The main points from prime minister's questions on Wednesday, 2 April, from 1200 GMT:
The main points from prime minister's questions on Wednesday, 2 April, from 1200 GMT:
Leader of the House of Commons Harriet Harman is taking questions in place of Prime Minister Gordon Brown, who is at a Nato summit in Romania.
Leader of the House of Commons Harriet Harman is taking questions in place of Prime Minister Gordon Brown, who is at a Nato summit in Romania.
Ms Harman sent her condolences to the family of two servicemen, Lt John Thornton and Marine David Marsh, who were killed in Afghanistan.
Ms Harman sent her condolences to the family of two servicemen, Lt John Thornton and Marine David Marsh, who were killed in Afghanistan.
Answering a question from Eric Joyce (Labour, Falkirk), Ms Harman said Robert Mugabe must respect the decision of the people of Zimbabwe.
Answering a question from Eric Joyce (Labour, Falkirk), Ms Harman said Robert Mugabe must respect the decision of the people of Zimbabwe.
Mr Hague, standing in for Tory leader David Cameron, sent his condolences to the family of the dead servicemen. He congratulated Ms Harman on being the first female Labour politician to take prime minister's questions. He added: "She must be proud, three decades on, to be following in the footsteps of Margaret Thatcher."
Mr Hague, standing in for Tory leader David Cameron, sent his condolences to the family of the dead servicemen. He congratulated Ms Harman on being the first female Labour politician to take prime minister's questions. He added: "She must be proud, three decades on, to be following in the footsteps of Margaret Thatcher."
Mr Hague said he wanted to send a signal to the people of Zimbabwe that Britain stood ready to help.
Mr Hague said he wanted to send a signal to the people of Zimbabwe that Britain stood ready to help.
Ms Harman asked why Mr Hague was answering questions and not Theresa May, the shadow leader of the House, asking if modern Tory women "should be seen and not heard".
Ms Harman asked why Mr Hague was asking questions and not Theresa May, the shadow leader of the House, asking if modern Tory women "should be seen and not heard".
She offered Ms May some "sisterly advice", saying she should not let Mr Hague "get away with it".
She offered Ms May some "sisterly advice", saying she should not let Mr Hague "get away with it".
Mr Hague then referred to Ms Harman's difficulties over her decision to wear an anti-stab jacket during a police walkabout this week on the streets of her south London constituency.
Mr Hague then referred to Ms Harman's difficulties over her decision to wear an anti-stab jacket during a police walkabout this week on the streets of her south London constituency. He noted that she had said she dressed appropriately for every occasion - wearing a hard hat on building site visits etc. He asked whether she attended Cabinet dressed as a clown.
Ms Harman said she would not take advice on what to wear from Mr Hague, referring to his famous decision to wear a baseball cap when he was in the early days of his time as Conservative leader.
Ms Harman said she would not take advice on what to wear from Mr Hague, referring to his famous decision to wear a baseball cap when he was in the early days of his time as Conservative leader.
Mr Hague said five million lower paid families would be worse off after Budget changes to income tax. He said that after a meeting with Labour MPs, who expressed concern about it, one said Mr Brown "didn't seem to understand that they were talking about" and gave the impression "that he was living on another planet". He then quoted Ms Harman's blog, in which she said people were not worried about their future economic prospects.
Ms Harman said she wrote her "Harriet in the High Street" blog after speaking to people in Edinburgh - before recent global economic turbulence. She said the government had since responded to people's concerns and reassured people that it was acting to provide economic stability and employment opportunities.
She then took a swipe at Mr Hague, saying: "Normally people used to say great jokes, poor judgement but on today's performance he should be worried about his career as an after-dinner speaker."
Mr Hague hit back by saying he would never accuse Ms Harman of being all jokes. He asked when the government was going to give voters a chance to get rid of it.
Lib Dem deputy leader Vince Cable said the Queen had cancelled her Diamond Wedding celebrations because of public concern about the economic turndown. He asked if she had captured the public's mood or was guilty of over-reacting.
Speaker Michael Martin stepped in to warn Mr Cable that under Commons rules he could not discuss Her Majesty the Queen. He said the Lib Dem leader had to ask another question, telling him he had already used one of his two questions.
Mr Cable said he was happy to ask about the economy again. Ms Harman hailed Labour's record on stability.
