ConservativeHome's ToryDiary

PMQs: Brown challenged on Scottish referendum and early-release schemes

1.15pm: Our summary (view the chatroom below it for many more comments)...

To much cheering Brown welcomed the "new Mayor of London to the House", Cameron joined the PM in congratulating Boris - who was in the House - on "his magnificent victory". The Labour benches were understandably quiet today.

• Shailesh Vara MP got the first question and asked if Brown could use his experience at unseating a sitting Prime Minister to estimate how long he has got left? Later, Nigel Evans asked if Brown understood how angry people were about the tax increases and if he will propose ditching them before his colleagues ditch him. And James Gray added to the taunts in asking if he ever wonders why on earth he took the job.
• Cameron, looking very much at ease throughout, asked about Wendy Alexander's comments about having an independence referendum, accuses Brown of being out of touch with reality saying "It's not leadership if nobody is following him" and "The one thing people thought about the PM is that he was quite a good political fixer, but now he is losing control of his Labour Party".
• Cameron moved on to early-release prisoners: "Every week more prisoners are going to be released because of his early-release scheme, the PM isn't listening to people on crime... If the PM is serious about listening to people will he now scrap it?"
• Brown's answers to most points are so repetitive and irrelevant as to be rarely worth repeating. He talked again of Cameron's "slick statesmanship" but Cameron turned it around by referring to Brown's not-so-slick salesmanship when he flogged the country's gold reserves, and told him to give up PR and focus on being PM. He also re-used the discredited line about there being a £10bn "blackhole" in Tory tax plans. Tory backbenchers waved goodbye to Brown during last question
• Clegg asked for concrete proposals on the 10p rate, "when it comes to helping the needy [Brown] has got no principles, the Tories have got no policies".

Live blog of last PMQs before Brown's Mayday

EDITORIAL VERDICT: Lots of Punch & Judy politics from Mr Brown today. Another poor performance by Nick Clegg.  David Cameron did well enough but his choice of topic wouldn't have been ours.  We would have hammered Brown on tax again - particularly after this morning's Times revealed that "tens of thousands of families will have to pay up to £245 extra a year under new road tax rules after a covert government decision to include cars up to seven years old."  He might also have followed up Eric Pickles' discovery that Labour plan to introduce bin taxes but not until after polling day.

Highlights, not verbatim:

12.15pm: Nick Clegg's second question: Will the PM abandon his Post Office closures programme?  I won't take lessons from "Calamity Clegg" replies Brown.

12.14pm: Nick Clegg lists some failures of Labour on poverty but then [stupidly] asks the PM to say why people should vote Labour?  The PM obliges with one of his lists.

12.12pm: Gordon Brown responds by saying that Cameron is a shallow salesman who never addresses the substantial issues.  He wants to be tough on crime but urges everyone else to hug a hoodie.  He cycles to work but a chauffeur follows him.

12.10pm: The 42 days issue is the same as the 10p tax issue, says Cameron.  He takes up positions that aren't thought through for political advantage and they inevitably unravel. 

12.09pm: Gordon Brown avoids the question and quotes Met Chief Ian Blair in his support.  He says that the House will only vote for 42 days in principle - the House will have another chance to enact it, should that become necessary.

12.07pm: David Cameron says that with post-charge questioning and a commitment to a borders police force the Conservatives are taking the terrorist threat seriously but that they won't play into the terrorists' hands by compromising historic liberties.  He asks if Mr Brown will make this an issue of confidence in the Government.   

12.05pm: David Cameron says that Brown is ignoring the advice of the Director of Public Prosecutions and the former Attorney General.  He quotes Stephen Pound saying that "I will support it but I think it's barmy".  The PM counters that it should be "ashamed" of itself for not supporting action that is a pre-emptive strike against terrorism, supported by the police.

12.03pm: The Prime Minister says that there'll be no U-turn on 42 days.

12.01pm: David Cameron begins by joking that the planted questions get tougher and tougher and then asks if the Prime Minister will have to concede on 42 days' detention without trial.

Noon: The Speaker begins by warning The House to behave more properly.

Brown U-turns on 10p just minutes before PMQs

3.15pm: Watch Sky's highlights video and PoliticsHome's new insiders' verdict on PMQs has just been published

2pm: Once a regular feature on BBC Online; Nick Assinder's weekly PMQs sketch has returned... on PoliticsHome

EDITORIAL VERDICT: Clear win for David Cameron.  With more than 40 Labour MPs backing Frank Field's amendment - which he has now withdrawn - the PM was facing certain defeat next week.  And, as David Cameron suggested, he retreated from a confrontation with his MPs - as, last autumn, he retreated from having to face the voters.

Highlights, not verbatim (read from bottom up to):

12.15pm: Nick Clegg says that he thought penalising the poor to reward the rich was the Tories' job.  Why is the Prime Minister doing their job for them?  If the PM can't deliver on poverty what is the point of this increasingly pointless Prime Minister?  Brown responds with stats on child poverty and jobs created etc.

12.13pm: The Prime Minister says Labour is for opportunity for everyone.  The Tories are for opportunism all of the time.

12.09pm: David Cameron says that Brown's reputation will never recover.  With this Government it's all politics and never the national interest.  Under Labour there are 600,000 more people in extreme poverty.  The Prime Minister has lost authority.  The PM had to leave a meeting in the White House to beg a PPS not to resign from his Government.  [He then lists things that Labour politicians are saying about Brown.]  One Labour MP compares him to Porridge.  Another week and it will be Cheerios.  They are beginning to realise that they don't have a leader but a loser. 

12.07pm: Gordon Brown does not answer the question but says that the choice is between a Labour Government that will cut poverty and a Conservative Party that doesn't care about issues like tax credits and the minimum wage.

12.05pm: We were told, says Cameron that there would be no backdown, no rewriting of the Budget, no concessions and now we've had a backdown, rewriting and concessions.  Did he go to "panic stations" because he knew he'd lose next week's vote, just as he cancelled the autumn General Election because he knew he'd lose that, too?

