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?

Comments

[powellite]

Not Cameron's finest hour. Pretty weak stuff until the final question, he allowed himself to be blown off course by Labour barracking. I noticed that Brown's now leaning on the dispatch box a la Blair. Learning at the feet of the master!

[Iain]

"Not Cameron's finest hour."

Could be a bit rusty on the economics having not raised the issue before, but then Brown burries himself everytime he boasts about having an inflation rate of 2% when everybody knows its double that, or boasts about cutting the basic rate of tax when everybody knows he scrapped the 10% rate which is going to hurt a lot of the low paid.

[Veritas]

Bit of a score draw. Dull though.

[Oscar Miller]

What a pity Cameron din't rustle up this damning quote about Gordon's ability with maths:

"Gordon Brown, the man who has run the country's economy for 10 years, says he was never any good at maths.
He revealed his weakness when asked by a Manchester teenager if you had to be good at maths to be chancellor.

"I did maths at school and for one year at university but I don't think I was ever very good at it - and some people would say it shows," Mr Brown laughed."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/6589263.stm

[Josh]

Asda chicken portions are on offer at 2 for £7. Last time I was there it was 2 for $6. A few months ago, it was 2 for £5.

ACPI (Asda Chicken Price Index) is at 40%!

[Tony Makara]

Oscar Miller, I believe Gordon Brown is a very intelligent man. After all he is prime minister and I'm sure his understanding of maths is resonable for a non-academic. It takes brains to con the public into believing that inflation is only at 2%, that we have full employment and that our children are better educated than ever. There is nothing more dangerous than a clever but dishonest man.

[Basil Draper]

So Weak!

[Margaret Hemmings]

Frankly the locals at the Dock and Duck aren't much interested vis a vis the regulatory position of the B of e versus the FSA.

So why did DC use most of his questions on this subject?

Think about bread and butter issues Mr Cameron. Connect with the voters. Be Conservative.

I found it all rather frustrating. Open goals and Bown is able to look so relaxed.

I wonder if DC could outsource PMQs to Hague and run the leadership as a job share. Just a thought

[Grag Simper]

Eye off the ball again. Hasn't recovered from last weeks below average performance. Perhaps he has his mind on his expense account.

Economy was the right subject but didn't connect with voters. He should have produced a shopping basket a la Mrs Thatcher and cut a pound note in half.

That would have made the headlines.

[George Hinton]

DC is rather like the England footy team, unable to score goals when they go begging.
Dire.
Dismal.
Diasappointing.

[Iain]

"Economy was the right subject but didn't connect with voters. "

He did touch on the subjects but as you say didn't connect with the voters. If he was going to go on the inflation issue he should have made that the subject of his attack, pointing out the real inflation rate for low paid, the average family etc and rubbishing Brown's 2%. If he was going to go on the FSA and NR, the subject he started of with,( and it was an important issue to raise ) then he should stuck with it and made that the whole attack, for there was much to go on. As it was we got a little on various economic issues where the impact was lost because the lack of a clear identified target for his questions to home in on.

[Annabelle Makepeace]

Just seemed dull today. David looked as though he would much rather meet Carla Bruni than be at the dispatch box.

he's not hitting the mark for some reason.

William Hague, sat beside him, must be thinking I could do this so much better.... when are you going to handover to me?

[Will Stobart]

Goddamn, I wish we had Hague back, he had bad luck being elected leader when he was, he deserves a second chance.

[James Burdett]

I sometimes wonder if posters on this site are just being deliberately contrarian. With friends like most of the posters above David Cameron really doesn't need enemies!

[Oscar Miller]

Tony Makara | March 26, 2008 at 13:44

Tony - I was quoting Brown's own assessment of his ability at maths. Surely better than lame quotes from Freddie Forsyth about Cameron? It would have been a good put down for Cameron to use, given that Brown decided to trade insults. And actually I'm really not sure how clever Brown is. Cunning and dishonest yes. Ruthlessly ambitious yes. But if he was so clever he'd be doing a whole lot better than he is. From the bottled election to the embryology bill mess Brown often looks plain stupid.

