
Who won:
Though Ed Miliband didn’t win, David Cameron definitely lost it. It was a very dull PMQs dominated by tuition fees and mutual accusation of breaking manifesto pledges. David Cameron wasn’t really listening to the questions, and just attacked back rather than answering. He kept replying with the same line about Labour’s ‘organised hypocrisy’ for not supporting the government interpretation of the Browne review. He tried to underline the progressiveness of the new system, but – as Miliband rightly pointed out – Cameron himself is the only one still persuaded by that.
Miliband saved the game scoring a last minute point, when he retorted against the PM accusations of being a ‘student politician’. ‘Yes I was it – proudly admitted Ed – and was not hanging around with people throwing bread rolls and smashing up restaurants’. That was more direct and effective than any other attempt to describe the prime minister as unable to understand ordinary people’s concerns about higher education and social mobility.
Best backbencher:
Although not a backbencher, I still go for Emma Reynolds of Wolverhampton, who raised the question of her own constituency university’s future put at risk by budget cuts and higher fees. DC’s answer was that it is fair to ask student to contribute when they are successful, and ignored that probably Wolverhampton university won’t have any students in the future…
Best question, answer, comment or joke:
Certainly Labour MP Kerry McCarthy’s question about Morrissey banning Cameron liking him was one of the funniest moments, but I will pick instead Jack Dromey’s insinuation that Westminster may have been infiltrated by an imposter (referring of course to Nick Clegg, not the Lib Dem researcher arrested under the accusation of being a Russian spy). Dromey – like him or not – was sharp-witted and subtle, while DC’s reply about Dromey’s selection process and the suggestion that he should wear a skirt was coarse – no wonder old male conservative MPs were laughing at it!
Oedipus Rex ,a tragedy :: This is our conscience calling /Vote for what you dare/What’s the difference mother/ No kiss, no tell, no scare/There will be growth and profit/Father will prevail/ He always does,neglect to tell/The heir apparent,all regale/And keep the top the top/The umptahs pale and small/They’re only there to keep you up/Keep on, build the wall.
New IFS report on Govt tuition fees policy says it’s “more progressive” than current system or Browne plan.
Saddest to say New labour brought in the the charge to students, now they moan but they moan I think to much.
but Scott,some might say that say, to cull all aids patients would be “progressive” but we would not dream of such a thing (well some might ) The only good thing this bill if passed would deliver up would be the eternal bloody squeezed middle to Labour in one fell swoop.