12.04pm: David Cameron rises to his feet and says this session should be called Prime Minister's U-turns, not Prime Minister's Question Time.  He then pays tribute to Gwyneth Dunwoody.  She'll be sorely missed.

12.01pm: Labour MP Louise Ellman invites Gordon Brown to compensate 10p tax victims. The PM promises to find ways of helping 60 to 64 year-olds and young and part-time workers who may have been hurt by the band's abolition. 

11.45am: Facing almost certain defeat the Government has undertaken a partial u-turn on the 10p tax band - promising backdated compensation for young and old people.  This will undoubtedly introduce even more complexity into an already complex system.

PMQs: Hague says ending of 10p tax band will hurt five million poorer families

8.15pm PlayPolitical:  Watch Harriet Harman's first PMQs as Gordon Brown's Deputy

EDITORIAL VERDICT: William Hague was not at his best although he chose the right topic: Labour's regressive scrapping of the 10p tax band and its impact on five million poorer families.  Vince Cable flopped - asking a question about The Queen which risked being ruled out of order - and was.  Harriet Harman certainly exceeded expectations.  She appeared confident and although like her boss - didn't really answer any questions - she'll be pleased at this performance after yesterday's humiliation.

12.25pm: Tory John Baron asks what is unique about Britain that we need such a long period of detention without trial.  Ms Harman responds by saying that she won't listen to a party that wants to abolish the Human Rights Act introduced by Labour.

12.19pm: Charles Walker MP asks Harriet Harman to condemn the BNP candidates who suggested rape was a myth.  The Deputy Labour leader urges all Londoners to vote for mainstream parties and stop the BNP getting a seat on the London Assembly.

12.16pm: Cable asks if Mrs Harman thinks the Queen was over-reacting by cancelling her anniversary celebrations or was in touch with the public mood.  The Speaker rules a question about Her Majesty as out of order.

12.15pm: Loud cheers for Vince Cable as he gets to his feet. How many? How many? MPs shout.

12.13pm: The facts are, Hague finishes, council tax has doubled under Labour, 5m families are worse off, 300,000 small businesses are worse off.  Why do the British people have to wait two years in order to get rid of the Cabinet responsible for all of this?

12.10pm: Mr Hague jokes that Gordon Brown has gone to a palace so will probably be lost by now. He invites Mrs Harman to confirm that people do feel economically insecure and apprehensive.  The Labour Deputy Leader says that international economic turbulence has worsened since she wrote remarks for her blog quoted by Mr Hague.

12.06pm: William Hague notes Harriet Harman's stab-proof vest and her remarks that she wears a hard hat on a building site etc and asks if she wears a clown's outfit when she goes to Cabinet.  Harman responds by saying that she won't take fashion advice from a man who famously wore a baseball cap.  She then responds to William Hague's questions about the ending of the 10p income tax band.  Mr Hague said that more than 5m low income families will be worse off this weekend.  Ms Harman says she won't take lectures from a man who opposed the minimum wage.

12.04pm: Harriet Harman responds by asking why Theresa May, Shadow Leader of the House, isn't asking questions for the Conservatives.  Are women seen but not heard in the modern Tory party, she says?  She then answers William Hague's question on Zimbabwe.  She promises every effort from the Government to ensure Robert Mugabe respects the democratic wishes of the Zimbabwe people.

12.03pm: William Hague congratulates Harriet Harman on being the first female Labour MP to answer Prime Minister's Questions Time; she must be proud to follow in the footsteps of Margaret Thatcher.

Lines for William Hague to use tomorrow against 'Harriet Stab-Proof Vest Harman'

We've already blogged on Harriet Harman's crazy decision to wear a stab-proof vest on a visit to her constituency but, with Gordon Brown away, she faces William Hague at PMQs tomorrow.  Let's feed him some lines...

Live PMQs blog: Cameron attacks Labour's economic incompetence

Highlights, not verbatim:

12.25pm: Gerald Howarth asks Gordon Brown about reports that Washington Embassy staff have been told not to use the "special relationship" term.  Brown responds unequivocally; saying that he is proud to use the term.

12.24pm: Bob Spink (independent Conservative) gets up to warn Tory-controlled Essex County Council to invest more in his constituency.

12.18pm: Rev Ian Paisley invites the PM to rule out using the Embryology Bill to amend Northern Ireland's abortion laws.   Gordon Brown, after paying tribute to Paisley's time as First Minister, says it will be for the House to vote freely on that issue.

12.15pm: Nick Clegg asks if the home repossessions crisis is as great now as in the early 1990s.  The LibDem leader invites the PM to instruct the Bank of England to consider house prices when setting interest rates to avoid 'boom and bust'.  Brown rejects the comparison and says that interest rates are half what they were in the early 1990s.

12.12pm: I'll give you some basic arithmetic, Cameron responds: One Prime Minister plus One Chancellor equals Economic Incompetence.

12.11pm: The PM reels off a list of economic achievements (in his view) but doesn't answer Cameron's question.  Cameron asks the question again.  Brown responds by saying that the Tories want £10bn of spending cuts.

12.09pm: The Prime Minister shouldn't be quoting from a novellist, Cameron responds, but should be quoting from today's report - highly critical of the financial regulatory arrangements that Brown instituted.  The Tory leader invites the PM to name one other nation that has raised taxes.

12.07pm: To very loud Labour cheers Brown quotes Frederick Forsyth (recently appointed to run a Tory inquiry into defence) who said that David Cameron did not understand basic arithmetic.

12.03pm: David Cameron asks about financial regulation and invites the PM to say that the Governor of the Bank of England - not the FSA - should be in charge of rescuing troubled banks.  He highlights today's FSA report which highlights key shortages of banking supervision professionals.  Do another U-turn, Mr Cameron says, and reverse the FSA arrangements he established.

Noon: Brown wearing very red tie!

11.45am: Will David Cameron raise the Speaker's decision to spend up to £100,000 of taxpayers' money to defy a freedom of information order on MPs' expenses?

