed into service against Harriet Harman. The leader of the house arrived in a stiff tunic of imperial purple decorated with a butterfly brooch whose winged shape divided opinion. To some it suggested a phoenix-from-the-flames, to others a W-shaped recession.

Hague had no trouble dominating her at PMQs. And because he knew he’d have no trouble, he took no trouble either. He was relaxed and fluent. His arguments were subtle and well-crafted but the gladiatorial muscle, the street-fighting wit has deserted him. The Hague high style is a thing of the past. He seemed satisfied to score a few decent points about Brown’s economic record. The prime minister, he said, had created a regulation system that failed. He should follow Obama’s example and divide retail from corporate banking. And he should ditch his stillborn Tobin tax which lacks international support and has been ridiculed by the Bank of England.

In reply Hattie called America’s president as a defence witness. ‘One thing we agree with Obama on is that we need a fiscal stimulus.’ Hague observed two weaknesses in this argument. ‘President Obama has announced a freeze on spending,’ he said. ‘And this government has just raised VAT.’ This was fun, sort of, but the sport was marred by Hattie’s poor grasp of finance. Victory is too easy.

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