October 17, 2007
Brown’s bounce - well he couldn’t have been any worse
That was "a bit more like it", sighed one relieved Brownite, after the prime minister returned to Commons form with a confident question time performance.
After the disaster of last week’s PMQs - when he floundered like an ageing heavyweight pinned against the ropes - Gordon Brown had the material and the jokes to breeze through what could have been another awkward session.
His advisers insist it was the same team who prepared the PM last week, although why they have suddenly discovered the value of humour and research a week late is beyond me.
Mr Brown was helped by the fact the whips had also got their act together, encouraging Labour backbenchers to cheer their man to the rafters, even when he was talking about elderly hospital patients dying of C.difficile. Ian Austin, the PM’s parliamentary aide, was rebuked by the Speaker for orchestrating the wall of sound.
What about David Cameron? His taunt that Mr Brown should call an election sounded strangely like last week’s story - something which will come as a great relief to the PM.
His claim that Mr Brown’s obsession with hospital targets contributed to the filthy state of Britain’s hospital wards was effectively rebutted by the PM, and as for his attack on the EU treaty, the issue simply failed to ignite in the Commons.
It wasn’t a poor performance by Mr Cameron, but political normality of a sort seems to be returning after the last few tumultuous weeks.
For a poor performance look no further than Vince Cable, acting leader of the Lib Dems, whose rambling question and comment about his happy marriage were mocked by Mr Brown, who poured lavish praise on his Fife neighbour, ex-leader Sir Menzies Campbell.
If Mr Cable had still entertained hopes of replacing Sir Ming in the long-term, I suspect his MPs will have seen enough today to have realised he made the right decision not to contest the post.
