The House was at its best yesterday, but also at its worst in another degrading spectacle of Prime Minister’s Question Time, which was an exchange of insults and non-responses. May we debate early-day motion 51, which seeks to reinvent the format for Question Time so that it retains the robust questioning but is carried out in an atmosphere of calm and mutual respect?
[That this House is appalled at the demeaning and deteriorating spectacle of Prime Minister’s Questions; notes the widely expressed public revulsion at this ill-mannered, pointless exchange of insults; and calls for its reinvention into a new format in which the Prime Minister can respond to questions in an atmosphere of calm, respect and dignity.]
One of the things that make this one of the great debating chambers of the world is that there are lively debates between the two sides. I would never condone insults across the House, but I think we would lose something in this Parliament if we did not have a vigorous and sometimes challenging debate of the kind that we see regularly.
PM doesn't understand that just because it's called Prime Minister's Questions doesn't mean he is asking them. He's supposed to answer but he doesn't.
Tells Harriet Harman 'We're still claearing up Labour's mess' No PM, firstly it isn't Labour's mess it's the banks' mess and you don't clean that up by saying its time to relax controls on banks as Osborne is suggesting.
Asks Harriet Harman questions instead of answering questions and waits till she cannot answer to ask another question to make it seem as tho Labour has no answer. However, John Bercow didn't miss this trick and stated that 'The Rt. Hon. and learned Lady has had her 6 questions' ie the rules say she cannot respond.
Cat Smith asks when will UK get its AAA credit rating again? Answer 'Go for it Throw your hat in to the ring' for Labour leadership.No answer on AAA rating.
Stephen Tims will there be no 'cuts in benefits for the disabled' Answer we were both in front of 45,000 people at the Excel Centre. Err what has that to do with Disabled exactly?
Fails to answer Rachel Maskell on RTB and takes a swipe at Labour saying they can't spell Aspiration.
Maybe he's hoping Labour MPs will just despair of getting answers and give up. Let's hope not
Posted by: Fintan McCarthy | June 07, 2015 at 01:25 PM
It's a revolting prospect. PMs know that the present format is good for PMs, always having the last word, but bad for keeping the reputation of politics firmly in the gutter.
Posted by: Paul Flynn | June 05, 2015 at 02:08 PM
We have got to put up with this slick over privileged bully for another five years?
What is his background? Born into wealth, goes through exclusive private education and oxbridge then did a short stint in PR followed by a quick rise through the Tory ranks. The last person you would choose to take the country in the direction it needs to go. But who offered anything different?
A nasty piece of work who despite his wealth and advantages despises the poorest and scorns the needy.
Posted by: Ad | June 05, 2015 at 12:32 AM