[Shofar]

I sometimes wonder if posters on this site are just being deliberately contrarian. With friends like most of the posters above David Cameron really doesn't need enemies!

I agree. There seem to be a lot of 'self hating Conservatives' out there.

[Malcolm Dunn]

Not so sure that some of these posters are genuine. Beware the trolls Tim!

[Northernhousewife]

Shofar.
Some of them aren't Conservatives at all. They just turn up at PMQs to try to score the points their illustrious Leader has failed to.
Its a compliment but still its better not to feed the trolls.

[MrB]

Yes never mind a 16% lead in the polls, lets get rid of Dave and give Hague a second chance just so we can have a few better jokes at PMQs.

Nothing like looking at the big picture hey, Will Stobart?

[Shofar]

Its a compliment but still its better not to feed the trolls.

Posted by: Northernhousewife | March 26, 2008 at 15:35

Fair point.

[Iain]

"I agree. There seem to be a lot of 'self hating Conservatives' out there."

I am not sure if you are including me in this but if I am critical of the Conservatives performance it is for the simple reason they have been pretty useless over the last 18 years. Since joining the ERM its been one disaster after another and any thought these professional politicians had any mystic of political competence about them has been well and truly stripped away. Unfortunately the Conservative party is squatting on the centre right political territory which makes it the only party that can get rid of this lousy Labour Government, but not if it carries on with its blundering incompetence, as such if it means giving the Conservative party a critical kick every now and then to get it shape up and get professional, that's what I will do, for I am fed up of having this damned Labour Government,

[David Belchamber]

Tony Makara and I are in danger of forming a mutual admiration society, as we seem to agree about so many things, such as:

"It takes brains to con the public into believing that inflation is only at 2%, that we have full employment and that our children are better educated than ever. There is nothing more dangerous than a clever but dishonest man".

Posted by: Tony Makara | March 26, 2008 at 13:44

Cameron was disappointing today in that, although he made some very good points, he failed to land a real knock out blow.

At one stage he began to connect with the voters by - literally - talking about the cost of bread and butter but then failed to nail Brown's gross misrepresentation (which he has now made several times at PMQs) in comparing his pet inflation index (the CPI) with the RPI used when the tories were last in power. Why does not Cameron try to get him to admit that? And it was left to Clegg to point out that housing costs do not come into the figures.

Also, on Tony's favourite subject, official unemployment figures might be reasonably acceptable but what about adding in the NEETs? They might not be officially unemployed but they are not employed either.

There should be an official party line on such matters and people should be encouraged to give them wide publicity.

[Justin Hinchcliffe]

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

Was has this got to do with the PM? The man is a moron.

[Iain]

I have noticed in the last few PMQ's apart from the Opposition leaders the Speaker is only taking questions from the Labour side for the first half of the PMQ's. In my dislike of Labour am I seeing something that isn't there, or have others noticed this?

[powellite]

"I agree. There seem to be a lot of 'self hating Conservatives' out there."

I'm anything but, and think that Cameron's done really well in PMQs to date. Today simply happened to be an off-day when he did poorly.

Just because you support a party, it doesn't mean you support absolutely everything said and done by them, regardless of their merits. That's what Kevin Maguire does.

[Will Stobart]

Looking at the comments above I wonder how many here are really Conservatives and how many just tagging along tied to the apron strings of Cameron. The issue isn't that the 'brand' of the Conservative party should win, surely it should have to do with delivering policies which are Conservative and to address problems in a way thay Conservatives would embrace. What there has been a distinct lack of under Cameron is the following of the ideology, while there has been a steady effort to move towards the centre of the spectrum in order to catch those people that are disillusioned with Labour. There is no point in our party winning the election if we end up with a government that is indistinguishable from the present one, and I have seen very little of substance from Cameron that could lead us to think otherwise.

[Jim Bovin]

I always make a point of praising Mr Cameron when he wins at PMQs. I think it is important to do so, it boosts morale.

Me we must not fall into peddling spin. We are honest.

Todays performance simply wasn't good enough and follows last weeks performance when Mr Cameron ended up congratulating the PM on his meeting with the Dalai Lama.

