VERDICT: A sedate sort of PMQs today, particularly in comparison to the fizz and fire of recent sessions. The reason is simply the date: with the local elections tomorrow, much of the emphasis was on making a straightforward pitch for votes. Miliband’s was to attack the “broken promises” of the coalition — a charge that, if not exactly new, is one he is deploying more and more. Whereas Cameron’s was to emphasise that councils can make cuts while improving services — and that Tory councils have been particularly successful in doing so. Both men broadcast their messages today, without really scarring the other. The winners and losers will be better judged on Friday morning.
1231: And that’s it. My short verdict soon.
1230: A provocative question from the Lib Dem’s Bob Russell, who points out that the Tories won 45 per cent of the vote in Essex, but gained 95 per cent of the seats. “An
outcome to embarrass Robert Mugabe,” he suggests. Cameron jokes that at least Russell won his seat under FTPT.
1226: Michael Meacher asks why household (aka, private) borrowing is rising to over £2 trillion by 2015. This is an important theme, and topic. But Labour ignore the fact that
household borrowing also rose sharply during their reign — exceeding GDP, for the first time ever, in 2007.
1224: For about the fifth or sixth time now, Cameron urges councils to cut backroom waste and executive pay, rather than “frontline services.” This is due to the local
elections tomorrow, no doubt — but it is also a running theme of the past few months. Little love lost between the coalition and the local authorities.
1221: In response to a combative question from Kerry McCarthy, Cameron says that “I thought Labour supported our efforts to reform welfare”. The PM is right to suggest so, but he
is helped by Labour’s lack of definition on policy — it’s sometimes difficult to tell what they are and aren’t for, beyond simply attacking the cuts.
1219: A question from Labour’s Kelvin Hopkins is summarily dispatched by Cameron: “I thought he was Luton, but he sounds like he’s from Fairy Dairy Land.” (Whatever that is).
1217: Cameron loves baiting Jack Dromey about his “winning [selection] on an all-women shortlist”, and he does so here as the latter accuses the Tories of having it in for Birmingham. He also adds, diplomatically, that it is a local Liberal-Conservative coalition that is “doing so well” for the city.
1215: Cameron’s micro-war against wasteful councils continues: “There are too many examples — particularly Labour councils — where chief executives are paid far too much, and not enough is being done to cut back office waste.”
1214: A very local flavour to today’s PMQs. Cameron cites Wandsworth as a council that has shown how to “cut costs while improving services” — this is what councils across the country should be aiming for, he adds, by way of a swipe at Labour.
1211: Oohs and Aahs as Jack Straw rises to asks a question. Then respectful silence, as the former minister asks a question about a new European ruling on stem cell research. Cameron suggests that British research will not be affected.
1210: Backbench questions now. Cameron agrees that the previous government mislead the public when it came to immgration.
1209: Cameron goes personal, although not excessively so, as he quips that “even [Miliband’s] jokes have been bad for this country. He emphasises the promises that the coalition has delivered on, such as a freeze on council tax.
1208: There we go: Ed Miliband says that the public “haven’t got what they voted for.”
1207: Striking just how much Miliband is referring to “broken promises”. He has been talking this week about the coalition govering “without a mandate” — clearly a new central attack.
1206: Another Miliband favourite: tuition fees and access. Cameron points out that Labour introduced tuition fees in the first place, but this is an awkward topic for the coalition.
1204: Miliband has a number: 2,100 experienced police officers have been forcibly retired. Cameron points out that Alan Johnson, then Labour Home Secretary, couldn’t guarantee that police numbers wouldn’t be cut. This exchange has one eye on tomorrow’s local elections, I’m sure.
1203: Ed Miliband’s first chosen topic is one of his favourites: cuts to “frontline” police capacity. Cameron emphasises that there was, and is, a great deal of backroom waste in policing.
1200: No condolences, and no mention of Bin Laden, from Cameron today. The first question is from Labour’s Jim McGovern: does the PM really want the SNP to triumph in the Scottish elections at Labour’s expense. Cameron’s reponse is brief: he is supporting the Scottish Tories, natch, and he will always support a United Kingdom.
Stay tuned for live coverage from 1200.
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