PMQs: Cameron calls on Brown to denounce Tibet crackdown

David Cameron said the whole world was "shocked by the security crackdown in Tibet", and whilst noting that our relationship with China was vital he asked if Brown would tell the Chinese government that the crackdown was completely unacceptable.

In replying Brown finally said that he would meet the Dalai Lama in London. On the Today programme yesterday Malcolm Rifkind had accused Brown of "extraordinary weakness and feebleness" in his dithering on the decision on whether to meet the Dalai Lama. Cameron congratulated him "on making absolutely the right decision". He didn't ask a question though so Brown just replied: "indeed, we make the right decisions at all times".

In his next set of questions Cameron offered Brown the "opportunity to answer some of the questions he's failed to answer", asking:

• Whether he would let MPs have free votes on the HFE Bill when it came to the Commons (first asked last week)
• Whether he was personally in favour of ID cards (first asked two months ago)
• Whether he could guarantee that A levels would remain after 2013 (first asked six weeks ago)

Brown, of course, didn't enlighten us any further. When he tried to turn the ID cards question into a question to Cameron, Cameron retorted: "If he wants to ask me questions, call an election and he can ask six a week!". In a reference to the "So what?" debate, he also noted that it was good to see the Children's Secretary (Ed Balls) "sitting there so quietly" and that he taken the right choice between shouting more clearly or being quiet.

Cameron presses Brown on Darfur and votes of conscience in pre-Budget PMQs

After saying he was "not sure the planted questions get any better" following the routine soft question from a Labour backbencher, Cameron asked Brown about what he was going to do about the ongoing tragedy in Darfur. Brown rattled off some stats and said he believed we must strengthen sanctions and that he had asked the Chinese to intervene.

On the African Union force already in place Cameron highlighted the lack of police deployed and the absence of any military helicopters, and asked if Brown would consider visiting Darfur and "push the no-fly zone very hard". Brown said a ceasefire was needed first and that he hoped the rebel groups will come to peace talks, without saying how this would be achieved. Hundreds have died in the last few days alone despite repeated promises by the UN to act. See this morning's Independent for details of the new wave of killing.

In his second set of questions, Cameron raised the increasingly contentious Human Embryology and Fertilisation Bill and in particular why votes on matters of conscience were being whipped by the Government. Brown failed to commit to free votes outside of abortion and referred vaguely to the processes by which whipping is decided. Cameron said that just wasn't good enough, jibing: "Why not break the habit of a lifetime and make the decision now?".

Live PMQs blog

Highlights, not verbatim:

12.27pm: Ann Winterton asks the Prime Minister if he sees a contradiction between our soldiers fighting bravely in Iraq and Afghanistan for democracy and his opposition to a referendum?  The PM replies by saying that the Commons is the place to decide  matters of this kind.

12.11pm: Cameron asks about the SIX police investigations currently underway into the London Mayor's office.  The PM says that it is not appropriate to comment on police investigations while they are still underway.  Brown repeats the lie that Boris is planning to cut spending on the police and transport.

12.09pm: Clegg rises to loud cheers from the Tory and Labour benches.  Why, he says, won't the Prime Minister join him in making the positive case for Europe by backing an in-out referendum.  Brown responds by saying that you don't make the case for Europe by walking out of the Commons or abstaining in a momentous vote.  He says that he will not go back to the 1970s with the LibDems on revisiting whether Britain should be part of the EU or not.

12.03pm: Cameron presses Brown again - why won't he answer?  The Tory leader goes on to say that the Treaty gets rid of many vetoes and delivers an EU President among other things.  Tony Blair is running for the Presidency of the United States of Europe.  Brown responds by quoting Ken Clarke's opposition to a Treaty [Earlier on News 24 Clarke had dismissed a vote as "dangerous populism"].  Cameron responds by quoting Labour MPs in favour of a vote.

12.01pm: Cameron asks the PM if he thinks he'd win a referendum on the Lisbon Treaty if he held one.  Brown responds by saying why he's not holding a referendum.

Live blog of PMQs: Cameron focuses on measures to restore public trust in politicians

EDITORIAL VERDICT: "PMQs was a bit of a non-event today and the broadcasters have decided that the rooftop protest was more newsworthy.  Sky (above) had live 'Skycopter' images of the protest playing alongside pictures from inside the chamber.  BBC Online decided to lead on the PM's condemnation of the protest.  So who wins PMQs overall today?  The rooftop protestors."

Highlights, not verbatim:

12.18pm: Rob Wilson asks a question from the Tory backbenchers about record numbers of people wanting to leave Britain.  What is it about his Government that makes so many want to emigrate, he asks.  Brown doesn't answer properly but talks about global patterns of migration.

12.16pm: Nick Clegg asks a question about anti-depressant drugs but is ridiculed by the PM and Tory and Labour backbenchers for yesterday's pantomime walkout.

12.13pm: Gerald Kaufman wins the 'scraping-the-barrel-of-the-day' award by asking the PM to affirm the importance of visits to Auschwitz and urging condemnation of David Cameron for something of course he never said.

12.12pm: David Cameron says that PMQs are not a substitute for presidential debates.  Not enough people watch PMQs and many don't think much of proceedings, the Tory leader says.

Liveblog PMQs with us

At-a-glance guide:

• David Cameron wishes PM a happy 57th Birthday, asks him to explain the catastrophic failure on the foreign criminals DNA disc. Brown responds by saying Conservatives were against DNA records. Cameron rejects that and says: "There always is an inquiry with this government... frequently a police inquiry".
• Clegg welcomes Brown's following of LibDem advice on Northern Rock and says they agree on the economically illiterate proposals of the Conservative Party, but asks him to admit that if he acted sooner he could have saved billions of pounds and the reputation of the City. Then asks about the scandal of energy companies making massive windfall profits, which should be given to people who might die for lack of heating.
• In his second set of questions Cameron asks what the PM is trying to hide by exempting Northern Rock from FOI. Brown says it would be unfair on NR if other companies could see its accounts. Cameron says PM's answer is feeble and gives examples of other publicly-owned bodies that are subject to FOI, says Government's approach to FOI would make Fidel Castro proud. Brown, to cheers, says he's not going to reduce the issue of NR to student politics, but makes a cheap shot in asking if DC will publish the accounts of the Midlands Industrial Council.
• See liveblog below for some backbench questions and thoughts on performance.

