PMQs of the undead

Usually it’s the war-dead who overshadow the start of PMQs. Today it was the undead. Brown is back and if the Labour rebels really believed his promise to ‘listen’ their trust seems to have been misplaced. This was the Brown of old, the unbudgeable slab of granite, the obsessive numerologist casting statistics in all directions like a witchdoctor sprinkling charms to ward off evil. Two planted questions gave him a chance to bring up the ‘ten percent reduction’ allegedly referred to by Andrew Lansley in this morning’s interview about Tory spending plans.

Brown seemed to be cruising at this point. With his statement on electoral reform in his pocket he had the air of a statesman with a comfortable majority rather than a panicky has-been who saved himself from defenestration two days ago by slamming the window shut at the last minute. Cameron stood up with a ready-made quip. ‘How pleased I am to see the prime minister in his place.’