In anticipation of the Jeremy Hunt debate today, Westminster reverted into full introspective mode today for PMQs. There are many bad things happening in the world, such as the ongoing Syrian violence and the stormclouds still not receding over the eurozone. There’s even that little thing called the economy, or the plummeting satisfaction surveys of the NHS. But all of these worries and crises were not of importance today as Ed Miliband decided to expend all six questions on the matter of the culture secretary.
That may excite the hacks, but I imagine the many people watching PMQs without the benefit of reading the Westminster blogs would have been perplexed by such a choice. I am not sure a person who has concerns about their job or their family would have much faith in the idea their elected representatives are listening to them and their concerns after today. In a spectacular bout of navel-gazing exchanges, Ed Miliband asked the prime minister why Jeremy Hunt had not been referred over his apparent breach over the ministerial code whilst Baroness Warsi had. It could have been a very awkward moment had Cameron not played his trump card, his own exchange with Sir Alex Allan, where Allan remarked the he did ‘not believe that I could usefully add to the facts in this case’ given that Leveson was a judge-led inquiry. A successful parry by Cameron.
But what impressed me was Miliband’s personal performance. We have seen a steady improvement to Ed’s PMQs performances since he has became leader. He successfully used the embarrassing leaked memo to the Tory backbenchers, the memo addressing them as ‘comrades’ and encouraging an intimidating ‘wall of sound’. He is taking on the Tory bully boys on the benches and looking for clear zinger-opportunities. That is good. Unfortunately he hasn’t quite perfected the skill, as his ‘you were the future once’ line’s delivery was quite flat after barracking by the government benches. Yet it is encouraging. (And, what was with his power stance after that? Maybe we are starting to see ‘Super Ed’.)
Just concentrate on the issues that really matter to the people, though. Building the narrative of an incompetent government doesn’t happen by their non-referral of a minister. Just saying things repeatedly isn’t a narrative. To build a narrative also involves chiming with what people experience – for example, I don’t believe there is a coincidence that hugely unpopular reforms to the NHS and satisfaction with the service falling at an unprecedented rate. There is a relationship. People don’t trust the Tories on the NHS and ill planned reforms only encourages this view.
Did we see nasty Cameron? Yes. His barb towards Steve Rotheram MP was cryptically vicious. These are the Conservatives we know – accordingly a regional accent is something to be scoffed at and scorned. God forbid members of the House have any other accent apart from a bland estuary English accent.
My most cringeworthy moment? Our Dave trying to shoehorn sport-related gags. References to Ed Miliband ‘missing a goal’ and the Labour party having a ‘gold medal in hypocrisy’ were particularly cringe.
My favourite moment? The Ed Miliband power stance.
The worst moment? Cameron’s pathetic response to Steve Rotheram.
Winner? I’ll say it was a score draw. Maybe Ed on away goals (that’s a much better sports reference, even if I do say so myself).
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Curtis McLellan is the international officer for Labour Students and former club co-chair of Manchester Labour Students, and tweets @cjmclellan
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Photo: UK Parliament