Miliband signs cease-fire at PMQs

Backbenchers sat in stunned silence during prime minister's questions today as Ed Miliband and David Cameron amiably discussed foreign affairs.

Upon becoming leader of the opposition in 2005 Cameron said he wanted to bring to an end the "Punch and Judy" politics most often displayed at prime minister's questions.

But it was Labour's new leader who today kept the rowdy puppets in their box, as he strove to strike a statesman like tone by focusing his questions on the uprising in Egypt and the British mission in Afghanistan.

Many commentators had been expecting Miliband to focus on the economy for a second week running but he chose instead to focus on foreign affairs - an area of policy in which Labour and the coalition broadly agree.

Miliband said everyone watching the scenes of protest in Cairo and other Egyptian cities would be "moved" by the images of "hundreds of thousands of people against overwhelming odds demanding a more democratic future".

"The people on the streets of Egypt are actually demanding some very basic things: jobs, freedom of speech and the right to choose by whom they are governed," he said.

Cameron said he wanted to see the "rapid and credible" process of transition to a new government in the North African country begin immediately.

"We should be clear: we stand with those, in this country, who want freedom, who want democracy and rights the world over," he said.

"The government takes a very strong view that political reform is what's required, not repression and we have made that clear in all the calls I've made, including to President Mubarak."

He added: "Where I think we need to be clear is that when we talk about greater democracy, we don't just mean the act of holding an election we mean the building blocks of democracy."

Cameron also told MPs that there were around 30,000 British nationals in the Red Sea area, 3,000 in Cairo and 300 in Alexandria.

He said the British government had chartered an extra flight to help those who wanted to leave to do so, and that 1,000 Britons had flown home in the last 48 hours.

The prime minister and Labour leader also addressed Britain's involvement in Afghanistan and the importance of achieving a political settlement.

In recognition that his questions lacked partisan fervour, Miliband commented that "people aren't used to this kind of prime minister's questions".

Cameron agreed that while many may prefer the traditional "bun-fight" it is important to sometimes have a serious discussion.

Miliband left it to his backbenchers to attempt to rattle the prime minister, as they attacked the government over spending cuts, healthcare reform and plans to sell of England's forests.

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