Today’s PMQs has lessons for the TV debates

By Alex Smith / @alexsmith1982

UPDATE: Alastair Campbell has made a Vlog on the TV debates, why the hype doesn’t matter and why Gordon’s substance will shine through.

UPDATE: Watch Cameron losing his rag in PMQs.

I increasingly dislike watching PMQs on a Wednesday. The paper waving gamesmanship and jeering should have no place in a discussion as serious as Defence spending, when the country is fighting war and soldiers are dying. Really, it should have no place at all in any discussion at the heart of the supposed “mother of Parliaments”.

But there were one or two lessons from today’s session that I think should point the way for how Gordon Brown should try to perform in the imminent TV debates between the party leaders.

As David Cameron became shrill and petulant at one point, even appearing to stamp his foot in faux incredulousness, Gordon Brown didn’t react in kind. Instead, he got on calmly with the job of focusing on the substance and policy matter at hand. If anything, rather than rising to Cameron’s anger, Brown became more calm and in control, rather than less. It made Cameron look shrill; Brown more statesmanlike.

Such expression could be even more beneficial to the TV debates, where the studio will be quiet and every tick will be highlighted and magnified in the post-match analysis.

I tweeted during PMQs that:

Several responses suggest others might agree. @NorthBriton45‘s reply best exemplifies them:

Respondents to LabourList’s PMQs LiveChat Quick Poll might also agree. In spite of the headlines David Cameron’s anger may get, 50% of participants said Gordon Brown “won” PMQs today, while 38% said Cameron won and 13% said Nick Clegg. On who won on the Defence spending debate, the point at which Cameron got feisty, Gordon Brown’s numbers increased to 60%.

Message to Gordon? If Cameron gets stroppy, Keep Calm and Carry On.