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Corbyn puts voters' questions to Cameron in first PMQs Corbyn puts voters' questions to Cameron in first PMQs
(34 minutes later)
Jeremy Corbyn has moved to end the “theatrical” nature of prime minister’s questions by tabling a series of questions to David Cameron submitted by 40,000 people who responded to his call for ideas. Jeremy Corbyn has stabilised his position following a faltering start to his leadership of the Labour party after he moved to end the “theatrical” nature of prime minister’s questions by tabling some of the questions submitted by 40,000 people.
The new Labour leader calmly asked the prime minister in a non-confrontational way about the housing crisis in the rental sector, the government’s cuts to tax credits and mental health. As the prime minister described the exchanges as different and more civilised, senior shadow cabinet ministers suggested that Corbyn had given himself vital breathing space after resetting the terms of the weekly Commons clash.
Cameron, who has been thinking hard how to respond to his rival’s more consensual style, reportedly described the exchanges as “different … more civilised than usual”. The Labour leader, who experienced a bumpy start in his new job after he failed to appoint any women to shadow the great offices of state, was praised by colleagues after he calmly questioned the prime minister in a non-confrontational way about the housing crisis in the rental sector, the government’s cuts to tax credits, and mental health.
The policy-heavy questioning by Corbyn is likely to stabilise his position after a difficult start to his leadership when he failed to appoint any women to shadow the great offices of state and declined to sing the national anthem at the Battle of Britain commemoration event at St Paul’s Cathedral on Tuesday. Cameron, who has been thinking hard about how to respond to his rival’s more consensual style, told the Labour MP Karl Turner that the exchanges had been “different … more civilised than usual”.
Corbyn opened by saying he had received 40,000 questions after sending out an email asking for ideas. He began by reading out questions from someone called Marie on the lack of affordable housing; a housing association worker, Stephen, who warned about a reduction in staffing levels; and one from Paul on the cuts in tax credits. But the Spectator reported that the prime minister had told George Osborne afterwards that the exchanges had been “a lot less stressful” after Corbyn bowled him what No 10 regarded as softballs that allowed Cameron to explain government policy. Some Labour MPs voiced fears that Corbyn had given the prime minister an easy ride.
Corbyn opened by saying: “I want to thank all those that took part in an enormous democratic exercise in this country which concluded with me being elected leader of the Labour party and leader of the opposition. I think we can be very proud of the numbers of people who engaged and took part in all those debates. Corbyn opened by saying he had received 40,000 questions after sending out an email asking for ideas, leading to the first crowdsourced session of prime minister’s questions. He began by reading out questions from someone called Marie on the lack of affordable housing; a housing association worker, Stephen, who warned about a reduction in staffing levels; and one from Paul on the cuts in tax credits.
“I have taken part in many events around the country and had conversations with many people about what they thought about this place, our parliament, our democracy and our conduct within this place. Many told me they thought prime minister’s question time was too theatrical, that parliament was out of touch and too theatrical and they wanted things done differently but above all they wanted their voice heard in parliament. Corbyn laid the ground for his crowdsourced question session by thanking people who took part in the “enormous democratic exercise” which led to his election as Labour leader.
“So I thought my first prime minister’s question time I would do it in a slightly different way and I am sure the prime minister is going to absolutely welcome this as he welcomed this idea in 2005. But something seems to have happened to his memory during that period.” He said: “I have taken part in many events around the country and had conversations with many people about what they thought about this place, our parliament, our democracy and our conduct within this place. Many told me they thought prime minister’s question time was too theatrical, that parliament was out of touch and too theatrical and they wanted things done differently, but above all they wanted their voice heard in parliament.”
The prime minister said: “Can I congratulate the honourable gentleman on his resounding victory in the Labour leadership election? Can I welcome him to the frontbench and to these exchanges? I know we will have many strong disagreements between us at these exchanges. But where we can work together in the national interest we should do so and I wish him well in his job. In a reference to Cameron’s pledge during the Tory leadership contest in 2005 to end the “Punch and Judy” approach to politics, he added: “So I thought my first prime minister’s question time I would do it in a slightly different way and I am sure the prime minister is going to absolutely welcome this as he welcomed this idea in 2005. But something seems to have happened to his memory during that period.”
