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Labour’s New Leader, Jeremy Corbyn, Crowd-Sources Questions for British Premier Labour’s New Leader, Jeremy Corbyn, Crowd-Sources Questions for British Premier
(34 minutes later)
LONDON — He was sober, serious and sometimes a little technical. But on Wednesday, Jeremy Corbyn, the new and left-wing leader of the Labour Party, changed the tone of one of Britain’s most storied political traditions — the weekly parliamentary joust between the prime minister and the leader of the opposition — and in so doing proved that sometimes it pays just to be polite.LONDON — He was sober, serious and sometimes a little technical. But on Wednesday, Jeremy Corbyn, the new and left-wing leader of the Labour Party, changed the tone of one of Britain’s most storied political traditions — the weekly parliamentary joust between the prime minister and the leader of the opposition — and in so doing proved that sometimes it pays just to be polite.
Facing one of the first big tests of his leadership of the Labour Party, Mr. Corbyn opted to crowd-source this part of his job, posing to Prime Minister David Cameron a selection of questions submitted by voters who, he said, offered more than 40,000 suggestions.Facing one of the first big tests of his leadership of the Labour Party, Mr. Corbyn opted to crowd-source this part of his job, posing to Prime Minister David Cameron a selection of questions submitted by voters who, he said, offered more than 40,000 suggestions.
The result was a transformation of Prime Minister’s Question Time, the weekly half-hour parliamentary ritual, which routinely degenerates into point-scoring sound bites, all made against a backdrop of yelling lawmakers. The result was a transformation of Prime Minister’s Question Time, a weekly half-hour parliamentary ritual that routinely degenerates into point-scoring snippets, against a backdrop of yelling lawmakers.
His successful appearance provided a welcome boost for Mr. Corbyn, a left-winger who has faced criticism of his failure to sing along to the national anthem at a ceremony on Tuesday to mark the 75th anniversary of the Battle of Britain, in which the Royal Air Force held off the German Luftwaffe during World War II. His successful appearance provided a welcome boost for Mr. Corbyn, a left-winger who has faced criticism for not singing the national anthem at a ceremony on Tuesday to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the Battle of Britain, in which the Royal Air Force held off the German Luftwaffe during World War II.
Mr. Corbyn’s disdain for the monarchy is well known — he once called for the royal family to move to more modest dwellings. The national anthem, “God Save the Queen” poses a problem for a politician who has been lauded for his perceived sincerity and integrity.Mr. Corbyn’s disdain for the monarchy is well known — he once called for the royal family to move to more modest dwellings. The national anthem, “God Save the Queen” poses a problem for a politician who has been lauded for his perceived sincerity and integrity.
Though Mr. Corbyn was elected to the party leadership on Saturday with an overwhelming mandate from party members and supporters entitled to vote, his support among Labour lawmakers in Parliament is very shallow, and he has already faced internal dissent on several key policies. Though Mr. Corbyn was elected to the party leadership on Saturday with an overwhelming mandate from party members and supporters who could vote, his backing among Labour lawmakers in Parliament is very shallow, and he has already faced internal dissent on several crucial policies.
So the stakes were high for Mr. Corbyn at noon on Wednesday in the House of Commons, which was crammed with deputies. In a lengthy preface to his first question, Mr. Corbyn said that voters had told him that Prime Minister’s Question Time was “too theatrical,” that ordinary people “wanted things done differently” and wanted their voices to be heard. So the stakes were high for Mr. Corbyn at noon on Wednesday in the House of Commons, which was crammed with lawmakers. In a lengthy preface to his first question, Mr. Corbyn said that voters had told him that Prime Minister’s Question Time was “too theatrical,” that ordinary people “wanted things done differently” and that they wanted their voices to be heard.
The questions he asked were on housing, changes to tax credits (which supplement the income of low earners), and on mental health — among the most popular topics of the emails he received, aides said later. He asked questions about housing, changes to tax credits (which supplement the income of low earners) and on mental health — among the most popular topics of the emails he received, aides later said.
At times Mr. Corbyn’s style seemed to imitate that of a radio phone-in presenter. “This is absolutely shameful,” Mr. Corbyn said at one point. At times, Mr. Corbyn’s style seemed to imitate that of a hot on a radio call-in show. “This is absolutely shameful,” Mr. Corbyn said at one point.
“I had more than 1,000 questions on tax credits. Paul, for example, sends this very heartfelt question: ‘Why is the government taking tax credits away from families? We need this money to survive so our children don’t suffer.’ ”“I had more than 1,000 questions on tax credits. Paul, for example, sends this very heartfelt question: ‘Why is the government taking tax credits away from families? We need this money to survive so our children don’t suffer.’ ”
Mr. Cameron said he welcomed the change of style, which had been predicted. If Prime Minister’s Question Time became more of a “genuine exercise in asking questions and answering questions, no one would be more delighted than me,” he said. Mr. Cameron said he welcomed the change of style, which had been expected. If Prime Minister’s Question Time became more of a “genuine exercise in asking questions and answering questions, no one would be more delighted than me,” he said.
Some instant reaction was positive. “You have to say Corbyn won,” Jane Merrick, political editor of The Independent on Sunday, wrote on Twitter, adding that he had done so by “framing the entire exchange” and by forcing Mr. Cameron to be consensual. Other early reactions were positive. “You have to say Corbyn won,” Jane Merrick, political editor of The Independent on Sunday, wrote on Twitter, adding that he had done so by “framing the entire exchange” and by forcing Mr. Cameron to be consensual.
How long such civilized exchanges last remain to be seen.How long such civilized exchanges last remain to be seen.
In 2005 the new leader of the Conservative Party said he was “fed up with the Punch and Judy politics of Westminster, the name-calling, backbiting, point-scoring, finger-pointing.” That was Mr. Cameron. In 2005, the new leader of the Conservative Party said he was “fed up with the Punch and Judy politics of Westminster, the name-calling, backbiting, point-scoring, finger-pointing.” That was Mr. Cameron.