David Cameron changed tactics at Prime Minister's Questions today. There has been some grumbling by commentators about the scattergun approach under which he often moves from one issue to another during the six questions he is allowed. So today he stuck to Northern Rock. It's normally a better line of attack but he spoiled it by including too many pre-rehearsed soundbites.
Accusing Gordon Brown of being like a used car salesman, Cameron said: "He has gone from Prudence to Del Boy without even touching the ground." Not bad, but not as good as Vince Cable's "Stalin to Mr Bean" jibe. Another soundbite was too clever by half: he said Brown did not understand the difference between administration and liquidation for Northern Rock, that Brown was in administration (but not power) and would be liquidated by the British public. The approach allowed the PM to deploy his favourite dig: that all we get from the Tory leader is "merely slogans and no substance whatever." Wounding - and on today's evidence true.
It might have been better for Cameron to major on the global economic storms and the state of the British economy, especially as the Tories don't have a clear policy on Northern Rock. By the way, Nick Clegg scored his first own goal at Question Time. He joined the fray on Northern Rock, saying Brown was refusing to nationalise the bank because he was "running scared of the Conservative Party." The Tories loved that. Eek!
I used to be a regular at magistrates courts years ago (for work, not for being caught) and there was one solicitor who always used to turn round to the press before announcing his bon mots. "So when you were operating this 'Fagin's Kitchen' did you..." etc. It was funny for a bit, but after a few years it began to pall rather. Cameron should take note.
Posted by: Jane | Wednesday, 23 January 2008 at 01:07 PM