Ed Miliband has warned the "very heart" of British society was threatened with closure as a result of the government's deep spending cuts.
In what many viewed as his strongest performance at prime minister's questions since he became leader, Miliband devoted all of his time to attacking the prime minister's troubled Big Society vision.
"How is your Big Society going?" he asked.
The project was dealt a blow this week when Dame Elisabeth Hoodless, the outgoing director of Community Service Volunteers (CSV), warned that "draconian" cuts threatened to undermine the voluntary sector.
Miliband said the government was "cutting too far and too fast" leading to a society that was "small and weaker, not bigger and stronger".
And he warned that the inevitable closure of libraries and sure start centres meant "the very heart of our society" was threatened.
But Cameron used the occasion to announce a £200m injection of cash for the Big Society bank which he said would come from the deal worked out between the government and the City of London.
"We are putting £470m across this spending review into charities and voluntary bodies," he told the Commons.
"And something I can tell you for the first time today: because of our deal with the banks, the Big Society bank will be taking £200m from Britain's banks to put in to the voluntary sector."
But a relaxed Miliband even felt comfortable enough to make a joke at the expense of Gordon Brown. He advised Cameron not to display so much anger in his answers as "it will cloud his judgement".
Miliband added: "He's not the first prime minister I have said that to".
Cameron also endured a rough time from some of his own backbenchers, including Julian Lewis who assailed him over fears a future coalition with the Lib Dems would put the replacement Britain's nuclear deterrent at risk.
Christopher Chope called for the upcoming referendum on switching to the Alternative Vote system to be subject to a 40 per cent turnout threshold – as preferred by the House of Lords.
And Priti Patel urged the prime minister to accept the will of Parliament if MPs voted against plans to give prisoners the vote.
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