“If we are able to change prime minister’s questions and to make it a more genuine exercise in asking questions and answering questions no one would be more delighted than me.” The prime minister congratulated Corbyn on his “resounding victory” as he he said he would welcome turning PMQs into “a more genuine exercise in asking questions and answering questions”. Corbyn replied: “I thank the prime minister for that answer and I thank him for his commitment that we are going to try and do PMQs in a more adult way than we have in the past.”
Corbyn replied: “I thank the prime minister for that answer and I thank him for his commitment that we are going to try and do PMQs in a more adult way than we have in the past.”
The questions Corbyn asked were on:The questions Corbyn asked were on:
• Affordable housing, after 2,500 people asked him about housing. He chose a question from Marie, who asked: “What does the government intend to do about the chronic lack of affordable housing and the extortionate rents charged by some private sector landlords in this country?” • Affordable housing, after 2,500 people asked him about housing. The question from Marie asked: “What does the government intend to do about the chronic lack of affordable housing and the extortionate rents charged by some private sector landlords in this country?”
The prime minister said Britain did need more affordable housing, before saying that the government delivered 260,000 affordable housing units in the last parliament and built more council houses than the last Labour government.The prime minister said Britain did need more affordable housing, before saying that the government delivered 260,000 affordable housing units in the last parliament and built more council houses than the last Labour government.
He said more needed to be done but gently sought to draw a distinction with Corbyn by saying: “Above all, it means continuing to support the aspirations of people to be able to afford their home which is where Help to Buy and schemes like that come in. But I say to the honourable gentleman we won’t get Britain building unless we keep our economy going.”He said more needed to be done but gently sought to draw a distinction with Corbyn by saying: “Above all, it means continuing to support the aspirations of people to be able to afford their home which is where Help to Buy and schemes like that come in. But I say to the honourable gentleman we won’t get Britain building unless we keep our economy going.”
Later, Marie said on LBC radio that the new Labour leader needed to “change the way he does things, mix things up each week and really not let the Conservatives know which side it’s coming from – firing on all corners but doing it in a calm and collected way”. Later, Marie called in to radio station LBC radio to say that the new Labour leader needed to “change the way he does things, mix things up each week and really not let the Conservatives know which side it’s coming from – firing on all corners but doing it in a calm and collected way”.
• Funding of housing associations after Stephen, who works for one, said that the cut in rents would lead to cuts in their funding. Corbyn paraphrased Stephen’s question as he asked: “The cut in rents will mean the company he works for will lose 150 jobs by next March because of the loss of funding of that housing association to carry on with repairs. Down the line it will mean worse conditions and worse maintenance and fewer people working in it and a greater problem for those living in those properties.” • Funding of housing associations after Stephen, who works for one, said that the cut in rents would lead to cuts in their funding. Corbyn paraphrased Stephen’s question as he asked: “The cut in rents will mean the company he works for will lose 150 jobs by next March because of the loss of funding of that housing association to carry on with repairs. Down the line it will mean worse conditions and worse maintenance and fewer people working in it, and a greater problem for those living in those properties.”
Corbyn asked the prime minister whether he agreed it was right to reconsider the funding of the administration of housing associations. Cameron said it was right in the budget to cut the rents that social tenants paid to end “the merry-go-round where rents went up, housing benefit went up and so taxes had to go up to pay for that”.Corbyn asked the prime minister whether he agreed it was right to reconsider the funding of the administration of housing associations. Cameron said it was right in the budget to cut the rents that social tenants paid to end “the merry-go-round where rents went up, housing benefit went up and so taxes had to go up to pay for that”.
• The government’s “shameful” cut in tax credits, after receiving more than 1,000 questions in this area including a “heartfelt question” from Paul. The question was: “Why is the government taking tax credits away from families? We need this money to survive so our children don’t suffer. Paying rent and council tax on a low income doesn’t leave you much. Tax credits play a vital role and more is needed to prevent us having to become reliant on food banks to survive.”• The government’s “shameful” cut in tax credits, after receiving more than 1,000 questions in this area including a “heartfelt question” from Paul. The question was: “Why is the government taking tax credits away from families? We need this money to survive so our children don’t suffer. Paying rent and council tax on a low income doesn’t leave you much. Tax credits play a vital role and more is needed to prevent us having to become reliant on food banks to survive.”
Cameron defended the cuts by saying: “What we need is a country where work genuinely pays. That is why what our proposals do is reform welfare but at the same time bring in a national living wage, which will mean anyone on the lowest rate of pay will get a £20 pay rise next year.”Cameron defended the cuts by saying: “What we need is a country where work genuinely pays. That is why what our proposals do is reform welfare but at the same time bring in a national living wage, which will mean anyone on the lowest rate of pay will get a £20 pay rise next year.”
