PMQs as-it-happened
A minute-by-minute account of this week’s prime minister’s questions.
Welcome to politics.co.uk’s as-it-happens page. Here, you can keep up to date with speeches, debates and major political events live. Just hit refresh on your browser to see the latest development. Email ian.dunt@politics.co.uk with any observations.
This event is now over, but you can see how it happened below.
11:13 – Hmmm. I wonder what they’ll be talking about today. It’s hard to imagine there’ll be a more interesting PMQs this year, although these things take you by surprise, like the Baby P session, which came from left-field but became one of the most memorable clashes between the two leaders since Brown took over. Today, obviously, is expenses. I certainly wouldn’t have wanted to draw up David Cameron’s strategy. You can’t attack, because you’re mired in the same swamp. It’s ill-advised to be too unified, because it entrenches the image of all MPs united by the virtue of being money-grabbing fiends. The Tory leader made an extraordinarily impressive intervention yesterday afternoon, by leading with apologies, and then shaking up the Conservatives’ internal rules on expenses. By the time Gordon Brown was forced to visit the TV studios in the evening it was already too late, and the consensus was he was following, not leading. Cameron will be looking to consolidate that impression today, but its a fine balancing act. Not too much attack, but avoid chumminess too. Although to be fair, these two have never had a problem with excessive chumminess. The session starts at 12:00 BST.
11:54 – This from our lobby correspondent, Alex Stevenson: “Downing Street is having a tough time explaining why Gordon Brown waited until after David Cameron acted on expenses before making his latest proposal. Yesterday’s allowances committee was in the diary for a week or so, it’s being argued. So it was entirely coincidental the government put forward its proposals beforehand. As for the speaker – well, given he’s the umpire and referee of PMQs Brown is making sure he keeps onside for now. No 10 has rejected reports a delegation of MPs appeared outside demanding his resignation. The prime minister’s spokesman looked like he was in forgiving mood. ‘You’ve got to understand that lots of things happen in the heat of the moment’. That’s what I call a pearl of wisdom.”
12:01 – The debate on Sri Lanka has overrun somewhat, but now we’re off. Before Brown lists his engagements he mentions the troops killed in Afghanistan over the past week. It’s been an ugly week in the war zone, and the list is longer than usual.
12:03 – The first question is on unemployment, but in a sign of the times, he prefaces it by saying how upset the country is about MPs’ expenses. Brown seizes it. “We must prove ourselves worthy of the public’s trust. We must rectify all the errors that have happened. I believe the steps that were taken last night are the first important steps for dealing with this matter by the whole of the House together,” he says. That, by the way, was Brown trying to make it look as if his actions forge the path ahead, with other parties trailing behind.
12:05 – Cameron is up. Behind him, the Tory frontbench wears none of the glee it’s had over the last few weeks. “The first word the prime minister said about [expenses] today was transparency.” Does Brown agree expenses should go online in real time? Brown says the committee is looking at the idea, and he hopes it will be introduced as soon as possible. He follows this with more abstract, rather pointless, statements on restoring confidence in the system. Total silence in the House. It’s weird. He reiterates the need for an independent scrutiny board. You probably wouldn’t need it if they post all expenses online – it would basically outsource scrutiny to an outraged public.
12:08 – Cameron says checking whether the rules were broken is time consuming and pointless. The rules mostly weren’t – that’s why they need to be changed. His tone rises – there’s a bit more attack there. The point is – you’re dragging your feet. Move quicker. Brown says again that the committee programme is “extreme” – a soundbite he used yesterday. There’s so many committees looking into this now it’s getting hard to keep up. With a modicum of hypocrisy, the PM says they need to proceed with cross-party approaches. When Cameron criticises, some Labour MPs mutter at him. “Members are shouting, and that’s another problem in this House”. Cameron is prime ministerial and impressive. Brown’s doing pretty well too. He expands the debate to political spending, and calls for the communications allowance – designed primarily for websites – to be scrapped. This is very savvy – extending the debate so it appears he is trying to reform all of British politics.
12:11 – Brown says: “It’s true in some cases rules have not been broken,” but it’s also true that they’ve been bent in some place, and they need to check this with independent scrutiny. As to communications, it came from a vote of the House. How would Brown justify £10,000 communication allowance during a recession, Cameron asks. The mood in the House – especially on the Labour benches – is getting grittier by the second. Labour MPs know what Cameron’s doing. Brown again reverts to the fact the allowance is based on a Commons vote. They can change it by another vote of the House. Cameron responds: “What we need is some leadership.” The first cheer of the day. The Speaker has to shut up a few Labour MPs so Cameron can be heard. The Tory leader says we have more political representatives than any country but China. Lets ask the Boundary Commission to reduce the size of the Commons.
12:14 – Brown insists that kind of judgement needs to go before an independent commission. “I’m trying to build a political consensus on change, it’s unfortunate today we can’t highlight those issues that need to be dealt with immediately.” The Tories jeer. Minute by minute, we revert back to a traditional PMQs. Cameron’s answer is difficult to hear with the Labour noises. “I wonder whether he needs an independent commission to work out whether to have tea or coffee in the morning,” Cameron says.
12:17 – “Isn’t it time for us to see ourselves as the rest of the country sees us. How can we bring about the change this country needs, if we can’t change ourselves?” Cameron asks. Brown is angry: “I’m sorry he’s chosen today” to find divisions rather than unity. “Leadership is me saying to all political parties that they have to act now to change the system.” He says of course the other matters will be dealt with, but MPs need to prioritise what gets acted on first. This has been a fascinating exchange.
12:18 – Clegg says none of the solutions deal with MPs making money by buying and selling properties paid for by the taxpayer. “Let him put his proposals to the Kelly committee” but any solution now put forward for the long term needs to command the confidence of the public, Brown argues. Clegg says he’s making it too complicated. “We’re not here to make a fast buck on the property market.” Clegg’s team will hand back any financial gain made by selling homes bought with taxpayer money. Will he make that commitment too? Brown totally avoids the question by saying – pointlessly – that MPs who are genuine and work for the public should be recognised. Rarely do his answers relate so barely to the question. “Other matters can be dealt with in representations to the committee.” So no answer there, then.
12:23 – The subdued tone of the Commons continues. It’s remarkable how depressed and debilitated MPs look. It’s like members of all parties have suddenly joined Labour. The Labour front bench look the same as ever – tired and beaten – but today, everyone else has joined them.
12:26 – Dennis Skinner is up, praising the minimum wage and forecasts for economic growth. He cites George Soros, who sees sunshine, and reminds the House that the man managed to smuggle huge sums out from under Tories noses back in the day. The House loves him, and the PM stresses how happy he is to have the man back after his illness. Don’t ask. It’s a Commons thing. Skinner is a safe left-wing firebrand, so the leadership always love him. His loyalty to the party beats his socialism – that’s the key.
12:29 – A question on Stonehenge. Brown says he can announce there’s a new area for a visitor centre. “Today’s announcement is the first step” to finally fixing the site. £25 million of funding will go into it. Tony Wright asks whether this might soon be called “the moat parliament or the manure parliament”. We should accept whatever the Kelly committee says, he argues. Brown doesn’t accept that, but hopes the report is good and that it can be supported.
12:32 – That’s it for this week. Cameron will appear far more impressive on the evening news, but many of his attacks verged on denigrating parliament. More on that in analysis. We have to call it a draw. Besides, when things are this bad, no-one really wins. See you next week.
