Benn hits out at 'PM hokey cokey'

The shadow Commons leader has criticised the government for its growing number of policy "changes, pauses, rethinks, repudiations and U-turns".

Continuing to deliver the quick one-liners at the weekly business statement, Hilary Benn called on the Commons leader Sir George Young to "pity the loyal back benchers" who no longer know what to expect on government policy.

Benn told MPs: "Pity the loyal backbenchers: they are keen to help, eager to please and want to back their government, but they now have absolutely no idea, with all this prime ministerial hokey cokey, whether policies that are in this week might be policies that are out next week, or at the very least shaken all about.

"May we therefore have a statement reassuring them that if they do take the plunge and voice support for the government, they will not be left high and dry as so many of the prime minister’s colleagues have found themselves in recent weeks."

With room for one final quip of the week, he added: "Does this collective loss of nerve by the government not show just how right was the Treasury mandarin who last week complained: 'They just don’t seem to have thought any of this stuff through'?

"Sir Humphrey could not have put it better himself."

In response, Sir George said his shadow's bid for the Labour leadership has gone from "strength to strength", citing that one newspaper has offered its support and been "tempted into a flutter".

Writing last week, the Independent's Simon Carr said: "I'd put £50 on Hilary Benn. He's not an automatic embarrassment. His performance as shadow Leader is widely admired. And there's the hereditary principle working in his favour."

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