No
more will we hear ‘your all the same’:
‘dress alike’ : ‘behave alike’
Prime Minister's Question (PMQ) time was certainly very different as Jeremy Corbyn said it would be. His
opening statement was brilliant he laid down the ground rules of he proposed to
proceed to ensure that rational debate and discussions should be held at
question time rather than yaboo politics. Cameron was clearly taken aback and had
to agree with Corbyn even saying it had been his desire for a long time for
those type of PMQ.
I was in the Commons in the
1970s and from then till now PMQs has been a free for all in essence a stand up
fight between two gladiators with the crowd behind on either side baying for
blood! People thought with the televising of Parliament things would be better
in fact it got worse decade after decade.
So here was probably the
most rational, reasonable and orderly PMQ time in recorded history. The Speaker
did not have to intervene once in fact it was like being in church or chapel.
Watching on television I could see the expressions on the faces of Conservative
MPs' they just could not work out what was going on.
Cameron kept his cool fair
play for some ten minutes but the question from the leader of the SNP finally
cracked him and the old Cameron was back in action. But the response to him was
classic just asking what had happened to his earlier desire for orderly debate.
Cameron was quickly brought to heel. Corbyn has established some ground rules
mind it’s another question whether they will survive the baying hordes once
they realise that he is limiting their entertainment.
The only advice I would give
Jeremy Corbyn is that if he is allowed six questions then he just uses three
questions from members of the public and follow up Cameron’s answers to each
one with his own rebuttal or response. The general public, backbench MPs' and
his supporters in the country will want to hear more from him.
I was watching the BBC2
Daily Politics show before question time and out came all the negatives. After
the event the opinions mellowed a bit because Corbyn had taken them aback by
his composure. However no doubt other sections of the media will see what took
place quite differently and will say some unkind things I have no doubt about
that. Corbyn is changing the ground rules in relation to them as well. They
always like the gladiators’ show, the rows and controversy – it’s the stuff of
publicity. Makes television more interesting from their point of
view.
I have a view that the BBC and other television outlets have not been balanced in their reporting of Corbyn. There always seem to be negative remarks, innuendos and trying to catch him at awkward moments. Even being referred to as the ' left wing Leader of the Opposition'. Alright the description is correct but balance it with the 'right wing Prime Minister'
The media will be relentless I'm afraid. That is why they have gone on about his dress code – well he surprised them there too today he looked the
part. But no dark suites or pin stripe ones. He is not going to dress the same
as so many leaders of the past.
In the media’s desperation
to pin something on him which will be a daily sport for quite a while I fear
this morning was about not singing ‘God Save the Queen’. Well I am not sure it needed the front pages that it got. I don’t think I have ever sung it. I have my own
National Anthem which is ‘Hen Wlad fy Nhadau’/’Land of my Fathers’. There are
four nations in the UK and I bet quite a few millions have never sung ‘God Save
the Queen’.
In any case my view is that England should start thinking of an
anthem that glorifies their nation and people not a person. It is a song of adulation of the Queen
and whilst some may see it as somehow representative of the sacrifice made by
servicemen it doesn't follow that everyone sees it as such. Because
where in the anthem does it mention anything about those that fought and lost
their lives in the battle of Britain?. The Tories must take care not to politicise the anthem either.
But be that as it may my
advice to Jeremy Corbyn is just sing it in future if that will keep the media
happy. Small point at the end of the day – how pathetic is it all becoming.