Above: if you walk a little way along Westminster Bridge and look back at the Houses of Parliament you can see the terrace where MPs sit out when it's fine.
Twelve noon, and Prime Minister’s Questions.
The Prime Minister appeared on the Government Front Bench, seated between a stony-faced Deputy Leader Harriet Harman and a youngish-looking nonentity (none of us knew who he was).
Labour backbencher Adrian Bailey started off, swaying from side to side as he asked about job security for his constituents during the economic downturn. So rambling and badly-expressed were his comments that he appeared to be speaking from the heart. However the Prime Minister adroitly launched into a reply that emphasised his global co-ordinating role, his silky assurance sounding so out of character that I judged it to be a set-up.
Conservative Leader David Cameron began the first of his six questions by referring to the growing rate of house repossessions (a statistic that can finish any government if the rate passes a certain limit) and then taunted him once again with his (now never mentioned) claim to have abolished “boom and bust”. A huge racket broke out on both sides of the Commons. Gordon Brown listed, in a random order, the achievements of his government and then said “I’m not going to take any advice…” (something he must never say, as it only tells the Opposition he is running scared).
In subsequent questions David Cameron referred again to house repossessions, mentioned negative equity and then condemned the creation of a national culture of debt. “Your fiscal rules have failed and collapsed” he told the Prime Minister. With great subtlety he laid a trap for Gordon Brown, asking him if he still believed in his 1997 neo-Thatcherite (although originally from James Callaghan) statement “You can’t spend your way out of a recession” (in response Gordon Brown referred to the Keynesian “automatic stabliser” – a reference that had Terry logging onto Google).
I used to be puzzled by Gordon Brown’s inability to stand up to David Cameron, particularly on economic questions. Having seen today’s exchange, where David Cameron shot so many barbed arrows that the Prime Minister was beginning to resemble St Sebastian, I now think that Gordon Brown probably cares too much about the economy. He seems to be genuinely hurt by the things that are said to him.
Labour Joan Walley made a statement (in the form of a question) about the Stoke-on-Trent referendum to abolish its elected mayor. The town is of interest to psephologists as the Labour vote in the constituency is collapsing and defecting to extremists. Gordon Brown waffled in reply.
Nick Clegg, Leader of the Liberal Democrats asked three questions about the economy, with the Prime Minister snappily denying that his questions were valid. Nick Clegg seemed to be rattled by Gordon Brown’s aggression, and stumbled over some of his phraseology, which prompted cruel laughter from the Labour benches (I heard someone distinctly call “Calamity Clegg”). Gordon Brown listed the ways in which the government was helping ordinary people.
Labour Gordon Marsden asked about higher education in Blackpool. Conservative Sir George Young asked, reproachfully, about the erosion of parliament by the executive (the Chamber falling silent to listen to him). Labour Alison Seabeck asked about savers who had lost money in one of the Icelandic banks (Gordon Brown referred her to the Financial Services Authority).
Conservative Philip Hollobone asked about a boycott organized by the Black Police Association – Gordon Brown sidestepped this controversial subject, giving a noncommittal reply.
Labour Linda Gilroy asked whether British troops in Afghanistan were getting the right equipment (there have been a number of scandals recently about inadequate equipment). Gordon Brown launched with enthusiasm into an announcement on the supply of new protected vehicles. This was obviously a planted question, the Prime Minister brazenly reading from a prepared statement.
Liberal Democrat Paul Holmes asked about a police funding shortfall in Derbyshire, Gordon Brown telling him in reply that there were more police than ever, and that crime rates were coming down.
Labour Robert Waring got to his feet to general appreciation throughout the House (both Labour and Conservative, for opposing reasons, like to hear one of the “awkward squad” speak). Robert Waring referred to the unreasonable profits made by oil company BP and contrasted this to the inability of his constituents to heat their homes during the winter. Gordon Brown gave one of his most ineffectual replies ever, lamely urging the energy companies to reduce their prices (but carefully avoiding any suggestion of regulation).
Conservative Andrew Robathan compared the present economic predicament with the 1976 IMF bailout fiasco (the then Labour government’s helplessness being forever codified as “Crisis, what crisis?”). Gordon Brown smartly referred to the Conservative’s 1992 ERM expulsion fiasco. Both sides of the Commons shouted and jeered.
Questions followed on the Agency Workers’ Directive; a welcome-home army parade in Belfast; and the importance of measuring climate change (Labour Colin Challen so rambling and seemingly obscurantist in his question on climate change that the Tories laughed at him).
Mark Prisk asked about the third runway at Heathrow (“we are looking at this” said Gordon Brown). Ian Cawsey asked about the British Pig Industry (“British bacon is best” said Gordon Brown). John Butterfill asked about the nefarious ways in which the unsecured debts of individuals were being converted into debts chargeable against house ownership (“we are aware of this” said Gordon Brown).
Labour Karen Buck complained that small businesses were still not getting adequate loan facilities from the banks. Independent Dr Richard Taylor complained that appeals against post office closures were a sham. Margaret Moran complained that judicial guidance on house repossessions didn’t seem to be working.
Abruptly (as is usually the case) PMQs came to an end. The cameras went back to the studio where Hazel Blears defended the government. Andrew Neil read a statement from the Director General of the BBC on the behaviour of Jonathan Ross and Russell Brand (David Davies MP calling for them to be sacked).
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