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| David Cameron told to withdraw 'muttering idiot' remark at PMQs | David Cameron told to withdraw 'muttering idiot' remark at PMQs |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| David Cameron was forced to withdraw a remark describing the shadow chancellor, Ed Balls, as a "muttering idiot". | |
| John Bercow, the Speaker of the house, swiftly told the prime minister to withdraw the "unparliamentary" jibe directed at the Labour frontbench during prime minister's question time. | John Bercow, the Speaker of the house, swiftly told the prime minister to withdraw the "unparliamentary" jibe directed at the Labour frontbench during prime minister's question time. |
| Cameron's comment, which caused a cacophony of noise on both sides of the house, followed a question on the government's economic record. | Cameron's comment, which caused a cacophony of noise on both sides of the house, followed a question on the government's economic record. |
| Cameron told MPs: "What we need to do both in Britain and Europe is to combine deficit reduction, which has given us the low interest rates, with an active monetary policy, with structural reforms to make us competitive, and with innovative ways of using our hard-won credibility, which we wouldn't have if we listened to the muttering idiots sitting opposite me." | Cameron told MPs: "What we need to do both in Britain and Europe is to combine deficit reduction, which has given us the low interest rates, with an active monetary policy, with structural reforms to make us competitive, and with innovative ways of using our hard-won credibility, which we wouldn't have if we listened to the muttering idiots sitting opposite me." |
| Bercow told Cameron to withdraw the "idiot" part of his comment. | Bercow told Cameron to withdraw the "idiot" part of his comment. |
| The prime minister said: "I will replace it with 'man who left us with an enormous deficit and a financial crisis' – suggesting the target of his jibe had been Balls. | The prime minister said: "I will replace it with 'man who left us with an enormous deficit and a financial crisis' – suggesting the target of his jibe had been Balls. |
| Cameron's comment came shortly after he suggested Miliband was "incompetent" during a clash with the Labour leader over a controversial report by venture capitalist Adrian Beecroft, which called for changes to make it easier for businesses to fire people – a move opposed by the business secretary, Vince Cable – as part of measures to boost the economy. | Cameron's comment came shortly after he suggested Miliband was "incompetent" during a clash with the Labour leader over a controversial report by venture capitalist Adrian Beecroft, which called for changes to make it easier for businesses to fire people – a move opposed by the business secretary, Vince Cable – as part of measures to boost the economy. |
| The Labour leader seized on the recent decision to cut the top rate of tax for millionaires while at the same time seeking to water down workers' rights as proof that the Tories had returned to being the "nasty party" . | The Labour leader seized on the recent decision to cut the top rate of tax for millionaires while at the same time seeking to water down workers' rights as proof that the Tories had returned to being the "nasty party" . |
| Miliband drew on tensions among cabinet members over plans to allow employers to "fire at will" by asking Cameron which side of the fence he was on. | Miliband drew on tensions among cabinet members over plans to allow employers to "fire at will" by asking Cameron which side of the fence he was on. |
| He told Cameron: "Adrian Beecroft, the prime minister's adviser, says the law should be changed to allow employers to fire people at will. The business secretary says it is the last thing government should do." | He told Cameron: "Adrian Beecroft, the prime minister's adviser, says the law should be changed to allow employers to fire people at will. The business secretary says it is the last thing government should do." |
| Cameron hailed the report: "We need to make it easier for businesses to grow, for businesses to take people on, for businesses to expand. The Beecroft report, which I commissioned, had a number of excellent ideas that we are taking forward. | Cameron hailed the report: "We need to make it easier for businesses to grow, for businesses to take people on, for businesses to expand. The Beecroft report, which I commissioned, had a number of excellent ideas that we are taking forward. |
| "We are doubling the qualifying period for unfair dismissal, we are exempting businesses with less than 10 people from new EU regulations, we are exempting a million people who are self-employed from health and safety. We are consulting on no-fault dismissal, but only for micro-businesses. It was a good report and it's right that we take forward its best measures." | "We are doubling the qualifying period for unfair dismissal, we are exempting businesses with less than 10 people from new EU regulations, we are exempting a million people who are self-employed from health and safety. We are consulting on no-fault dismissal, but only for micro-businesses. It was a good report and it's right that we take forward its best measures." |
| Miliband emphasised coalition divisions by saying that Conservatives thought the Beecroft report was the "bee's knees" while the Lib Dems "think it's a bonkers proposal and the business secretary has been going around saying it". | Miliband emphasised coalition divisions by saying that Conservatives thought the Beecroft report was the "bee's knees" while the Lib Dems "think it's a bonkers proposal and the business secretary has been going around saying it". |
| Cameron fired back: "I know you worry about being fired at will for being incompetent." | Cameron fired back: "I know you worry about being fired at will for being incompetent." |
| The Labour leader drew on a section of the report that suggests "some people will be dismissed simply because their employer doesn't like them" but that was a "price worth paying". | The Labour leader drew on a section of the report that suggests "some people will be dismissed simply because their employer doesn't like them" but that was a "price worth paying". |
| "Are you really telling us that, with record numbers out of work, sacking people for no good reason is a price worth paying?" Miliband asked. | "Are you really telling us that, with record numbers out of work, sacking people for no good reason is a price worth paying?" Miliband asked. |
| He went on to accuse Cameron of "double standards" and asked him: "What impression he thinks it gives about his government that he commissions advice from a multimillionaire who recommends making it easier to sack people on low pay at the same time as giving people like him tens of thousands of pounds in a millionaires' tax cut?" | |
| He told Cameron: "When it comes to ordinary workers he wants to make it easier for employers to sack them. When it comes to Andy Coulson and the culture secretary [Jeremy Hunt] it's all about second chances." | He told Cameron: "When it comes to ordinary workers he wants to make it easier for employers to sack them. When it comes to Andy Coulson and the culture secretary [Jeremy Hunt] it's all about second chances." |
| The prime minister sought to turn the tables by accusing Miliband of opposing any changes to employment right because he was "in the pocket of trade unions". | The prime minister sought to turn the tables by accusing Miliband of opposing any changes to employment right because he was "in the pocket of trade unions". |
| "We are cutting regulation by £3bn, we are scrapping 1,500 regulations, we are looking at introducing fees for employment tribunals," said Cameron. | "We are cutting regulation by £3bn, we are scrapping 1,500 regulations, we are looking at introducing fees for employment tribunals," said Cameron. |
| "We are taking all of these steps which have led to the greatest number of small business start-ups last year in the country's history. | "We are taking all of these steps which have led to the greatest number of small business start-ups last year in the country's history. |
| Of course, you cannot support any changes to employment regulation because you are in the pocket of the trade unions." | Of course, you cannot support any changes to employment regulation because you are in the pocket of the trade unions." |
| Miliband fired back: "On 23 March the chancellor cut the top rate of income tax, then the money comes flooding in from the Tory millionaire donors. It tells you all you need to know about this government: they stand up for the wrong people." | |
| He added: "Tax cuts for millionaires, making it easier to sack people, the nasty party is back." | He added: "Tax cuts for millionaires, making it easier to sack people, the nasty party is back." |