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PMQs - The Verdict
Edward Davie
Before proceedings got underway Mr Speaker warned MPs they risked bringing the House into disrepute by barracking each other.
Given that this behaviour is what the Commons is best known for, it is probably too late to end the Punch and Judy show in the chamber - as David Cameron was forced to admit this week.
Michael Martin's pre-emptive strike was almost certainly due to the especially hard-time given to the Liberal Democrat leader last week.
Nick Clegg having suffered some poor publicity, Conservative and Labour backbenchers scented blood and believed they could hound him in the way they had his predecessor Sir Menzies Campbell.
This warning, and the fact some members were absent campaigning for the local and London elections, made for a relatively quiet session.
Many of those not on the campaign trail tried their best to electioneer from inside the Chamber.
Labour MP Brian Jenkins was the first up praising the government's economic record.
The use of friendly backbenchers to get Brown off to a gentle start has become an increasingly obvious and regular ploy - a suspicion referred to by Cameron when he rose to his feet.
"The planted questions get tougher and tougher," the Conservative leader quipped.
Cameron then asked Brown a series of questions on the government's plans to increase the length of time terror suspects can be held without charge to 42 days.
The Tories believe the government will be forced to make concessions to Labour rebels emboldened by their partial victory on the abolition of the 10p tax bracket.
It did give the prime minister the opportunity to set out his case and call for the Conservatives to back it - suggesting that to oppose was irresponsible.
Cameron then referred to a report from the Labour whips office, leaked to a Sunday paper, on the attitudes of backbenchers to the measure.
"One backbencher said he 'could be persuaded to stay away' - that's straight from the prime minister's book of courage,'" Cameron said to much hilarity from Tory backbenchers.
The Conservative leader then quoted another: "I will support it but I think it's barmy."
Brown retorted that Cameron would not engage with the "substantial issue" and that the opposition risked "giving oxygen to terrorists" by waiting for an attack to impose emergency powers.
The Conservative leader sought to talk up the importance of the vote by asking the PM to make it a vote of confidence.
Cameron also used the issue to repeat his accusation that the prime minister "puts political calculation and self-interest ahead of the right decisions and the national interest."
Labour backbenchers roared with indignation that Cameron could accuse anyone of "political calculation."
Brown retorted, saying: "This is a man who wants to be both tough on crime and hug a hoodie; this is the man whose political calculation meant he cycled to work with the chauffeur driven car following behind; this is a man who is a shallow salesman who never addresses the substance of the issue."
Having had the way cleared by the Speaker Clegg got up to attack the government on "hurting" low earners and closing post offices.
He even paraphrased Neil Kinnock, saying it was "grotesque chaos to see a Labour government, a Labour government scuttling around handing out closure notices to over 5,000 local post offices."
Brown was not taking any lessons from the Lib Dems, whom he said had voted against most of the government's anti-poverty measures.
Electioneering went horribly wrong when London MP Stephen Pound's attempt to give the prime minister an opportunity to attack Boris Johnson was ruled out of order.
Conservative Mark Harper was more successful quoting Labour's David Drew criticising Brown's leadership.
By an unhappy coincidence for Drew he was next up to ask a question to huge ironic cheers from the Tories.
The Verdict
Gordon Brown - 6/10 - Dealt reasonably effectively with Cameron, suggesting the Tory leader was a hypocrite for accusing him of political opportunism.
David Cameron - 7/10 - Declined out-and-out electioneering in favour of the parliamentary battle ahead.
Nick Clegg - 5/10 - Despite the protection of the Speaker the Liberal Democrat seems to be getting worse, not better.
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Published: Wed, 30 Apr 2008 15:40:17 GMT+01
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