Open thread for PMQs

1.30pm: Apologies for our own lack of PMQs blogging today. Here's what Sky said...

"Does the PM want A-levels to stay?

Mr Brown then began listing Government achievements in education, and their plans to keep children in education until 18, before saying that a decision would be taken on A-levels in 2012.

That is not an answer. I want them to stay, does the PM? shouted the Opposition leader.

Do you believe in education till 18? the PM responded.

Do you want A-levels in the long term? asked Cameron.

Do you believe in education till 18? said the PM.

Why won't you give me a straight answer?! from DC.

Well, really. Although the PM insisted that he had given an answer, these exchanges are fast losing their utility as part of a system of accountable parliamentary democracy."

Liveblog of PMQs

This week we'll be using the liveblog software that we used to cover the Despatches programme on Livingstone (watch a replay of it here).

Live PMQs blog from noon

EDITORIAL VERDICT: "Emphatic victory for David Cameron. He talked about the big issues of the week - Northern Rock and economic weakness. He made the Prime Minister look evasive because he failed to answer questions about taxpayer exposure. Nick Clegg even helped the Conservatives by implying that Brown hadn't nationalised the Rock because he was running scared of the Tories.  Who's the real opposition now then, Mr Clegg?"

Highlights, not verbatim:

12.17pm: In response to a question from Ken Clarke Gordon Brown states that he inherited "very difficult" economic circustances from him!  The Tory benches erupt into laughter.

12.13pm: Nick Clegg accuses Gordon Brown of fleecing the taxpayer by privatising the profits but nationalising the risks. He says that Brown is running scared of the Conservative Party by not pursuing the short-term nationalisation of Northern Rock - the only sensible option.  Brown says that nationalisation is an option but the Government is determined to do the best for all those involved, including the shareholders and depositors of Northern Rock - as well as the taxpayer.

12.10pm: David Cameron challenges Brown to admit he was wrong to fly to China on a jet plane with one of the principal bidders for Northern Rock, Richard Branson.  He says that Britain enters a difficult economic period with the biggest budget deficit in Europe.  The Prime Minister is a ditherer who hasn't prepared Britain for difficult times.

12.08pm: Gordon Brown accuses David Cameron of wanting a fire sale of Northern Rock's assets by supporting administration. David Cameron replied by saying that the Prime Minister doesn't know the difference between administration and liquidation.  Cameron compares  Labour to now being in administration. After the next election it will be in liquidation.

12.06pm: David Cameron compares the Prime Minister to Del Boy.  He's like a used car salesman who won't tell the purchaser about the car's price, mileage or warranty. This is a subprime deal from a sub-Prime Minister.

12.05pm: Gordon Brown says that the spending is secured on Northern Rock's good asset book and accuses the Conservatives of inconsistencies.

12.03pm: David Cameron asks about the taxpayers' total exposure to Northern Rock.  Is it £55bn, he asks?  Every taxpayer in the country has been landed with a second mortgage.

12.01pm: Good opening question from Stephen Crabb about the Home Secretary needing an armed escort to go and buy a kebab.

11.40am: David Cameron must surely focus on the economy and contrast the hyperactivity on the other side of the Atlantic with the inactivity here?  Although there's always the retreat on ID cards.

Live blog of PMQs: Cameron probes Brown on Northern Rock

3.15pm round-up: Iain Dale notes that the Speaker forgot to call Nick Clegg. Ben Brogan is correct to point out that Mr Cameron is guilty of unparliamentary behaviour when he keeps referring to the Prime Minister as "you".  Fraser Nelson concludes that Cameron got the better of the Prime Minister.  The Telegraph's David Hughes enjoys the fact that both Cameron and Clegg feel confident enough to tackle Brown on the economy - once his strong suit.

Editorial verdict: Forgive the capitals but WHY DOES THE SPEAKER ALLOW THE PM TO QUESTION DAVID CAMERON AGAIN AND AGAIN? It's bad enough that Brown doesn't answer the questions that are put to him but he's abusing what is Prime Minister's Questions, not Leader of the Opposition's Questions.

CentreRight.com made a little history, too: DOUGLAS CARSWELL BECAME THE FIRST MP TO LIVE-BLOG PMQs DIRECT FROM THE CHAMBER!

Highlights. Not verbatim:

12.14pm: Nick Clegg asks about rocketing home repossessions - expected to rise by 50% this year.  Under Labour's watch, grossly irresponsible lending strategies were allowed to be pursued.  Brown responds by saying that home ownership has risen considerably under Labour.  He quotes from a Chris Huhne document cataloguing Nick Clegg's flip-flops on economic issues.

12.10pm: Brown concludes by saying that the FSA and Bank of England both support what the Government has done and the Tories used to.  The Tories, he says, have changed their position a number of times on nationalisation.  Labour stands for stability, he says, and the Conservatives for instability.

12.07pm: Cameron accuses Brown of dithering and delaying on all decisions about Northern Rock because of his planning for a General Election.

12.07pm: Brown says he refuses to give a running commentary on figures.

12.06pm: Cameron notes that Brown hasn't answered his question.  Will he confirm that the exposure won't get any greater?

12.05pm: Brown replies by saying that the Bank of England releases the data every week.  Does Mr Cameron support the actions we have taken?

12.04pm: I asked about precise figures, says David Cameron.  Is it true that the taxpayer has lent £55bn?

12.03pm: Gordon Brown responds by saying that that is still his hope that taxpayers will get all their money back.  He encourages the Opposition to support what the Government is doing.

12.02pm: David Cameron asks about Northern Rock. What is the exact extent of loans and guarantees?  Will the taxpayers get all of the money back?

