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| David Lidington v Emily Thornberry: MPs prepare to watch B-team at PMQs | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Theresa May’s trip to Bahrain this week has relegated Wednesday’s prime minister’s questions to a B-team affair, a contest that would normally take place between two deputies. | Theresa May’s trip to Bahrain this week has relegated Wednesday’s prime minister’s questions to a B-team affair, a contest that would normally take place between two deputies. |
| But in 2016 parliamentary traditions have been watered down somewhat. | But in 2016 parliamentary traditions have been watered down somewhat. |
| With no number two to call on, the prime minister has asked the leader of the House of Commons, David Lidington, to take her place. | With no number two to call on, the prime minister has asked the leader of the House of Commons, David Lidington, to take her place. |
| Jeremy Corbyn, meanwhile, has asked the shadow foreign secretary, Emily Thornberry, to step up in a move that some are saying is a snub for the party’s deputy leader, Tom Watson. | Jeremy Corbyn, meanwhile, has asked the shadow foreign secretary, Emily Thornberry, to step up in a move that some are saying is a snub for the party’s deputy leader, Tom Watson. |
| Watson might have been hoping that Commons ritual would mean he would be propelled into the limelight this week. But it wasn’t to be. | Watson might have been hoping that Commons ritual would mean he would be propelled into the limelight this week. But it wasn’t to be. |
| “Obviously Tom would have been happy to stand in but he respects Jeremy’s decision,” a spokesman said. | “Obviously Tom would have been happy to stand in but he respects Jeremy’s decision,” a spokesman said. |
| A source from the leader’s office replied: “There is no hard or fast rule about who does PMQs in place of the leader. Emily is a very senior member of the shadow cabinet and she’ll do an excellent job.” | A source from the leader’s office replied: “There is no hard or fast rule about who does PMQs in place of the leader. Emily is a very senior member of the shadow cabinet and she’ll do an excellent job.” |