The Staggers

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PMQs review: Cameron leaves the Tories wanting more

The PM demolished Miliband as he declared that the Labour leader had "impersonated more politicians than Rory Bremner".

By George Eaton Published 21 November 2012 13:55

David Cameron leaves Stormont Castle in Belfast. Photograph: Getty Images.

David Cameron leaves Stormont Castle in Belfast, Northern Ireland on 20 November 2012. Photograph: Getty Images.

After a series of unnoteworthy exchanges between David Cameron and Ed Miliband on Gaza and the NHS, today's PMQs came to life right at the end. After Miliband declared that "the people of Corby spoke for the country", Cameron replied that "the people of Humberside spoke for the entire nation", a reference to John Prescott's defeat in last week's police and crime commissioner elections, which Prescott unfortunately described as "a referendum on everything the coalition has done".

This artful riposte prompted cheers from Tory MPs, with Cameron responding, "happily, there is more". And there was. After noting that Miliband had invoked Disraeli, compared himself to Thatcher, described himself as more eurosceptic than Bill Cash, and more pro-European than Tony Blair, he quipped: "he's impersonated more politicians than Rory Bremner, but this time the joke's on him". It was Cameron's best line for months and as the PM sat down, Tory MPs cried, "more! more!

Until that point, Miliband had had the better of the exchanges, with Cameron unable to answer the charge that he had broken his promise to prevent rationing on cost in the NHS. As the PM leaned over to Andrew Lansley, Miliband quipped, "don't ask him for advice, you sacked him!" But the Labour leader then unwisely segued into last week's elections, allowing Cameron to deliver his knockout blow.

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Tags: PMQs review David Cameron Ed Miliband

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13 comments

Wed, 2012-11-21 23:12 — Redshed (not verified)

Right,so this time Cameron was a better comedian than milliband but at the end of it all we the public are paying the entrance fees to these pantomimes and really the joke is on us .

Thu, 2012-11-22 03:41 — Posh Toash (not verified)

There is a new play coming out soon about the time Clegg sacked Cameron Di Mutteo.

It will be performed by the acting group :-
Wasteminster Virtually Employable Acting Group.

Note the emphasis was on Miliband, a subversion tactic of the anti-democracy PM.

I know now that PM means premenstrual pains.

Wed, 2012-11-21 23:12 — RosieS (not verified)

Cameron did no such thing, he certainly did not "demolish Miliband" how ridiculous!

Miliband should have replied that Humberside did speak for the nation as John Prescott won the first round of voting, which means that he got more votes than the Tory. The Tory only won after 2nd preference votes were allocated.

I'm also surprised that Eaton didn't point out that Cameron voted and campaigned against the AV system of voting in the referendum, but gained from using that kind of system in the PCCs, as well as dividing the the areas up to benefit the Tory party.

Cameron is a joke he misleads the public everytime he can be bothered to turn up to the dispatch box and people like Eaton allow him to get away with it and they think they are journalists? Yeah right!

Wed, 2012-11-21 21:58 — Hugh C Markey (not verified)

There''s got to be a bit of 'give and take' in political fisticuffs. All of Cameron's barbs dreamt up by his team of comedy writers were unoriginal and obvious. Because of their topicality these japes had a short shelf-life and had to be used. Milliband has to be seen to be able to take a haymaker or ride with the punches.
If Cameron is knocked off his feet the media is there to pick him up and shout 'foul, ref!'

Fair Fight

Wed, 2012-11-21 21:58 — Hugh C Markey (not verified)

Fair Fight

Wed, 2012-11-21 17:57 — Michael Dixon (not verified)

Balanced article.

I think Cameron spoke for most of the nation when he made his comments about the Lord Prescott.

I find negative comments about PMQ's rather ridiculous. If Miliband has a good quip about Cameron and it sounds good, well report it. Here a left-of-centre magazine has correctly and fairly accepted their "own man" was open to justifiable ridicule after a few weeks of total confusion about where he stands on Europe and which Conservative ex-PM he admires the most.

Wed, 2012-11-21 18:05 — Neville Peters (not verified)

It's got nothing to do with who makes the so-called 'good quip'. The point is, the quips are never good, they're all schoolyard standard and politics is supposed to be about serious issues, not petty point-scoring. It's a shame some people are intelligent enough to see beyond it. That really is ridiculous.

Wed, 2012-11-21 19:24 — Michael Dixon (not verified)

It is 30 minutes in a Parliamentary week that includes hours of debates, committees, the lot. If you are that bothered don't watch it and enjoy the rest.

"A good quip" goes down in history and there are plenty of examples of them, if you read your books. They are not, too, all schoolyard.

The same applies to American politics. How about Richard Nixon's on Ronald Reagan..."He was Barry Goldwater in drag"

Pity everything has to be so serious with some people. That really is ridiculous.

Thu, 2012-11-22 00:03 — Neville Peters (not verified)

Parliament is meant to be serious, as is government. Although it has to be said I'd have slightly less of a problem with the 'quips' if they were any good, which they aren't. It goes to show how out of touch the political class is. Cameron's gags might go down well with the likes of Rebekah Brooks and her hubby but they cut no ice with the man in the street. If they wanted to hear some good examples of wit and humour they'd need look no further than the proper working people in their places of business and leisure. As it stands, their humour is juvenile and only worthy of ridicule. Quite literally, ridiculous.

Wed, 2012-11-21 23:27 — RosieS (not verified)

Balanced article? You're joking lol

If it were a balanced article Eaton would have at least mentioned that actually John Prescott won the first round of voting in a heavily Tory area, which meant he polled MORE votes that the Tory, the Tory only won on 2nd vote reallocation.

Cameron is a hypocrite he voted and campaigned against AV voting in the referendum yet doesn't mind using a system like it when its to his advantage.

There is also nothing confusing about Labour wanting the EU budget cut, it is very clear, we are facing severe cuts, our economy is heading for a r triple dip recession and it looks like Osborne is going to force poor, vulnerable, unemployed and disabled people to pay yet more with a further £10 billion in cuts. We cannot afford to give this much to the EU - end of story - no confusion and Miliband is speaking for the majority of people in this country and Cameron's arrogance in the way he has totally ignored the voice of so many people in the PCC elections and the by elections, just shows how out of touch he is.

Wed, 2012-11-21 15:46 — Neville Peters (not verified)

I have to ask, it's all very well politicians and correspondents in the Westminster bubble scoring points on these exchanges, but are neither aware how utterly pathetic and sickening the general public find the braying and hooting and juvenile nature of all this? Everyone I know, from the politically savvy to the apathetic, think the whole pantomime atmosphere is beyond contempt and the so-called 'good lines' that either leader produces are laughable only for their childishness and lack of sophistication.

It's time everyone in Westminster woke up to how the general public views them.

Wed, 2012-11-21 17:02 — kenelmist (not verified)

Very true. These exchanges are pointless. But it was another of Cameron's lies, when he promised to end this Punch and Judy affair.

Wed, 2012-11-21 18:24 — Barrie J (not verified)

Absolutely with both above comments.
These pale imitations of adults are beyond ridicule.
If a medieval plague consumed all 650 odd of them - no-one would notice.
Can we please get up off our backsides and end this farce.