Live blog of PMQs from noon: Nick Clegg's first outing

CONSERVATIVEHOME VERDICT: "Lots of Punch and Judy. No clear winner although Gordon Brown does appear to be leaving the door open to not progressing from voluntary ID cards to compulsory ID cards.  Nick Clegg gave a reasonable performance but he had nothing to rival David Cameron's debut performance line to Tony Blair: 'You were the future once'."

For those interested there's a Facebook group for PMQs enthusiasts.

Highlights, not verbatim:

12.13pm: Nick Clegg raises the issue of expensive fuel bills.  Brown replies by welcoming the new LibDem leader to his position and promises him an open door for discussions of issues of mutual interest.  Nick Clegg comes back by urging the Prime Minister to urge reform of the procedures by which the poorest families, on prepaid meters, pay the most for their energy.

12.12pm: All his lines are pre-rehearsed in front of the mirror, Brown replies - to much Labour laughter.  The Leader of the Opposition isn't facing up to Britain's long-term challenges.

12.11pm: Cameron ends by saying that this is a dithering Government that doesn't know what to do about ID cards, about CGT or about Mervyn King.

12.10pm: The Governor's appointment will be confirmed in the usual way, the Prime Minister replies.

12.07pm: Cameron changes line to capital gain tax.  CGT is lower overall since Labour came to power, replies Brown.  Business, Cameron says, needs to know what the Government's plans are on CGT and Darling has failed to deliver a promise to update the House of Commons before Christmas.  Will Mervyn King be given a new term as Bank Governor, Cameron asks.

12.04pm: Yes, says Gordon Brown, if the Commons votes for it and notes that Pauline Neville-Jones has supported ID cards in the past.  Cameron quotes back a previous statement from Alistair Darling that opposed ID cards.  Brown says that the ID card will only be voluntary for UK citizens until Parliament decides whether or not to proceed with compulsory ID cards.

12.03pm: Cameron welcomes Clegg to his position and says that he is relieved that his party no longer has the habit of changing its leader quite so often.  He then asks Gordon Brown if the Government still intends to introduce compulsory ID cards.

Noon: Nick Clegg not sitting at the end of the row but two LibDem MPs in.

Live blog of PMQs

ToryRadio's audio.

Editor's verdict: "A win for Brown but more because of Cameron's choice of questions rather than because the PM performed well. DC's second set of questions were too trivial although he started with Kosovo, of course. David Cameron should have asked about substantial issues. Labour's record on education would have been a good topic.  Cable's first question was funny.  His question on Iraq was over the top."  Nick Robinson, however, says that Cameron's aim of painting Brown as indecisive could be of great long-term benefit for the Conservatives.

Highlights, not verbatim:

12.25pm: An SNP MP invites Gordon Brown to congratulate Alex Salmond for honouring the police pay award in full.  No, replies Brown - suggesting that Scotland's First Minister has failed to honour a manifesto pledge to put an extra 1,000 police on the streets.

12.19pm: Gordon Brown responds by saying that David Cameron is a man of gimmicks - not long-term planning.

12.17pm: This is a dysfunctional government, Cameron says - unable to decide on an election, unable to decide what to do with Northern Rock, unable to decide whether or not to go to the signing of Lisbon Treaty.  This was the year that Gordon Brown got "found out".

12.16pm: David Cameron asks Gordon Brown why Tony Blair describes the Cabinet as the 'B team'.  Talk about substance, Brown responds.

12.14pm: Michael Fabricant asks why Scottish police officers are paid more than English police officers for doing the same job?

12.11pm: For Cable's second question the subject shifts to Iraq and the acting LibDem leader suggests that the people of Basra have lost one fascist government but gained another.

12.09pm: When Gordon Brown tucks into his Brussels sprouts on Christmas Day, which disaster will he remember most keenly, asks Vince Cable: the electoral non-decision or the incompetence over datagate?  Brown responds by saying that he has taken the long-term decisions for Britain on energy and education.  He thanks Vince Cable for his appearances at PMQs and wonders if it might not be long before he returns to the LibDem leadership.  To cheers from all sides other than Labour, Cable says that the PM is ill-advised to raise the issue of changes in party leadership.

12.08pm: Gordon Brown says that it is premmature to deploy extra troops but that all efforts must be made to convince Russia and Serbia of the right way forward.

12.06pm: David Cameron asks about the situation in Kosovo saying that Kosovo cannot be left in constitutional limbo; that other border issues must not be reopened; and also that NATO's reserve force should reinforce the troops already there.

Live blog of PMQs from noon

ToryRadio's audio of PMQs.

Editor's comment: "Unfortunate first question from David Cameron on the sleazebuster (asking why an appointment of the Chairman of the Standards in Public Life Cttee hadn't been made... and it's being made later today).  David Cameron's canoe line was good but Greg Hand's joke was better.  Sensible, I think, for David Cameron to be asking about issues other than political funding.  Labour will ultimately be judged for its failures on prisons and defence etc rather than political funding."

Highlights, not verbatim:

12.23pm: Great question from Greg Hands MP... With three police investigations under way, two of his Cabinet ministers in breach of rules and his General Secretary faces charges of law-breaking, is this what the Prime Minister meant when he said he was a "conviction politician"?!

12.14pm: Vince Cable asks about Northern Rock.  Borrowing is growing every day, he says.  What guarantee does the taxpayer have that all the money will be repaid?  He encourages temporary public ownership of the Northern Rock, noting that the FT and Economist also support this option.  Brown replies that Cable appears to be better at jokes than economics and says that the current process of seeking a private buyer for Northern Rock is the best route to protecting public funds.

12.12pm: David Cameron: 'Like the man in the canoe he wants us all to believe he hasn't been around for the last five years.'  But, the Tory leader continues, he was the man who underfunded the prison service.  Great line!

12.09pm: Cameron quotes Lord Boyce's claim that Des Browne's status is an insult to the armed forces.  He then asks about Labour's early prison release scheme and says that sentences should fit the crime and not the number of prison places.  To loud Labour jeers, he says 'they don't like to see their Government falling apart'.