• Mental health, after receiving 1,000 questions on the issue. Ga il asked: “Do you think it is acceptable that the mental services in this country are on their knees at the present time?” Cameron said that mental health was one of the areas where he hoped to work with Corbyn.
The atmosphere quickly changed when Cameron said that anyone who sought to justify IRA violence should be “ashamed of themselves” – a reference to the shadow chancellor, John McDonnell.
He made the remarks after he was asked by Nigel Dodds, the leader of the DUP group at Westminster, about McDonnell’s claim in 2003 that “bombs and bullets and sacrifice made by the likes of Bobby Sands ... brought Britain to the negotiating table”.
Cameron said: “I have a simple view, which is the terrorism we faced was wrong, it was unjustifiable, the death and the killing was wrong. It was never justified and people who seek to justify it should be ashamed of themselves.”
Toby Perkins, a Labour MP and former frontbencher, said he thought Corbyn did “fine” but the approach could be refined to involve follow-up questions to pin down more answers out of Cameron.
“He’s had a pretty tough week and lurid headlines and having anopportunity to say he’s speaking for a lot of people here is perfectly sensible. But in the longer term that approach doesn’t actually put the PM under a great deal of pressure. And oppositions do actually need to expose problems with government policy.
“I suspect the approach will evolve. But putting down a marker for the first time, given that people were going to learn more about Jeremy Corbyn than David Cameron today, it’s a perfectly sensible approach.”
Helen Goodman, Labour MP for Bishop Auckland, said she thoughtCorbyn’s new approach was “rather clever”.
“It meant Cameron couldn’t sneer at Marie and Paul and Claire.” But she said there was always room for improvement: “It takes practice. It’s a very difficult thing to do. But that was even the case for [David Cameron] himself.”
Louise Haigh, MP for Sheffield Heeley, said that Corbyn had shown great political skill. “He kickstarted the process for changing PMQs and the nature of Westminster politics, something which clearly everyone who voted for him in the leadership contest and more widely are crying out for,” she said.
Many Labour MPs tweeted their praise of the new format. Ian Lucas, Labour MP for Wrexham, said Corbyn had clearly won because his sincerity was “clear and contrasted with the prime minister”, while the Stockton North MP, Alex Cunningham, said it was a “great start for our new leader at PMQs” as there was little room for Cameron to attack questions that have come from people across the country.
However, one Labour shadow minister voiced worries that in the long term Cameron would “look pretty good and come out all but unscathed”.
Related: Jeremy Corbyn, the national anthem and the broader picture | LettersRelated: Jeremy Corbyn, the national anthem and the broader picture | Letters
Another critic was Simon Danczuk, who told LBC, it was a “problem” that Corbyn had neglected to follow Cameron’s lead after the prime minister began by praising the RAF’s role in the Battle of Britain. The prime minister moved up a gear to strike a more partisan note when Corbyn cited Claire who said that changing thresholds for tax credits will see her family’s income plummet. Cameron said: “Let us not go back to the days of unlimited welfare. Labour’s position again today is to abolish the welfare cap. I say that a family that chooses not to work should not be better off than one that chooses to work.”
• Mental health, after receiving 1,000 questions on the issue. Gail asked: “Do you think it is acceptable that the mental services in this country are on their knees at the present time?” Cameron said that mental health was one of the areas where he hoped to work with Corbyn.
Toby Perkins, who chaired Liz Kendall’s leadership campaign, said he thought Corbyn did “fine” but that the approach could be refined to involve follow-up questions to pin down more answers from Cameron. “He’s had a pretty tough week and lurid headlines, and having an opportunity to say he’s speaking for a lot of people here is perfectly sensible. But in the longer term, that approach doesn’t actually put the PM under a great deal of pressure. And oppositions do actually need to expose problems with government policy.
“I suspect the approach will evolve. But putting down a marker for the first time, given that people were going to learn more about Jeremy Corbyn than David Cameron today, it’s a perfectly sensible approach.”
Helen Goodman, Labour MP for Bishop Auckland, said she thought Corbyn’s new approach was “rather clever”. “It meant Cameron couldn’t sneer at Marie and Paul and Claire.” But she said there was always room for improvement: “It takes practice. It’s a very difficult thing to do. But that was even the case for [David Cameron] himself.”