PMQs liveblog: Personal blows exchanged as Cameron takes Brown to task over tax on motorists

12.03pm: Following the tributes, Cameron begins by saying that "the next tax hike planned by the government" is to "hit family cars with massive increases in vehicle excise duty". Brown says a majority of drivers will benefit from the proposal. Cameron - who incidentally has returned to having his hair in a central parting - replies: "When will the Prime Minister learn that these taxes should be offset by tax cuts for families".

12.04pm: "Once again, dodgy statistics from the Prime Minister. Can he tell us why the Chancellor in his budget speech made no mention that the tax would hit people who bought their car seven years ago?".

12.09pm: Cameron hits out at Labour jeering by asking why they were having a go at him when it was the Prime Minister "who has given you the lowest poll rating since Michael Foot". Asks again when Brown will stop using dodgy figures. Brown dredges up the story of Cameron cycling with a car behind him and calls him a used car salesman. Killer line from Cameron in response: "It's not my backbenchers that are telling me to get on my bike".

12.12pm: Brown repeatedly targets Cameron's credibility on the environment, saying he is running away from it as an issue. This is clearly a line of attack Labour are going to keep using. Cameron refers to Cabinet Ministers saying Brown had "made terrible misjudgments" and was "crap at communication", then to much laughter asks MPs who they thought it was who said the government was being buffeted by storms. Finishes off with a line on the car tax and Labour morale: "Doesn't he realise that if he doesn't get rid of it, they will get rid of him?". A very personal exchange.

12.14pm: Nick Clegg asks what message it sends that Mugabe has a knighthood and calls for it to be stripped away (a call that featured prominently in the Conservative conference in Blackpool). Brown says we should concentrate on substantial measures rather than gestures.

12.18pm: Cheeky dig from Bill Wiggin, who asked what at first sounded like a serious question about what could be done to stop nuisance phonecalls with repetitive messages early in the morning... He was of course referring to Brown's infamous cold-calling of voters. Brown criticises him for asking a trivial question when he could have asked about anything.

12.24pm: Boris Johnson - who announced this morning that was standing down from Henley - is called to ask a question: "Can I use my last few seconds in this great cockpit of our nation to ask the Prime Minister to congratulate the GLA for banning alcohol and having more uniformed officers on London transport than anytime in the last 25 years". The Speaker cut him off in full swing for using three supplementaries. Brown say: "I'm sure the whole House is going to miss the contributions" of Boris, "not just in speech but in his writing". He welcomes the alcohol ban. Our report of Boris' first mayoral press conference will follow straight on from this post.

12.28pm: Shailesh Vara notes the Prime Minister's interest in constitutional matters, so asks him what he thinks about the possibility of having two unelected Prime Ministers in one term. Brown's response is to again criticise the questioner for wasting his question instead of focusing on issues that really mattered to constituents.

Comments

[David (One of many)]

Cameron doing a great job on what the Spectator refers to as 'Brownies' today.

[James H]

A fantastic effort from Cameron today. His hauling Brown up on his awful use of statistics- referring in doing so to what would happen in other lines of work using them so- was very well done. It's great to see Brown's deviousness being so effortlessly exposed at PMQs. I'd very much like to see the same approach used more in future: more patient explanation of individual Brownies; it's by far the best way to demonstrate the depth of Brown's tendency to mislead.

One thing though- what on earth is going on with Cameron's hair? That middle parting plus comb-back looks odd from up above. It might make him look younger from the front (in his mirror), but is weird on television!

[David Jones]

The Speaker is really out of touch with reality, calling twice Boris Johnson the "Lord Mayor" (he doesn't seem to know that the Lord Mayors of Westminster and London are different posts than the elected Mayor of London). I suspect he'll be receiving letters from the City's Corporation...

[Phil Whittington]

And the Speaker called Boris the Lord Mayor. What a moron.

[kate]

I can't believe how well cameron did today - FANTASTIC!!

[johnC]

'Brown says we should concentrate on substantial measures rather than gestures'

Bit of an insult to all those awarded knighthoods to dismiss this ancient order of chivalry as a 'gesture'.

[ToryJim]

...bit of an insult to all those awarded knighthoods to dismiss this ancient order of chivalry as a 'gesture'.

Err... what are knighthoods if not a gesture?

"Ancient order of chivalry..." - I'd (politely) suggest you step outside and take a breath of fresh air - King Arthur is long gone.

[Norm Brainer]

I did wonder if he said lord mayor or of it was his accent making london sound like lord.
Was a bit unfair to cut Boris off given it was his last day, and also, given that he was mainly complimentary, was a bit wrong for Brown to use it as a platform to give out a load of stats of how good him and ken are (not)

Brown looked so lost after the 40 models of focus thing.
Explaining and showing up his bad/spun stats was a great move.

[Iain]

Cameron did well, not only did he skewer Brown over VED, a problem which Brown seemed incapable of understanding, but he also skewered him over his dodgy statistics.