12.08pm: David Cameron quotes a former Labour Defence Minister who believes that the part-time nature of the Defence Secretary is unacceptable.  Gordon Brown asks for evidence that Des Browne isn't performing his job and says that the Tory 2001 manifesto promised that the Secretary of State for Scotland job should be shared.  He implies that George Osborne is opposed to any further defence spending.

12.05pm: David Cameron asks if the Whitty report has been suspended.  The PM says it hasn't been put on hold.  David Cameron responds by producing Labour NEC minutes which suggest that parts of the Whitty investigation have been suspended.  Why isn't he being open?  The Leader of the Opposition then asks about the fact that the Defence Secretary is also Scottish Secretary. 

12.03pm: 'Why has it taken seven months to appoint a new Chairman of the Committee on Standards in Public Life?' asks David Cameron.  Brown replies by saying the appointment will be announced today.  He challenges the Conservative leader to accept Labour proposals on party funding.

Noon: Radio Five Live announcer: We wondered if Gordon Brown might have chosen to disappear down the Thames in a canoe today!

11.57am: John Pienaar has just told me (and a few other Five Live listeners) that it's been hours since a new scandal rocked Labour! :-)

Live blog of PMQs from noon: Cameron questions the integrity of the man Vince Cable calls Mr Bean

5.15pm: Two minute video clip of Cameron blasting Brown is now on PlayPolitical.  ToryRadio has the full audio.

4pm: A great line from Fraser Nelson (my emphasis): "Brown told Peter Tapsell that "this job is an important job and I will continue to do it to the best of my ability". Yes, Prime Minister, that's what we're all worried about."

Editor's verdict: "Vince Cable steals the show today with his Mr Bean line.  As the FT's George Parker has just said on Radio Five - Mr Brown thinks himself a serious, weighty figure and hates to be ridiculed.  Well done, Mr Cable!  Another good performance from Mr Cameron.  He provided plenty of good clips for the rest of the day's broadcasts.  Also good to hear John Gummer and Michael Ancram joining the attack so successfully."

Not verbatim highlights:

12.26pm: 'What does the PM want for Christmas?', Sir Patrick Cormack asks.  A day off, the PM replies.  [He can have as many days off as he likes if he goes to see The Queen tomorrow!]

12.24pm: Another good question, this time from John Gummer: The PM said his decision to call off the election had nothing to do with the polls and his inheritance tax cut had nothing to do with what the Conservatives had done.  How can we believe him now when he says he knew nothing about the dodgy donations?

12.17pm: Excellent question from Michael Ancram: Why are all his party colleagues so intent on keeping him in the dark?

12.11pm: Vince Cable highlights the underfunding of the armed forces.  The Prime Minister replies by saying that Britain has the second best funded armed services in the world.  [Fraser Nelson dealt with that claim last week: Des Browne's Defence Funding Fiddle].

12.11pm: Best line of the day from Vince Cable: In a few short weeks the Prime Minister has gone from Stalin to Mr Bean.

12.07pm: This goes to the heart of Prime Minister's integrity, says Cameron.  His explanations beggar belief.  We've had disaster after disaster since he became Prime Minister.  A run on the bank.  Half the country's personal details lost in the post.  Now this.  The Prime Minister is looking less and less cut out for the job.  Enthusiastic Tory cheers.

12.04pm: Has the PM invited the police to investigate? [Ben Brogan thinks that a police investigation is inevitable].  If, as he said yesterday, unlawful acts have been committed, he should call in the police.  The public will see the Prime Minister wriggling.  John Mendelsohn, Labour fund manager, knew about this unlawful behaviour a month ago.  Why is he still in place?  [Guido has the background on Mendelsohn].  Mr Brown replies by saying that Mr Mendelsohn had been led to believe that the donations had been cleared by the Electoral Commission.

12.02pm: David Cameron invites the Prime Minister to say if he believes he still is delivering competence and trust to British politics.  The Prime Minister responds by saying that he has set up enquiries and is determined to ensure that party political funding is all above board.

11.59am: I'm listening to Radio Five Live: Commentator says 'goal gets wider for David Cameron every week'.  Indeed!

Live blog of PMQs: The Prime Minister tries to control everything but can't run anything

Editor's verdict: "A good win for David Cameron.  With such an open goal expectations were very high - which could have made it difficult for the Conservative leader - but he was helped by Gordon Brown's attempt to play politics by suggesting that the Tory James review would have made things worse.  Great line from Cameron: Gordon Brown tries to control everything but can't run anything.  My overall conclusion: Trust in this Government won't be the only casualty of this sorry affair.  The public will lose faith in government full stop.  Libertarians can smile at that."

Not verbatim highlights:

12.29pm: David Heathcoat-Amory ends PMQs by saying that we need to have a generation of nuclear power stations in order to avoid the industralisation of the English landscape with wind turbines.  The Speaker fails to stop the huge noise from the Labour benches as he speaks.  Brown responds by saying that the Tories are divided on the environment.

12.13pm: It's "weird", David Cameron continues, that after what has happened the PM won't even stop and think.  It is now clear that this is a Prime Minister who tries to control everything but cannot run anything.  Brown replies by listing Labour achievements: We have run a very successful economy, he says.

12.12pm: David Cameron asks if it is time to stop and think about the Government's plans for ID cards?   Mr Brown replies by saying that most European nations have ID cards, and names advisers to David Cameron that allegedly support ID  cards.

12.10pm: David Cameron replies that on a day of such incompetence from Labour it's "pathetic" to try and blame the Opposition for anything.  The PM should be a big man and face up to his responsibilities.  Mr Brown repeats his apology.

12.06pm: David Cameron: If a junior official can have access to confidential data not once but twice there are systemic failures.  He goes on to list other failures at HMRC.  "This has been going on for years," he continues.  This is the Prime Minister's problem - he expanded its scope.  Does he accept any responsibility?  Gordon Brown responds by saying that the Tory James Review wanted to make deep cuts in the HMRC.

