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PMQs verdict: Corbyn has upper hand but fails to land knockout blow PMQs verdict: Corbyn has upper hand but fails to land knockout blow
(about 1 month later)
Key pointsKey points
While we debate Brexit, Jeremy Corbyn said, we must not ignore the plight facing people in Britain. Last week he wrote to Theresa May about the report from Philip Alston, the UN rapporteur, about poverty in the UK. May said she did not agree with the report, claiming poverty in the UK was at a record low.While we debate Brexit, Jeremy Corbyn said, we must not ignore the plight facing people in Britain. Last week he wrote to Theresa May about the report from Philip Alston, the UN rapporteur, about poverty in the UK. May said she did not agree with the report, claiming poverty in the UK was at a record low.
Alston described universal credit as universal discredit. When, Corbyn asked, would the government halt its rollout? May said the government had made changes to universal credit. Labour wouldn’t support those changes.Alston described universal credit as universal discredit. When, Corbyn asked, would the government halt its rollout? May said the government had made changes to universal credit. Labour wouldn’t support those changes.
If May wouldn’t halt the rollout, Corbyn went on, would she end the five-week wait – the only way to stop demand for food banks increasing, and leaving people at risk of no money at Christmas. May said Corbyn did not understand how the system operates: it is now easier for people to get advances, with 100% of payments up front. Corbyn said this was actually a loan offered to some people.If May wouldn’t halt the rollout, Corbyn went on, would she end the five-week wait – the only way to stop demand for food banks increasing, and leaving people at risk of no money at Christmas. May said Corbyn did not understand how the system operates: it is now easier for people to get advances, with 100% of payments up front. Corbyn said this was actually a loan offered to some people.
Corbyn said the Bank of England’s chief economist described the last 10 years as a lost decade for wages. Two years ago a UN committee found that this government’s policies towards disabled people were a grave abuse of their rights. Has that system improved?Corbyn said the Bank of England’s chief economist described the last 10 years as a lost decade for wages. Two years ago a UN committee found that this government’s policies towards disabled people were a grave abuse of their rights. Has that system improved?
May said the government was committed to getting more disabled people into the workplace. Difficult decisions have had to be taken over the last decade. They were taken because of Labour’s mismanagement of the economy. Remember the “no money left” letter?May said the government was committed to getting more disabled people into the workplace. Difficult decisions have had to be taken over the last decade. They were taken because of Labour’s mismanagement of the economy. Remember the “no money left” letter?
PMQs: Theresa May faces Jeremy Corbyn after Brexit defeats – Politics livePMQs: Theresa May faces Jeremy Corbyn after Brexit defeats – Politics live
Snap verdictSnap verdict
That was probably the only May/Corbyn TV debate we will get before next week’s Brexit vote, and many viewers might conclude that it was enough. Corbyn devoted all his questions to poverty issues, and not for the first time he raised the report from the UN’s special rapporteur (a truly damning report, which is well worth reading in full). This is a subject on which Corbyn is most comfortable and at his best and he managed quite successfully to discomfit May.That was probably the only May/Corbyn TV debate we will get before next week’s Brexit vote, and many viewers might conclude that it was enough. Corbyn devoted all his questions to poverty issues, and not for the first time he raised the report from the UN’s special rapporteur (a truly damning report, which is well worth reading in full). This is a subject on which Corbyn is most comfortable and at his best and he managed quite successfully to discomfit May.
It wasn’t a knock-out win, but his comeback about how advance payments are just loans that have to be repaid worked well, and his observation about how food banks are not just there to provide photo opportunities for Tory MPs had enough truth in it to hurt.It wasn’t a knock-out win, but his comeback about how advance payments are just loans that have to be repaid worked well, and his observation about how food banks are not just there to provide photo opportunities for Tory MPs had enough truth in it to hurt.
But he never quite threw May off her stride – mostly because, as usual, he did not interrogate her case forensically. Perhaps May was relieved to spend 10 minutes talking about something other than Brexit, but her responses did not go much beyond bromide talking points, and resorting to jibes about Labour’s pre-2010 economic record (against Corbyn, of all people!) sounds increasingly lame. It seemed to work for her MPs, but it wasn’t impressive. If this is what a Sunday night TV debate would have been like, we’ve all had a blessed escape.But he never quite threw May off her stride – mostly because, as usual, he did not interrogate her case forensically. Perhaps May was relieved to spend 10 minutes talking about something other than Brexit, but her responses did not go much beyond bromide talking points, and resorting to jibes about Labour’s pre-2010 economic record (against Corbyn, of all people!) sounds increasingly lame. It seemed to work for her MPs, but it wasn’t impressive. If this is what a Sunday night TV debate would have been like, we’ve all had a blessed escape.
Memorable lineMemorable line
Jeremy Corbyn on Tory MPs’ visits to constituency food banks:Jeremy Corbyn on Tory MPs’ visits to constituency food banks:
Food banks are not just a photo opportunity for Conservative MPs … all of whom supported the cuts in benefit that have led to the poverty in this country.”Food banks are not just a photo opportunity for Conservative MPs … all of whom supported the cuts in benefit that have led to the poverty in this country.”
PMQsPMQs
House of CommonsHouse of Commons
Jeremy CorbynJeremy Corbyn
Theresa MayTheresa May
PovertyPoverty
Social exclusionSocial exclusion
analysisanalysis
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