Shame the Speaker isn't so caring about getting Brown to answer than he is about interrupting Cameron to ask a question.

Cameron’s off the cuff response to Brown’s jibs about bicycles was particularly damaging to Brown, for Brown walked right into it.

[Alex Agius]

Thank you Tim for providing this every week. I am stuck at work without the ability to watch or listen to PMQ's so this is a great way for me to follow this.

Am slightly worried that it seems so personal, can someone who did see this tell me if it was effective and who came out the better for this exchange?

Will we be getting an "editors verdict" this week?

[Iain]

"Am slightly worried that it seems so personal, can someone who did see this tell me if it was effective and who came out the better for this exchange?"

No it wasn't that personal, Cameron raised an issue, VED, that Brown, in his responses, seemed incapable of understanding, and the facts and figures Brown used in his usual attempt to blind the Commons, was also adeptly rubbished by Cameron. Its the 10p tax all over again, Brown is in his denial phase on the VED.

[London Tory]

Just look at the faces of MPs like Straw and Hoon during PMQs. They know the game is up.

[Alex Agius]

Thank you Iain

[gezmond007]

Cameron at it again , yobish behaviour calling Brown "crap" when will he ever learn !

Can he not make his point without being rude and using rude remarks ! What an example to the youth of today ! It might be ok at Eton but it,s not ok on TV in front of thousands watching.

What happened to the end of Punch and Judy politics which he promised !

[David (One of many)]

Try again, gezmond007. It was a member of the Cabinet who called Brown "crap"; Cameron was just quoting. And maybe if Brown answered a question or two, Cameron wouldn't have to bash him to pieces week on week.

[powellite]

gezmond007, all those exclamation marks aren't helping your case.

[gezmond007]

David that is no excuse it was Cameron who repeated "crap" on national tv.

Powellite , sorry !!!!!!!!!!!!

I,ll try harder next time

[David (One of many)]

Maybe if the Cabinet members didn't use bad language about Brown, Cameron wouldn't have to repeat it when he quoted them.

Ohh, and you can put the word 'crap' in a film and the BBFC will still give it a U certificate. Try again.

[gezmond007]

David why are you trying to jusitfy rude behaviour ?

You may be able to put rude words in a film and get a certificate but Cameron is trying to become a statesman and the next Prime Minister.

Using language like this makes him look anything but statesmanlike and does not help him or the party at all.

It reinforces the statement by Theresa May that we are the "nasty party"

[Alexander King]

A punchy, dynamic performance from Cameron - terrific stuff.

Those accusing him of being too aggressive miss the point: PMQs demands aggression and a bit of spike. Cameron's job is to make the PM look and feel like a complete plonker. Job done, I'd say.

(Remember, very few voters watch PMQs. It's one for the party troops and the unusually political).

Only one qualm: the hair. What's with the constant changing of styles? Drop the limp centre parting, Dave - it's not very Prime Ministerial.

[David (One of many)]

gezmond007, I cannot believe you are actually a Conservative supporter. If you were, you'd pick up on the brilliance of Cameron's performance, and not witter on like Mary Whitehouse's clone about the use of the word 'crap' in a direct quote.

[Deputy Editor]

Sorry Alex, I did it this week and didn't do a verdict. I share your worry about it getting too personal, but I guess how it came across to people depends on them.

Glad you like the service though- do you prefer it done this way to having a more properly written account after it finishes?

[Peter]

Alex, each week's PMQs can be viewed on the Downing Street web site, although I don't think it offers a live feed.

[London Tory]

One of the many justifiable charges made against the Conservative Party in recent years was that we lacked the hunger and sheer passion required to beat Labour. Without wishing to be too unkind, just compare the likes of IDS and Oliver Letwin in Opposition to Blair/Brown/Mandelson and Campbell pre 97. They really wanted it, and were seen to be wanting it. Our leadership looked like the sort of blokes who sit on their own in the corner of the pub, nursing half a shandy and reading the Readers Digest.

I am pleased to see that this has changed under David Cameron, and like everything under his leadership, it has changed for the better.

[gezmond007]

Sorry David I apologise for being brought up with good manners and for treating people with respect.

With Cameron it is not just the use of the word "crap" but about treating people with respect and how being rude, appears to ordinary voters who he is trying to get to vote for us.

Cameron could do a good job just as easy, without being so rude and disrespectful to people !

[Goldie]

editors, sure sounds like gezmond007 is a troll of some kind

[gezmond007]

Goldie,

How does having good manners and being respectful make you a troll ?

This shows there are still people in the "nasty party" who haven't changed at all.

[Alex Agius]

I like the live updates as you have done this week Sam.

If you do not see it/hear it then it is useful to have a brief overarching summary afterwards to give the general feel of it but as you can normally get a feel of how it went in the comments this is not a major problem.

