VERDICT: What began as a measured affair, with polite questions from Miliband about Libya and the Defence establishment, effervesced into something more dramatic. I was surprised Miliband didn’t concentrate on the rising cost of living; rather, he chipped at the local government funding settlement. By concentrating on examples of Tory-led council intransigence, Miliband did not appear to be being overtly partisan. By contrast, Cameron was initially far too eager to political points: twice he raised Nottingham Council’s refusal to publish details of its pay structure when the issue was irrelevant. Eventually though, he struck the right tone by attacking council waste and politicking per se. Sure, things are not easy for local government at present. But councils still have enough money to deliver services; it is for them to spend as they choose. For me, this is the most constructive approach: much better to make this an issue about government and its respect for those it represents rather than a tendentious party political point. It is also logically consistent: numerous Tory-led councils have joined the local government vested interest, while even some Lib Dem controlled councils plan to retrench without cutting essential services. On the basis of his final answer, Cameron probably edged the leaders’ exchange intellectually and presentationally. However Miliband had been ascendant until that point. Both were impressive today.
12:31: There have been more than a handful of exchanges over cuts to local government and I suspect that Labour is going to concentrate on these issues as the local government settlement bites. The coalition’s plants are now beginning to concentrate on growth. For instance, Lib Dem backbench spokesman Stephen Williamson raises the electrification of the West Coast Mainline, which will stimulate activity and industry in the north and midlands. This allows Cameron to talk of his plans for growth. This will be a favoured line as we approach Osborne budget for growth. That’s all for now, my verdict to follow.
12:25: Well into backbench questions now and the affair is dominated by Libya and numerous party political plants, which makes for rather dull viewing. However, among the questions there is widespread condemnation of the murder of Pakistan’s only Christian Cabinet Minister. Also, a brief and revealing exchange about police budget cuts. Labour is still trawling the line that spending cuts always mean job cuts; Cameron denies this, but without reference to Theresa May’s pay condition initiatives.
12:16: Much more feisty now. Miliband persists with another 2 questions on the future of Sure Start and Cameron’s broken promise on ring-fencing it. First, Cameron responds by saying that the mney is there, but he gets lost in the party political point: the strength of Miliband’s point is that Bromley is Tory-led. But this is also a weakness for Miliband, as it reveals a wasteful and overtly political mentality that is prevalent across local government. Eventually, Cameron responds along these lines. The money is there for councils to protect services; but it is for them to choose how to spend it. Ergo Bromley, like many other local authorities, is making the wrong choices.
12:12: An intermission in which both sides exchange fire and Cameron is beginning to look slightly less stately. Then Miliband returns with the news that Tory-led Bromley Council is to cut 13 of 16 children’s centre. What happened to the Sure Start ring-fence? A much sharper question from Miliband. Cameron begins to make a party political point – the financial mess we inherited etc, etc, etc. He has a powerful kick-out on council pay transparency, citing Labour-led Nottingham Council’s refusal to publish those details. It looks a little partisan from Cameron, whereas Miliband was much more measured (though no less partisan of course).
12:06: A stately progress so far. Miliband ups the ante by talking about the government’s retreat from a no-fly zone before side-stepping on to the issue of the sense of defence cuts (Labour’s defence shadow Jim Murphy has an urgent question on the subject after PMQs). Miliband remains calm rather than braying and Cameron responds in kind. Cameron reveals that the international community is still considering a no-fly zone and suggests that Gaddafi’s tactics are close to the point of justifying intervention. He also says that defence cuts are necessary and he defends the settlement in full.
12:05: Here’s Miliband. He begins, as expected, with Libya. Miliband welcome’s DfID’s unilateral action and asks what multilateral action Britain is supporting. Cameron lists various international efforts to relieve human suffering at Libya’s borders which Britain is assisting.
12:02: And we’re off. First Cameron remebers the dead of Afghanistan and the Christchurch earthquake. Then comes what looks like a plant from Tory MP Gavin Barwell on increasing the aid budget, with regard to the growing humanitarian crisis in Libya. Cameron gives what amounts to a situation report in response. Cameron list DfID and the MoD’s various efforts.
11:55: Stay tuned for live coverage from 12:00.
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