Prime Minister’s Questions is the one time in the week when the Leader of the Opposition has a chance to call our Prime Minister to account in front of both the House of Commons and, in the modern age of television and the Internet, everyone in Britain and on YouTube too. So, given the flak the current Leader of the Opposition (Ed Miliband, if you needed reminding) is taking, I have decided to set up a new a new feature: Prime Minister’s Quibbles, because let’s be honest, it’s less about questioning and more about jostling, positioning, shouting and fighting. They may say it’s not Punch and Judy politics, but that’s not going to stop me trying to make it so.
Therefore, every week (as long as I remember – you may need to remind me) I will try to analyse and post up the results of the big showdown at PMQs – you know, the one where the Leader of the Opposition makes mincemeat of the Prime Minister. Or something. We’ll have a winner every week, and an ongoing total, which will, of course, represent a fair analysis of the encounter. Ish.
The Leader of the Opposition is allowed to ask six questions, so there’s a maximum of six points and six beatings for David Cameron and Ed Miliband every week. We’ll see how it goes. So, anyway, off we go with round one, from 11th January!
Question 1
Ed Miliband starts off with a question about train fares. He asks why commuter fares have gone up so much. Cameron’s reply lands a jab if nothing else, with the simple reply that, “the powerto do that was given to them by the last Labour government.”
The deadpan response lands a quick jab, but no points.
Question 2
Ed Miliband insists the assertion is incorrect, as the previous government actually stopped this, and that the current government reversed this policy. So, the Leader of the Opposition asks, will he change his policy.
The Prime Minister replies by reiterating that this policy was introduced by Labour, in 2009.
Question 3
Ed Miliband refuses to accept the Prime Minister’s version of events. He says Labour stripped train companies of the power to raise fares above the rate of inflation. Again he asks, will the Prime Minister change his policy?
The Prime Minister reasserts his position, saying the government originally set out an RPI + 3%, then reduced to RPI + 1% (down from RPI + 5% in 2009). Well, someone’s telling porkies!
Question 4
Ed Miliband says the Prime Minister needs to get his facts right. “He’s just wrong. He’s wrong.” Well that clears that up. He reiterates the last Labour administration put an end to this practice.
The Prime Minister lays his hand. He says Labour introduced the RPI + 5% policy, and changed it for one year only for the election year, not making it permanent. Think that makes it 1-0 to the Prime Minister. The Leader of the Opposition doesn’t come back for more. He takes a break, with his tail between his legs. He’s lucky to only to 1-0 down with two questions left.
Question 5
Ah, Scotland. Ed Miliband asks the Prime Minister if he will make the case for the Union. In an unexpected outbreak of agreement, the Prime Minister fully supports the sentiment. No jabs, except at the Scottish National Party.
Question 6
The Leader of the Opposition agrees with the Prime Minister, and calls for cross-party talks. He then waffles and asks an incoherent question about something like talks about substantive issues. He is very unclear what he’s asking. Again, they are in agreement, with the Prime Minister taking another jab at the SNP.
Conclusion
Four questions on train fares, two on Scotland. Ed left for dead on trains, nothing to fight about on Scotland. A comfortable 1-0 win for Cameron. Speculative attempts from the half-way line doing little to threaten the Prime Minister’s goal. By not attacking in the second half, and thus eliminating the counter-attack, the Leader of the Opposition ensures he loses by just the single point.