Mr Cameron needs to take something positive from this. I would suggest that he looks for some new/fresh advisors. He needs to reinvigirate his approach to PMQs.

Its a little worrying to see the PM leaning forward on his dispatch box apparently relaxed. Worst still Mr Clegg again following last weeks good performance connected with voters concerns over mortgages and repossessions.

[Tony Makara]

David Belchamber, I find the things you write very in-tune with my own thinking too. Perhaps we should form a faction? David Cameron promised that this would be the year of 'Economic attack' on the Labour government and we must make sure that Mr Cameron and Mr Osborne don't let up on the assault. The way Labour have been able to hoodwink the public over what is a very sickly economy is incredible and stunning sleight-of-hand. The claims coming from Labour are so fantastic they border on the ridiculous. For example James Purnell's amazing promise to lift 2.3 million people off various benefits. I suppose he will do this by shifting more of the unemployed onto the 13-26 week work experience programmes where they don't sign on, disappear from the unemployment figures, yet still are on benefit and drawing 10% extra as a premium! Pretty clever stuff when you think about it. No wonder people are cynical about politics, if the prime minister and the people at the top of government are lying and providing false statistics about the jobless and inflation just who can people trust?

[Bonnie Trout]

@tony makara

Wherever did nulabour get the idea of massaging the unemployment figures from?? YTS perhaps. Ah yes some of us remeber Thatchher and the 80s.

[ashley rochdale]

Come on lets be honest with ourselves - DC was a shambles today - seems to just be relying on instant opinion poll ratings being high - I am very worried about the Lib Dems under Clegg - they seem to be adding substance where we are thin - lets get it together please

[Oscar Miller]

Anyone who watched the BBC's 6 o'clock news would be left in no doubt who won the battle of PMQs according to the telly. Top billing for Dave edited in his favour. Is this a first? I also recommend Fraser Nelson's masterly fisking of PMQ 'Brownies' over at the Coffee House. The fact is Brown lost this PMQs on lies that people can see through. The truth is in their pay packets, and shopping, utility and transport bills.

[David Belchamber]

Tony, Yes to a faction. Will you take the economy, job creation, tax simplification and reduction in government waste, while I have a crack at education and try to produce a stream of skilled and articulate/numerate school leavers to fill the jobs you create?

What about "A Return to Common Sense" as our slogan, while we rout Brown with variations on the theme of "How has Labour failed YOU?"

[Hardcore Conservative]

How do we know that Mr Cameron failed to “connect” with the voters today? The same voters who are struggling to pay their bills and keep a roof over their head.

Many know the economic reality first hand and so do not need a lot of connecting with on this subject.

While there is no room for complacency by the leadership, a dismal day at the dispatch box does not necessarily make for a political disaster. If this party is so frightened that its lead in the polls could evaporate as a result of a weak performance during one or two exchanges with Mr Brown, then we really are in trouble.

[Chad Noble]

"David looked as though he would much rather meet Carla Bruni than be at the dispatch box."

Quite right too. Phwoarr... (rubs thighs rapidly)

[David Sergeant]

Didn't see PMQs but the comments here seem about the same as last week. I wonder if David Belchamber summed up peoples thoughts that DC "failed to deliver a knock out blow". Perhaps there is a general consensus that Brown and his government are so awful that anything less than DC knocking Brown out is not good enough. In return all Brown has to do to keep afloat is avoid answering questions and look for silly comments from Tory MPs to cheer up his MPs. It's a bit like Man U playing Derby. A draw provides a huge success for Derby and anything less than 6 0 is a let down for Man U. Perhaps we should review our attitude, e.g. DCs compliment over the Dalai Lama is storing up a nice fair minded image in peoples' minds.

[Don't make me laugh]

@David Sergeant

"DCs compliment over the Dalai Lama is storing up a nice fair minded image in peoples' minds."

I can't believe you are so simple to believe that spin DS!! He was caught out by the PMs response!

There's one bought every minute!

[Geoff]

Chad, it's not the thighs that you....oh never mind.

