The first question at PMQs today was about the economic impact of splitting up the Union, Blair said the Union was good for the whole of the United Kingdom.
Cameron used his questions to ask Blair to guarantee that all possible options would be considered before prisoners were released early from crowded prisons, and if it was the government's, and Gordon Brown's, policy to split up the Home Office:
"I think the Prime Minister doesn't want to break-up the Home Office, he wants to break-up the Home Secretary"
In his sixth and final question, Cameron compared the government to the
ship stranded off the Devon coast:
"washed up, broken up, and they're just squabbling over the wreckage".
Blair didn't answer directly, instead referring to plans to increase prison places and criticising the Conservatives for voting against investment and not being the party of law and order anymore.
Sir Michael Spicer simply asked if the EU would take control of criminal law, and Blair simply answered "no".
The Party leaders all paid tribute to Private Michael Tench who was killed this week, but Ming made a point of also paying tribute to all British servicemen who had been wounded.
He said he had drawn up proposals to withdraw from Iraq by October, and asked the Prime Minister to participate in the Parliamentary debate on Iraq after PMQs. The Prime Minister refused to set out an "arbitrary timetable for withdrawal" in the "deeply irresponsible" way the LibDems had done, because of the "disastrous signal" it would send to our enemies in Iraq.
Deputy Editor
I thought an interesting aspect of today's 'Daily Politics' was that they did not have a 'Perception Panel'. Over the last few weeks this has given strong indications that the viewing public don't see things in quite the same way as political insiders, elected or journalists. I wonder, will we see the 'Perception Panel' again?
Posted by: Henry Rogers | January 24, 2007 at 13:21
Interesting you mention that Henry, we tried out first perception panel at 18 Doughty Street today. Tim, Shane Greer and I had a 4minute chat as soon as it finished about the performance of each party leader. Should be uploaded soon...
Posted by: Deputy Editor | January 24, 2007 at 13:33
And the Cameroon alternative? Well, if they they had any deckchairs on the Napoli Cameron would by now be busy rearranging them.
Does this return to the tedious conventions of the 6th form debating society count as "Punch and Judy Politics".
Posted by: Mark McCartney | January 24, 2007 at 13:42
I hope Blair is also prepared to say "no" to Angela Merkel, and note how the Germans already have "Wolfgang Schäuble Federal Minister of the Interior" and "Brigitte Zypries Federal Minister of Justice" so I think we can guess where the idea of splitting up the Home Office has come from.
http://www.eu2007.de/en/Policy_Areas/Justice_and_Home_Affairs/index.html
Posted by: Denis Cooper | January 24, 2007 at 13:51
Anyone hear Ming's speech? Worth more votes than Jenkins idiotic intervention!
Time to leave.
Posted by: steve | January 24, 2007 at 14:26
Our performance in the Iraq debate is a disgrace, Ming has been the only one right on Iraq, he is seen as an honest politician by the public compared to Tony and Dave so why try and attack him? Who sanctioned that tactical blunder??
Posted by: steve | January 24, 2007 at 14:32
Yes - giving the enemy 9 months notice of our withdrawal would be a stroke of genius!
Posted by: Richard Weatherill | January 24, 2007 at 14:41
can someone give a link to jenkins' intervention?
and preferably the debate in general.
Posted by: anon | January 24, 2007 at 15:02
I suppose it would be too much to hope for the Captain to go down with the ship and the officers and crew to take a solidarity stand and go with him.
Whilst the analagy is very apt, we need to recognise that the damage that NuLab have caused to this country is immense and will take decades to work out and for prosperity to come back. The world order may well have moved on by then, which would make such a task well-nigh impossible.
Watching PMQ's this am was frightening in how B-Liar just ignores the questions and drones on and gives a party political broadcast and congratulates himself on a job well done. The man is not in touch with reality, but clearly a prisoner of the daily spin and disinformation that NuLab disseminate.
One has a vision, of the Cabinet acting out at No 10, a twilight re-enactment of the last weeks of the Fuhrer bunker, with B-Liar in prime role, down to the twitch, ordering changes in government departments whilst a sycophantic Gordo eggs him on with cries of there's more money to spend Tony..........ghastly, quite put me off me sarnie.
Dave needs to keep on and try to become a little more effectual, pierce the thick skin, be somewhat more direct and bugger the Speaker. (not literally).
Posted by: George Hinton | January 24, 2007 at 15:13
DC's analysis of the govt is spot on, but making a comparison 'Ship Cameron' whilst trying to get from point A to point B is zig-zagging all over the shop! Watched the Doughty Street analysis of PMQ's- agree with much of the comments especially Tim's point that Cameron should have more 'fire' in his interventions. And, Sam- stop mumbling- project your voice please!
Posted by: Simon | January 24, 2007 at 15:25
A dangerous metaphor for Cameron to use as his own ship is being lured towards the beach.
Posted by: ukfirst | January 24, 2007 at 17:06
Ming, at least has a point. Let's get our boys out of there before Dubya launches phase lll, the attack on Iran.
Posted by: Curly | January 24, 2007 at 18:09
note how the Germans already have "Wolfgang Schäuble Federal Minister of the Interior"
So Dennis has the USA and most European countries as did England in effect before Lsbour messed around with the Lord Chancellor....if you recall the Lord Chancellor was The King's Man in the House of Lords, the superior House until the 1850s...the Courts were The King's Bench because it was the Judge acting as the King's representative.
The party political aspects undermined the role and Labour wrecked it.
As for stranded ship - I am afraid SS Labour-United sank some time ago and the wreck is marked by a red flag to warn passing ships to steer well clear
Posted by: TomTOm | January 24, 2007 at 18:21
"Ming has been the only one right on Iraq"
Ming supported the invasion. It was Kennedy who took charge on the anti-Iraq line; Ming was nervous about such a stance and originally thought it a mistake.
Posted by: DavidDPB | January 24, 2007 at 19:04
And while splitting the Home Office would achieve nothing in practical terms, and would probably be counter-productive during the period of re-organisation, it would at least bring us in line with our European "partners", which is what matters.
Posted by: Denis Cooper | January 24, 2007 at 19:06
a good performance today, as tony could only come back with the same old tired lines.
ming got some good coverage, but it won't last beyond this week.
Posted by: Matthew Scott | January 24, 2007 at 20:49
"The global imbalances are becoming more concentrated, not less," he said. While China is adding to its colossal reserves at a rate of $200bn (£102bn) a year, five countries, led by the US and Britain, now account for 84pc of the $1,000bn of trade deficits in the global system.
Zhu Min, the Bank of China's executive vice-president, said
Posted by: TomTom | January 25, 2007 at 06:58
While China is adding to its colossal reserves at a rate of $200bn
Which makes China the mug in my book. What are that level of reserves for?
Posted by: Serf | January 25, 2007 at 11:36
What are that level of reserves for?
They are the product of an undervalued currency and give China influence over global financial policy for the first time in its history
China wants power and hegemony over Japan and Taiwan before bringing the EU to heel
Posted by: TomTom | January 25, 2007 at 20:37
Henry - perception panel should be back at PMQs today after a one week break.
Posted by: adam livingstone | January 31, 2007 at 08:32