A quick PMQs post this week because of the live blogging on The Budget...
David Cameron kicked off with two very Punch & Judy questions on whether Gordon Brown's tenth Budget would be his last? The PM non-answered by saying that whatever happened David Cameron would be staying on the Opposition benches. David Cameron's second set of questions focused on crime. It was good to see the Tory leader offering some balance by raising a 'core vote issue'. Over recent PMQs he has focused again and again on breadth issues like the environment, international development and education. It's good to maintain some 'politics of and' balance. The Tory leader only used four of his six questions.
Perhaps embarassed by CCHQ's own reluctance/ inability to reveal the source of Tory loans the Conservative leader steered clear of the issue of the week - loans for peerages. It was left to Menzies Campbell to raise the issue. Tony Blair pointed out that the LibDems had had their
own funding issues.
Question of the day came from Tory MP Stephen Crabb. Why, he asked the PM, had Alan B'Stard defected from the Tories to Labour? Another Welsh Tory MP - David Davies - followed up on David Cameron's crime theme and asked about Labour's discredited early release programme.
Got this from the BBC point by point:
"Tory MP Ben Wallace asked Mr Blair was looking forward to more: helping the Italian police with their enquiries (into the husband of minister Tessa Jowell) or helping police in London investigate claims that peerages have been sold. "
Priceless
Posted by: Paul Bavill | March 22, 2006 at 12:37
Cameron is losing the support of his own blue rinse tories. Unless he wakes up and smells the coffe, which I doubt he will do, he will be facing a revolt from the grassroots. I have many friends who are very disappointed with him, they feel conned. He strutted the stage at the CP Conference, having learnt a speech which he knew would resonate with the party faithful, and he then turned round and dismissed everything that the electorate had voted for.
He is like Blair, relying on a "pretty" face to sway the non-voting public. The question is how long will the party faithful put up with this?
Posted by: Margaret | March 22, 2006 at 12:49
how long will the party faithful put up with this
About 18 years if the party wins elections and about 18 months if the polls don't show us at 40+% by next summer ;-)
Posted by: kingbongo | March 22, 2006 at 13:02
BV lives on?
Posted by: Mark Fulford | March 22, 2006 at 13:13
"BV lives on?"
No, Margaret's far too positive to be Babs ;-)
Posted by: Daniel Vince-Archer | March 22, 2006 at 13:22
Did we ever find out who Barbara Villiers 'REALLY' was?
"He strutted the stage at the CP Conference, having learnt a speech which he knew would resonate with the party faithful"
Margaret, I seem to remember it was a speech about the need to change and change to win. I rather think your friends have 'conned' themselves.
Posted by: michael | March 22, 2006 at 15:55
Anybody see the reaction of Prescott to the Alan B'stard question? He looked both confused as well as angry! Grumbling to himself...anyone lip-read the use of the big bad f-word?
Posted by: James Maskell | March 22, 2006 at 17:27
"Cameron is losing the support of his own blue rinse tories"
There seem to be some who think it was a one speech wonder - sorry but most who voted for change knew what they were doing. It's the ones who thought the party would continue the anyone but Ken support for, well, anyone but Ken that can't understand why DC became leader.
Enough of old arguments - Stephen Crabbe deserves a CHome Distinguished Service Cross or similiar (awarded weekly/monthly by Editor) to the Conservative MP (including front benchers) who does the most to raise the morale of us endangered Tories.
Posted by: Ted | March 22, 2006 at 17:45
Just watching PMQs now (who shouted 'geek!'?) - the Deputy Speaker's putdown to the rambling Celia Barlow was very good I thought.
Posted by: Daniel Vince-Archer | March 22, 2006 at 19:06
"Did we ever find out who Barbara Villiers 'REALLY' was?"
Never. Though it still keeps me awake at night wondering who she really was. Many contributors who werent around for the leadership contest dont even know who she was. I guess she has gone down as urban legend now and the truth will never be discovered.
Posted by: Rob Largan | March 22, 2006 at 20:40
"Never. Though it still keeps me awake at night wondering who she really was. Many contributors who werent around for the leadership contest dont even know who she was. I guess she has gone down as urban legend now and the truth will never be discovered."
It's especially disappointing considering her promise to reveal her true identity as soon as the leadership contest finished. What a rotter.
Posted by: Daniel Vince-Archer | March 23, 2006 at 12:20