Cameron battles it out

David Cameron came out swinging today at PMQs. Knowing that Ed Miliband would try and exploit the Tory rebellion over Europe on Monday night, Cameron went for the Labour leader. He called him a “complete mug” and mocked him as being detached from reality. At the end of the exchange, Osborne gripped Cameron’s shoulder in congratulation – a sign that the pair knew that they needed a strong performance today to calm their backbenches.

The other notable aspect of PMQs was its emphasis on the new political battleground: women. The Labour MP Gloria Del Piero asked the PM why the government was more unpopular with women than men, which gave Cameron a chance to rattle off the government’s female-friendly initiatives.

But in a sign of how worried the Tory hierarchy is about the party’s fall in popularity among female voters, there were three friendly questions from female Tory MPs about issues perceived to be close to the hearts of female voters: women starting businesses, flexible working and schools. Expect to see more of this in the months to come as the party tries to present a more feminine face to the electorate.