12.04pm: People are not worried, says David Cameron, they are angry.  Does the PM accept that there are systematic failures at HM Revenue & Customs?  The PM replies by saying that procedures were not followed.

12.02pm: Prime Minister "profoundly regrets" and "apologises" for loss of child benefit records loss in response to question from Labour MP.  Mr Brown says he has ordered a review across Whitehall of procedures and will give Information Commissioner the power to spot-check Government Departments.

We do not need to guess what David Cameron will ask the Prime Minister about today...

Live blog of PMQs: The Prime Minister repeatedly fails to answer questions on the security clearance of 5,000 illegal immigrants

Editor's verdict: "Another very poor performance from Mr Brown.  He dodged the questions of both David Cameron and Vince Cable.  I wonder if the Labour MPs are beginning to miss Tony Blair?!  Gordon Brown's stumbling performances do illustrate how good Mr Blair was at this."

Highlights, not verbatim:

12.27pm: Dennis Skinner makes a long statement about miners, Michael Heseltine and Black Wednesday.  The Speaker doesn't require him to ask a question.

12.23pm: Peter Luff asks what exactly has Lord Malloch Brown done to deserve his grace and favour residence?  The Prime Minister responds by saying that the former UN bureaucrat is doing a great job.

12.12pm: Vince Cable asks the Prime Minister to confirm that the taxpayer is lending Northern Rock £24bn - twice the amount Britain spends on primary schools every year and four times the international development expenditure.  Brown responds by saying that much of the relationship is confidential.  He then fails to answer Mr Cable's second question concerning whether all of the lending will be repaid - in full - by the end of this Parliament.

12.09pm: Does the Prime Minister want to know about a major security breach in our country?  Why won't he answer a simple question?  People will conclude that he is not delivering the candour, honesty and openness that he promised.  Brown fails to answer for a third time - to Tory chants of 'When? When?' - and says that what the Government did about the security breaches was what mattered.

12.08pm: Cameron tries again: When was the Prime Minister told?  Brown fails to answer again.

12.06pm: When was Gordon Brown told about this problem, David Cameron asks? Gordon Brown doesn't answer the question.

12.03pm: David Cameron asks about the Home Secretary's failure to reveal the fact that illegal immigrants were cleared for security work. The Government has been caught red-handed putting spin before public safety. Gordon Brown responds by saying that procedures have now been put in place to stop the problem happening again. 

Starts here at noon.  Watch it live via Sky.

Rebutting Brown's £6bn black hole attack

At the last few PMQs the rather flat-footed Brown has deployed two favourite lines: (1) The Leader of the Opposition isn't listening to me and (2) there's a £6bn black hole in the Tory spending plans.

It's time to hit back at Brown very hard when he next uses that attack line.

Something like:

"The Prime Minister accuses us of having suspect statistics.  What rubbish.  What hypocrisy.  He is the Michael Fish of forecasting.  His Government predicted that 15,000 people would come to Britain each year from EU countries.  The numbers have been twenty or thirty times that number.  We can't be sure because his Government has lost control of the nation's borders.  Last week he had to admit that 300,000 extra migrant workers had suddenly been discovered.  That's the equivalent of the entire population of Coventry, Bradford or Leicester.  And, as for that figure of £6bn?  It's a nonsense number but here are some real numbers about government waste.  His NHS supercomputer.  £14bn over budget.  Olympics: £7bn over budget.  Astute Class submarine: £1bn over budget.  £2bn overpaid in tax credits.  £2bn lost on gold sales.  The Prime Minister is the great waster.  He's wasting our money.  And every day he stays in office is a wasted day - a day longer before Britain gets the change it needs."

I'm sure you can do better than that.  How would you respond to Brown's £6bn line?

Live PMQs blog: Cameron challenges Brown on plan to confiscate the surpluses of well-run schools

Editor's verdict: Another win for David Cameron.  Third in a row.  Good choice of topics: The attempt to penalise well-run schools and the Scottish elections fiasco.  Cameron is also successfully weaving in the same themes into every PMQs: Brown is a centraliser who is less than candid with the British people.  Brown is doing a little better, however - often standing at the despatch box without his guidance book.  Good question from Graham Brady.  If the frontbench won't touch the Barnett formula you can expect bankbenchers to do so - authorised or not."

Not verbatim:

[Speaker rebukes Ian Austin again - Brown's PPS.  Cameron says: That's another one of Brown's cronies who won't behave properly].

12.14am: David Cameron stands up for his second round of questions and invites the PM to apologise for the Scottish elections fiasco.  He says that Douglas Alexander has been criticised for playing politics.  Gordon Brown responds by saying that David Cameron is "misleading" people about the report.  All parties were implicated, he suggests.  Look at p17, responds David Cameron.  The report directly criticises ministerial conduct.  Brown promised a new kind of politics.  He promised candour.  That was in his leadership election.  It feels like a hundred years ago.

12.12am: Graham Brady pops up again for the second time in two weeks and asks: Why should my constituents pay more tax so that his constituents don't have to pay prescription charges?  Brown challenges the Tory frontbench to say whether it supports the Barnett formula or not.

12.09am: Vince Cable asks Brown about doubts over the Government's renewables target.  'Isn't Brown less green than Blair?', he asks.  Brown jokes that he is pleased to see Mr Cable still in position given the turnover in LibDem leaders.  Brown promises to consult on the achievability of the target.  Cable responds by saying that Brown will soon be as green as George Bush.

12.05am: David Cameron says that he should trust the surpluses to headteachers and not interfere.  The PM says the real issue is the Tory plan not to match Labour spending and leave a £6bn hole in the public finances.  Cameron says: Scrap the consultation and let headteachers keep their surpluses.  When will the PM give up his mania for state control?

12.02am: David Cameron asks the Prime Minister why he plans to confiscate 5% of the surpluses of good schools.  Gordon Brown replies that the Government is consulting on how best to use the considerable (£1.7bn) surpluses that exist.

