Jeremy Corbyn’s second outing at PMQs was better than his first. Rather than having all six questions determined by the email-writing public, he now uses a question from a member of the public to introduce a topic and then asks his own follow ups. Corbyn combined this with a few old-style put downs—mockingly declaring that ‘The Prime Minister is doing his best, and I admire that’ and saying, ‘could I bring the Prime Minister back to reality’— to turn in a more effective performance.
But Corbyn still isn’t using PMQs, his best parliamentary platform, to change the political weather. Yes, the follow-up about tax credits was pointed but it hasn’t moved the debate on. For this reason, I suspect that Number 10 will be quite content with today’s session.
Those who find the exchanges between Cameron and Corbyn a little too civil for their tastes can now rest assured in the knowledge that Cameron’s exchanges with the SNP’s Angus Robertson will be far feistier.
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