Support 100 years of independent journalism.

  1. Politics
21 November 2012

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

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.

Select and enter your email address Quick and essential guide to domestic and global politics from the New Statesman's politics team. The New Statesman’s global affairs newsletter, every Monday and Friday. Your new guide to the best writing on ideas, politics, books and culture each weekend - from the New Statesman. A weekly newsletter helping you fit together the pieces of the global economic slowdown. A newsletter showcasing the finest writing from the ideas section, covering political ideas, philosophy, criticism and intellectual history - sent every Wednesday. The New Statesman’s weekly environment email on the politics, business and culture of the climate and nature crises - in your inbox every Thursday. Sign up to receive information regarding NS events, subscription offers & product updates.
  • 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.

Content from our partners
How to navigate the modern cyber-threat landscape
Supporting customers through the cost of living crisis
Data on cloud will change the way you interact with the government