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Cameron's courteous beginning almost brings PMQs into disrepute Cameron's courteous beginning almost brings PMQs into disrepute
(about 5 hours later)
“Now this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning.” It was asking a bit much of David Cameron’s limited powers of oratory to go the full Churchill to mark Harriet Harman’s final prime minister’s questions, but he did at least manage something approaching courtesy and grace. Two qualities that are seldom in evidence at the weekly Wednesday bunfight. “Now this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning.”
It was asking a bit much of David Cameron’s limited powers of oratory to go the full Churchill to mark Harriet Harman’s final prime minister’s questions, but he did at least manage something approaching courtesy and grace. Two qualities that are seldom in evidence at the weekly Wednesday bunfight.
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The entire exchange between the two party leaders was so well mannered, with the prime minister doing his best to nearly answer the questions put to him, that he was in danger of bringing PMQs into disrepute. Tory backbenchers certainly looked as if they hoped it was just a momentary lapse; flickers of confusion mixed with boredom crossed several faces.The entire exchange between the two party leaders was so well mannered, with the prime minister doing his best to nearly answer the questions put to him, that he was in danger of bringing PMQs into disrepute. Tory backbenchers certainly looked as if they hoped it was just a momentary lapse; flickers of confusion mixed with boredom crossed several faces.
Including George Osborne’s. The chancellor normally makes a point of falling about with laughter whenever Jeremy Corbyn’s name is mentioned; to his amazement – and disappointment – Corbyn wasn’t namechecked once. As for the man who might be Labour leader come Saturday, he chose to steer clear of the chamber for the occasion. There is a time for everything. A time to be silent and a time to speak. Normal service will no doubt be resumed next week. Including George Osborne’s. The chancellor normally makes a point of falling about with laughter whenever Jeremy Corbyn’s name is mentioned; to his amazement – and disappointment – Corbyn wasn’t namechecked once.
Harman understandably chose to use her last appearance at the dispatch box to interrogate the prime minister a little harder on his commitment to take 20,000 Syrian refugees at some point in the next five years. Cameron’s compassionate face went into overdrive. He cannot bear the idea that half the country thinks he is an uncaring opportunist, and longs for people to understand that his problem is not that he cares too little but that he cares too much. About everything. As for the man who might be Labour leader come Saturday, he chose to steer clear of the chamber for the occasion. There is a time for everything. A time to be silent and a time to speak. Normal service will no doubt be resumed next week.
Harman understandably chose to use her last appearance at the dispatch box to interrogate the prime minister a little harder on his commitment to take 20,000 Syrian refugees at some point in the next five years.
Cameron’s compassionate face went into overdrive. He cannot bear the idea that half the country thinks he is an uncaring opportunist, and longs for people to understand that his problem is not that he cares too little but that he cares too much. About everything.
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No, he wasn’t prepared to provide a definite number of refugee children the UK would take in the first year because not only were numbers too much like quotas, which were European and therefore bad, but, more importantly, he wanted to make sure every refugee got the right kind of reception.No, he wasn’t prepared to provide a definite number of refugee children the UK would take in the first year because not only were numbers too much like quotas, which were European and therefore bad, but, more importantly, he wanted to make sure every refugee got the right kind of reception.
“Let us recognise that we have to go to the camps,” he said, his voice quavering, “find the people, make sure they can be housed, find schools for their children, and work with local councils and local voluntary bodies to make sure that when these people come they get a warm welcome from Britain.”“Let us recognise that we have to go to the camps,” he said, his voice quavering, “find the people, make sure they can be housed, find schools for their children, and work with local councils and local voluntary bodies to make sure that when these people come they get a warm welcome from Britain.”
With a current target of just 12 refugees each day, you would not have thought it was too hard to find all this, not to mention a skinny latte, croissant and Daily Telegraph delivery service thrown in. Though not in Witney, obviously. The Syrians wouldn’t like Oxfordshire at all.With a current target of just 12 refugees each day, you would not have thought it was too hard to find all this, not to mention a skinny latte, croissant and Daily Telegraph delivery service thrown in. Though not in Witney, obviously. The Syrians wouldn’t like Oxfordshire at all.
Dave was just as keen to reiterate his determination not to take any refugees who had already made the journey to mainland Europe, because that would be the wrong thing to do. He still seems under the impression that the only reason so many Syrians have already left the country is because a container-load of Thomson summer sun holiday brochures were unexpectedly delivered to Damascus. He is equally unclear as to who he should be bombing – the Assad forces or Islamic State – so at the moment his preference appears to be to bomb the whole country. Dave was just as keen to reiterate his determination not to take any refugees who had already made the journey to mainland Europe, because that would be the wrong thing to do. He still seems under the impression that the only reason so many Syrians have already left the country is because a container-load of Thomson summer sun holiday brochures were unexpectedly delivered to Damascus.
Even with so much going on, the house was careful not to forget to acknowledge the longevity of the Queen’s reign. Had Tim Farron continued much longer than his three minutes he might have forced her abdication. He is equally unclear as to who he should be bombing – the Assad forces or Islamic State – so at the moment his preference appears to be to bomb the whole country.
Seldom has one man bored the entire chamber quite so quickly with a succession of mindless anecdotes. He did at least sit down to laughter, but that was only because Labour’s Steve Pound raised an imaginary rifle. He refrained from pulling the trigger because Lib Dems are now officially an endangered species. And not even Walter the dentist would want Tim the tin man to go up on the wall next to Cecil the lion. Even with so much going on, the house was careful not to forget to acknowledge the longevity of the Queen’s reign. Had Tim Farron continued much longer than his three minutes, he might have forced her abdication.
Seldom has one man bored the entire chamber quite so quickly with a succession of mindless anecdotes. He did at least sit down to laughter, but that was only because Labour’s Steve Pound raised an imaginary rifle.
He refrained from pulling the trigger because Lib Dems are now officially an endangered species. And not even Walter the dentist would want Tim the tin man to go up on the wall next to Cecil the lion.