View all newsletters
Sign up to our newsletters

Support 110 years of independent journalism.

  1. Politics
25 April 2012

PMQs review: Cameron’s anger boils over

An easy win for Miliband against a red-faced Cameron.

By George Eaton

With the country officially in recession and a cabinet minister’s career on the line, today’s PMQs was always likely to be an easy win for Ed Miliband. And so it proved. In the circumstances, David Cameron’s performance was far from disastrous but, as Miliband put it, he is now shrouded by a “shadow of sleaze”.

Some will question Miliband’s decision to devote just two of his six questions to the economy but, on this issue, Cameron performed better than expected. His argument that “the solution to a debt crisis cannot be more debt” is one that will continue to resonate with many as the eurozone nears the precipice. Conversely, his attack on Labour for “gettting us into this mess” is one that is proving ever less effective with the passage of time.

It was on Jeremy Hunt that Cameron came unstuck. Challenged by Miliband to defend Hunt’s position, he merely replied that the Leveson inquiry should be allowed to proceed and that it was important to hear “every side of the story”. Yet as Miliband noted, it is Cameron, not Leveson, who is responsible for his ministers’ conduct. The resignation of Adam Smith, Hunt’s special adviser, this morning suggests that the government is, in fact, pre-judging the outcome of the inquiry. Oddly, however, Miliband failed to question Cameron on the revelation that he did discuss the BSkyB bid with James Murdoch. The strongest charge against the PM is that Hunt was doing his master’s bidding.

The exchanges ended with a red-faced Cameron shouting, “I don’t duck my responsibilites, what a pity he can’t live up to his!” That wasn’t the only flash of anger from the PM. In response to a question from Labour MP Shabana Mahmood on the recession, he haughtily remarked: “well read”. Cameron was alleging that the question had been pre-written but to many it sounded like yet another put-down of a female MP.

Select and enter your email address Your weekly guide to the best writing on ideas, politics, books and culture every Saturday. The best way to sign up for The Saturday Read is via saturdayread.substack.com The New Statesman's quick and essential guide to the news and politics of the day. The best way to sign up for Morning Call is via morningcall.substack.com Our Thursday ideas newsletter, delving into philosophy, criticism, and intellectual history. The best way to sign up for The Salvo is via thesalvo.substack.com Stay up to date with NS events, subscription offers & updates. Weekly analysis of the shift to a new economy from the New Statesman's Spotlight on Policy team. The best way to sign up for The Green Transition is via spotlightonpolicy.substack.com
  • Administration / Office
  • Arts and Culture
  • Board Member
  • Business / Corporate Services
  • Client / Customer Services
  • Communications
  • Construction, Works, Engineering
  • Education, Curriculum and Teaching
  • Environment, Conservation and NRM
  • Facility / Grounds Management and Maintenance
  • Finance Management
  • Health - Medical and Nursing Management
  • HR, Training and Organisational Development
  • Information and Communications Technology
  • Information Services, Statistics, Records, Archives
  • Infrastructure Management - Transport, Utilities
  • Legal Officers and Practitioners
  • Librarians and Library Management
  • Management
  • Marketing
  • OH&S, Risk Management
  • Operations Management
  • Planning, Policy, Strategy
  • Printing, Design, Publishing, Web
  • Projects, Programs and Advisors
  • Property, Assets and Fleet Management
  • Public Relations and Media
  • Purchasing and Procurement
  • Quality Management
  • Science and Technical Research and Development
  • Security and Law Enforcement
  • Service Delivery
  • Sport and Recreation
  • Travel, Accommodation, Tourism
  • Wellbeing, Community / Social Services
Visit our privacy Policy for more information about our services, how New Statesman Media Group may use, process and share your personal data, including information on your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications.
THANK YOU

Content from our partners
The promise of prevention
How Labour hopes to make the UK a leader in green energy
Is now the time to rethink health and care for older people? With Age UK

Select and enter your email address Your weekly guide to the best writing on ideas, politics, books and culture every Saturday. The best way to sign up for The Saturday Read is via saturdayread.substack.com The New Statesman's quick and essential guide to the news and politics of the day. The best way to sign up for Morning Call is via morningcall.substack.com Our Thursday ideas newsletter, delving into philosophy, criticism, and intellectual history. The best way to sign up for The Salvo is via thesalvo.substack.com Stay up to date with NS events, subscription offers & updates. Weekly analysis of the shift to a new economy from the New Statesman's Spotlight on Policy team. The best way to sign up for The Green Transition is via spotlightonpolicy.substack.com
  • Administration / Office
  • Arts and Culture
  • Board Member
  • Business / Corporate Services
  • Client / Customer Services
  • Communications
  • Construction, Works, Engineering
  • Education, Curriculum and Teaching
  • Environment, Conservation and NRM
  • Facility / Grounds Management and Maintenance
  • Finance Management
  • Health - Medical and Nursing Management
  • HR, Training and Organisational Development
  • Information and Communications Technology
  • Information Services, Statistics, Records, Archives
  • Infrastructure Management - Transport, Utilities
  • Legal Officers and Practitioners
  • Librarians and Library Management
  • Management
  • Marketing
  • OH&S, Risk Management
  • Operations Management
  • Planning, Policy, Strategy
  • Printing, Design, Publishing, Web
  • Projects, Programs and Advisors
  • Property, Assets and Fleet Management
  • Public Relations and Media
  • Purchasing and Procurement
  • Quality Management
  • Science and Technical Research and Development
  • Security and Law Enforcement
  • Service Delivery
  • Sport and Recreation
  • Travel, Accommodation, Tourism
  • Wellbeing, Community / Social Services
Visit our privacy Policy for more information about our services, how New Statesman Media Group may use, process and share your personal data, including information on your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications.
THANK YOU