< takes dirty raincoat and promises not to revisit thread >

[Tony Makara]

David Belchamber, seeing as we are starting a faction may I suggest that we hire John Redwood immediately and get some professionals in from the city. A top-notch commodities trader and a forex expert in particular. How Gordon Brown could have done with a someone to tell him that Gold is always a safe haven in troubled times! As for education we must insist on a pre-1960s programme of learning with classes structured to promote discipline and focus. I like your slogans! Labour certainly have failed everyone in this country, even their own supporters. I know a number of traditional Labour supporters who say they are just not going to vote again. I try my best to get them to vote Conservative but they seem stuck in no-mans land. They don't want to vote Labour but are still nervous about crossing over. More must be done to win such people over into voting Conservatve. Maybe even a poster or a slogan to be used at election time, something like "Labour take your vote for granted, we won't, vote Conservative"

[David Sergeant]

"I can't believe you are so simple to believe that spin DS!!"

You see Don't Make Me Laugh it's not whether I believe the spin but people generally. You really should clear your mind of anti Cameron bias (and read what people say) if you want to be taken seriously.

[Northernhousewife]

'I have noticed in the last few PMQ's apart from the Opposition leaders the Speaker is only taking questions from the Labour side for the first half of the PMQ's. In my dislike of Labour am I seeing something that isn't there, or have others noticed this?'

Posted by: Iain | March 26, 2008 at 16:09

You are right. The first question always goes to Labour and so often seems to find a nice planted question. It gets more obvious every week and only the deluded 'fake' Labour and Lib Dem posters on here could fail to notice.
Since the 'Bottle Bank' joke Mr Speaker takes no chances and gives them the first 10 minuites.

David Belchamber's comments @19:21 are apt. Brown gets the stage, most of the script, most of the audience, the referee and most importantly, the last word.
If it was a legal hearing it wouldn't pass the standards of fairness for a Banana Republic.
Cameron should lose every time, yet our expectations are as set out by your good self.
Furthermore you can always tell when we are doing OK by those who turn up to say we are not.
Looking up ... today was pretty good.

[Edison Smith]

I actually thought DC did well and it was an easy Cameron victory.

The key was he got his good soundbite "1 Prime Minister + 1 Chancellor = economic incompetence" all over the news bulletins, which is all you can ask for with six questions a week against a man who simply does not know how to answer them.

[Jack Stone]

The right-wingers and Labour supporters are out in force today.With friends like this site David Cameron doesn`t need enemies!

[will.b]

I think it probably says more when the cheerleading squad of Malcolm Dunn, Northernhousewife and Jack Stone don't say anything about Cameron's performance and just attack his critics.

I thought Cameron's performance was OK, but as others have said, given the state of the economy and Brown being a complete failure as PM, there should be harder blows being dealt.

[Northernhousewife]

will b
Was too busy leaving my compliments to DC on another site. I like to spread them around.
This former DD supporter is proud to be a cheerleader for DC.
Hip hip hooray!

[Northernhousewife]

ashley
If you are worried about Nick Clegg's performance I can only assume you are a Lib Dem :-)

[Yet Another Anon]

official unemployment figures might be reasonably acceptable but what about adding in the NEETs? They might not be officially unemployed but they are not employed either.
Most will be on JSA or Income Support rather than classified as Students or Trainees because they simply don't have the motivation to turn up for any courses, many will be solely living off relatives or the proceeds of crime, but the whole point is that they aren't trying opportunities offered them - not doubt this makes them more likely to be sanctioned, but in fact there was no suggestion that they don't have the motivation to claim benefit, quite the opposite in fact.

[James Maskell]

Frederick Forsyth said that he didnt recall using that quote. Did he actually say that about Cameron?

[Joe James Broughton]

I do support David Cameron, and he's done a lot to turn the party around. We should be grateful for that.

But, I'm not sure his (and George Osborne's) over personal attacks on the Prime Minister at PMQs make us look that good though - sorry. I don't think floating voters like it very much, and we're probably lucky not that many people see it.

I'd prefer a more government in waiting approach. Good policy work has been done - let's get more of that across.