Thanks for doing it this week Sam.

[YMT]

gezmond007 your quite strange really? Do you actually interact with normal people at all! Anyway the word "crap" is a euphemism so I would hazard its perfectly acceptable to be used in the context that Cameron used it when quoting a article that was quoting a cabinet member. If you think about it the original cabinet member that used "crap" to describe Brown made a concious choice to use that word because of it carries weight, rather than than saying "he's not very good" etc. Now get off your high horse this is politics, clean and sparkly it ain't.

[Norm Brainer]

@troll007.... do you have no respect for us, using that word here if you think it is so offensive.

I like the live updates, although a brief review sentence wouldn't go amiss

[gezmond007]

Yes YMT I Interact all the time with others, it,s you that sounds strange not me.

Our Margaret was a great PM but had good manners and was respectful to other people.

Which proves it is possible to be great without being rude.

[Saltmaker]

Gezzie, two crap links for you:

Bush is crap, Prescott tells Labour MPs

and (please please please don't follow this if you're of a sensitive disposition) the famous Bush / Blair swear fight

[Gwendolyn]

Gezmond I find your analysis flawed. You apparently overlook the fact that Cameron is actually asking questions to which we would all like answers. Instead what do we get? Cheep jibes - used car salesman as a response was in fact for the viewer with an older car being retrospectively drawn into the tax trap was a classic own goal. I cannot respect any Prime Minister who behaves as he does, he repeats cheap Daily Mirror intrusions into the Cameron used nappy bins, the car run is tired now, his attacks are peronalized and he deprives me of information - a proper response to an important question to so many of us.

[London Tory]

Its a matter of political class really. David Cameron was quoting one of Brown's own Cabinet colleagues, who described Brown as c*ap. Who are we to argue ? John Hutton also predicted [correctly] that Brown would make a 'f*cking awful Prime Minister'. Even a brief scan of the recently published 'Prezza' [thats all its worth] will reveal that the book is littered with the word cr*p. Its hard to imagine the autobiographies of Thatcher, Healey, Callaghan, even Foot containing so many profanities, but then each of them had an intellect, which they used to express themselves.

[Tommy]

Is the use of the word "crap" appropriate language in Parliamentary debate?

It's hardly the most offensive word, but it did strike a jarring note.

[Jamal McAkhbar]

Loved Cameron's use of Prescott's "Crap" in reference to the Bozo.

Knockout.

[New Hack]

You have to feel for Labour. At least with Tony Blair they had a leader who could stay in the ring with David Cameron. Today was yet another blood bath with poor old Gorden looking uncomfortable and ill equipped. I am certain that Brown's poor performances at question time are one of the biggest factors in the decline of labours fortunes...that and the lack of policies of their own. Lets hope he is allowed to remain PM.

[Jonathan Swift]

Its hard to imagine the autobiographies of Thatcher, Healey, Callaghan, even Foot containing so many profanities

What on earth are you talking about, "even Foot"??

Foot was one of the most literate, intelligent and eloquent people ever to lead a major party in recent memory. He was more interested in Pope and Swift than grubby party politics (part of his problem).

Because someone was a poor party leader doesn't mean they routinely use bad language. If it did the air must have been pretty blue in the shadow cabinet room during the IDS years...

[David Sergeant]

I like the defence of Cameron above which made the point about the need to look as if we want the job of government. However, I still worry that too many senior Tories remain in the laid back mode. I heard Chris Grayling on Question Time, and he is supposed to be one of the better communicators, he just mumbled and let the Labour rep get away with stuff about how it was Labour MPs who got the change re the 10% tax. (Labour MPs cheered Brown when he introduced the tax change and did nothing about it for a year until voters woke up.)

One is left with the impression that most Tory MPs, unlike MPs of other parties, will not put the boot in because they may meet a Labour MP in the bar. I suppose it's another reason why Tories seem much better at attacking their own party than other parties.

[Dave H]

Agree with others than the Speaker cutting off Boris seemed inappropriate given the occasion, if only he was as strict in ensuring Gordy answers the questions.

[Iain]

"the Speaker cutting off Boris seemed inappropriate "

As was the Speaker demanding that Cameron ask the question when he has never bothered to get Brown to answer any question.

[Richard Brett]

Please stop this pointless whinging about the Speaker.

It is not for the Speaker to decide whether the Prime Minister has answered a question or not.

He can - and quite rightly does - adjudicate if the question is not framed properly.

[LS]

Richard - we will continue to criticise the Speaker as long as he is partisan.

[Geoff]

Richard Brett - it is called "Prime Minister's Questions" for a reason.

A straight question to Brown deserves a straight answer to whoever asks one - not just David but any member from any side.

The clue is given in the name of the session. Gorbals Mick is possibly the worst Speaker in living memory. Are you arguing that Brown could stand up and read out of the Fife Telephone Book for 30 mins if he chose to?