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PMQs: Cameron stuffs the turkey early this Christmas
In the last Prime Minister’s Questions of 2011, riding high on the back of his Euro-veto, the Prime Minister did not pull his punches, writes our UK Political Editor Harry Cole
Feeling blue this winter? Well the country certainly is. Despite the government being painted as out of touch toffs, revelling in the slashing of the state and, supposedly, isolating the country, David Cameron’s Conservative Party is back ahead in the polls after he went to Europe and said “no”.
As I explained on Monday the coalition sharing Liberal Democrats, though pro-Europe and heartbroken, are locked in, unable to leave the government because they would be routed at the ballot box.
So after a tough year of riots, scandal, resignations, stagnation and crisis the Tories were back in front for the last Prime Minister’s Questions of 2011. You would feel sorry for the Leader of the Opposition, Ed Miliband, if this shift wasn’t partly due to his complete and utter ineptitude.
YouGov polling now shows that Britain’s relationship with Europe is the third most important issue for voters. And Miliband, despite two thirds of the country seeing the light, has decided to oppose Cameron’s stance on it.
At the outset, he tried to shift the conversation today around to unemployment and a plethora of other terrible stats for the government. The House was not going to let it happen though.
Ed bravely tried to paint a picture of Cameron’s failures by comparing his New Year’s promises to the current reality, and to question how far the PM has come over the last year. Once again he is listening to foolish advisers.
A year ago, he was ahead in the polls. A year ago, the majority of his own membership thought he was doing a good job. The poll lead has gone and Miliband’s internal approval rating is tanking.
Just one look at his saucer-like eyes this PMQs, and you could see both terror and acceptance that a savaging was imminent.
As soon as Miliband tried to drive a wedge between the Prime Minister and his Deputy, it was as if Cameron’s kill switch was engaged.
With a laugh and calm wry smile, you knew something was coming. “It’s not like we are brothers...” quipped the PM to howls of derision at the reference to the Milibands’ sibling rivalry. And with that the day was Dave’s...
For the rest of the confrontation Cameron toyed with the Leader of the Opposition like a kitten with a catnip laced soft toy. “Weakness and indecision an art form” apparently. He’s united his party against him, we hear. Does he back the veto or not? It wasn’t pretty. The turkey was stuffed early this Christmas...
All this couldn’t have come at a worse time for a struggling party leader. With no real chance to publicly claw back respect and support over the long holiday period, back in the constituencies bruised and upset backbenchers will be texting and chatting, stirring and rumbling.
Labour only put up with Ed Miliband because he was ahead in the polls. It’s going to be a long frosty winter if Cameron is able to lock down this lead.
And if Ed’s performance in the new year is anything like today’s, then that job shouldn’t be too hard.
Harry Cole is The Commentator's UK Politics Editor and the news editor for the Guido Fawkes blog
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Ed is shocking, his polices (well what we know of them) are not supported anywhere in Europe.
Ed shows that he is the one who is out of touch.
Good week for the PM tho despite the Clegg episode.
Miliband simply opposes for opposition's sake - he offers no constructive criticism whatsoever, which is surely what his constitutional role is all about. He's about as effective as a chocolate fireguard.
Cameron did good on Europe. Miliband would actually receive far more popular support by supporting the PM in this than by opposing it. But he can't look beyond the petty tribalism.
@Kulgan: We haven't had an 'effective opposition' since 1997 - that's been the problem. Blue Labour / red tory...
Labour and ed dont want to address the current issues, they want to fight the same old battles that they always have. Problem is the country has changed, the world has changed and their last attempt at running the country left them with so much baggage that they are weak almost everywhere. Short of a coalition self inflicted wound they can exploit, labour step up to every confrontation like a boxer trying to protect cracked ribs.
Did anyone see mouthy Caroline Flint on the fat Jock's politics show? Talk about a broken record, five year plan, jobs for all, five year plan, we have got a strategy. Rude with it too, she had her say then interrupted the Tory continuously with not a word from lefty Neil.
Red Ed just doesn't get that this country has had enough of Europe and in particular the useless euro that countries like Greece jumped into simply to mortgage themselves into bankruptcy. We do joy want to be any part of baling these idiots out of trouble thank you!
While I generally approve of the Daily Politics, as Brillo is an even-handed and forensic interviewer, there was disgraceful bias evident today. Having told us that most emails received said that Ed lost badly at PMQ's, Jo Coburn then only read out ones that were pro-Labour. Quite blatant.
Years ago, self-basting turkeys were all the rage.
Now we have the latest innovation, the self-stuffing turkey.
A fair assessment of todays kicking of Ed M. His party must be hanging their heads.
It is a shame because we need an effective opposition to ensure democracy. With Ed M, we just don't have it.