Today in Politics: Nil-nil and no penalty shoot out
A very flat session of Prime Minister's Questions today. There was a sombre mood as Gordon Brown and David Cameron discussed the natural disasters in Burma and China. You wouldn't have guessed that Brown is a PM in trouble. But he knows it's only a temporary respite: politics is on hold until we get the result of the Crewe and Nantwich by-election late tomorrow night. Many MPs are in the constituency today, which is why the Commons benches were not full. Brown aides are insisting it will be business as usual on Friday morning but are bracing themselves for more criticism of the PM by panicky Labour MPs if the party is routed (as many Labour folk expect).
Today's Commons exchanges sparked briefly into life when Cameron asked whether the £2.7bn tax cuts to compensate losers from the abolition of the 10p rate would be continued in future years. The issue was in highlighted in a report today by the Institute for Fiscal Studies, which warns that 18 million families will be worse off next year unless the Treasury somehow finds the money to prolong the aid. Brown wouldn't answer Cameron's question. No surprise there. Ministers are hoping something turns up before Alistair Darling produces his Pre-Budget Report in November. But nor would Cameron say whether he supported last week's rescue package. A goalless draw, unusually for PMQs. I hope that's not an omen for tonight's big game.
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