Watch it live via Sky.

Live PMQs blog from noon: Brown bores with £6bn black hole line

3pm: David Cameron's webcameron review of PMQs:

2pm: ToryRadio's podcast of PMQs

Not verbatim

Editor's verdict: Another solid win for David Cameron.  On the NHS and Europe, Brown appeared evasive.  Whereas Cameron was able to think on his feet (ie when he responded with 'People will look at Brown and think of a man who breaks his promises') Brown kept repeating the same lines.  He repeated the Tories will leave a £6bn blackhole in the nation's finances line far too many times.  Whereas in the summer he built up a (false) reputation as above politics the PM is not behaving like a PM but a partisan fighter at every opportunity.  His trashing of his own brand continues. 

12.28pm: Henry Bellingham highlights the fact that there have been a record 400,000 calls to the service family's helpline.  Why won't he honour the military covenant? 

12.25pm: Michael Fabricant asks a question about troops coming home from Iraq. The third Tory to ask a defence-related question.

12.15pm: Vince Cable asks if PM agrees with Andy Burnham's claim that the tax system should recognise marriage.  Brown responds by paying tribute to Ming Campbell and making a joke that if things carry on like this all LibDem MPs will have a chance of being leader during this Parliament.  Brown says marriage was recognised by Labour in last week's IHT announcement but that Labour policy will always support all children - not just some.

12.13pm: Cameron quickly comes back and says: People will look at Brown and think of a man who breaks his promises.  If he doesn't grant a referendum they'll know that his word can't be trusted.

12.12pm: Cameron quotes Labour's Gisela Stuart who says that the red lines are red herrings.  Brown quotes Ken Clarke back and his suggestion that a referendum would be "dotty".  Failing to break through the jeers from his accusation that Cameron used too many soundbites, he makes a flat joke about Cameron's suggestion that when people look at him they should think of Arnold Schwarzenegger.

12.11pm: Brown responds by saying that the Tories didn't grant a vote on the far more important Treaty of Maastricht.  William Hague (he mistakenly calls him "Foreign Secretary", he said, denied the British people a vote.  He then talks about his red lines. 

12.10pm: Cameron's fourth question turns to Brown's EU Treaty referendum promise.  Why won't he grant a referendum?

12.09pm: Brown: Tories have £6bn hole in the nation's finances.  They will cut the NHS.  [Yawn].

12.08pm: Cameron: Bureaucracy is hampering the war on superbugs.  The nurse of the year is quitting.  MRSA is up.  When will he start listening to the NHS?

[The Speaker ticks off Ian Austin, Brown's PPS for barracking Cameron!  Naughty, naughty.]

12.05pm: David Cameron says that Mr Brown hasn't read the report properly.  Most hospitals, he says, are saying that targets are getting in the way of attempts to counter hospital infections.   He quotes the NAO in support.  Gordon Brown responds by attacking David Cameron for opposing Government investment in the NHS.

12.03pm: David Cameron asks the PM if Brown's top-down targets are frustrating the attempt to tackle hospital superbugs.  The PM responds by saying that targets are an inevitable component of a modern healthcare system.  He quotes the Healthcare Commission in support.

Noon: Graham Brady MP asks about the growing tax burden on small businesses.

Until then you can relive the roar'n'rage of last week's PMQs by watching this highlights video.

Live PMQs blog: Cameron questions Brown's honesty

1pm: ToryRadio has the audio.

Editor's verdict: "A very good performance from David Cameron.  The roar of support he enjoyed from behind him from his own MPs was testimony to the new unity of the Conservative Party.  Rather than focusing upon the cowardice of the Prime Minister, David Cameron chose to focus on Brown's alleged dishonesty.  He questioned the PM's explanation of why he decided not to go the country - when it was decided to cut IHT - and why Brown had broken his promise to hold a referendum on the EU Treaty.  Interesting tactics."

Not verbatim.

12.24pm: Graham Brady asks about need for review of Market Abuse laws following Northern Rock.  Brown says Chancellor will address this subject tomorrow.

12.22pm: Damian Green highlights the "transparent hypocrisy" of the Government deporting Burmese dissidents to a regime that the Prime Minister regularly attacks.  Brown invites Mr Green to bring individual cases to him.

12.13pm: Ming Campbell attacks the twice-the-rate-of-inflation increase in council tax.

12.12pm: Brown says the Tories have published their election manifesto and he looks forward to dissecting it week after week in the Commons.

12.09pm: To very loud Tory cheers, Cameron - 'We have a PM who bottles out of an election, won't come clean on inheritance tax, won't honour a promise on the referendum.  This is a PM of calculation not conviction.  Of no vision, just vacuum.'  PM responds by attacking Cameron for abandoning his 'no more Punch & Judy politics' and then lists Labour Government 'achievements'.

12.08pm: After Brown attacked Tory plans on IHT and taxation of non-doms Cameron says if the PM had the bottle for a real debate he would have called an election, he raises the issue of a referendum on the EU Treaty.  Brown responds by saying that the Tories, when in power, didn't have a referendum on Maastricht.

[BTW: Brown is chewing away like Sir Alex Ferguson at a Manchester derby game].

12.06pm: Brown declines to answer a question about whether the IHT announcement was in the pre-Budget report draft before the Tory conference.

12.05pm: Great line from Cameron: 'He said he would go to the country if polls suggested a Labour majority of 100.  He's the first PM in history to flunk an election because he thought he could win it.  Has he found a single person who believes his excuses for calling an election?'  Brown responds by saying that only 26 people had signed a Downing Street petition calling for an Election.

12.03pm: Cameron begins by saying that Brown's reputation for honesty is at stake.  Brown hits back by saying that he won't take lectures from a Leader of the Opposition who has flip-flopped on VAT on flights, grammar schools and charges for supermarket parking.

Noon: First blood to Bob Neill MP.  He highlights Tory Bromley's recycling record and then invites Mr Brown to visit one of the council's bottle banks.