View all newsletters
Sign up to our newsletters

Support 110 years of independent journalism.

  1. Politics
2 March 2011updated 12 Oct 2023 11:00am

PMQs review: Cameron comes unstuck on Sure Start

The PM is caught out after falsely claiming that Sure Start is protected from cuts.

By George Eaton

The last time David Cameron used PMQs to claim that the Sure Start budget is protected, his sheer chutzpah ensured that little damage was done. Today, however, he came unstuck. Ed Miliband noted that Conservative-run Bromley is shutting 13 of its 16 children’s centres. So, what happened to Cameron’s pledge that front-line services would be protected?

In response, the PM said that the government had told councils to publish more information about their spending – an irrelevant answer – and that the budget is protected “so centres don’t have to close” – a flat-out lie. As I’ve explained before, Sure Start funding is in no sense ring-fenced. The programmes covered by the early intervention grant (including Sure Start) received nearly £2.5bn in 2010 but this year they will receive just £2.2bn – a cut of £270m. As the Department for Education confirmed last year: “In 2011-12, the amount to be allocated through EIG is 10.9 per cent lower than the aggregated 2010-11 funding through the predecessor grants.”

By the end of the exchange, Cameron had lost his thread and dissolved into a fit of giggles. He was soon rescued by the Speaker, John Bercow, but the PM appeared badly briefed and complacent. Cameron’s new director of strategy, Andrew Cooper, is reportedly planning to tell him to be “a national leader, rather than a party politician. Especially in the Commons.”

It is advice the PM badly needs. After Miliband noted Cameron’s capacity to “ditch a policy and dump a colleague in it”, the PM shot back: “Next he’ll be giving me a lesson on family loyalty.” But this sharp riposte was spoiled by his lame closing gibe that soon Labour would ask: “Brother, where art thou?”

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

Cameron’s insistence that Sure Start is protected, against all evidence to the contrary, is neither politically nor intellectually sustainable. After today’s performance, it’s clearer than ever that a sincere defence of the cuts would serve him best.

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