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PMQs verdict: Desperate Dave and the Mystery Medic

January 25, 2012 12:59 pm

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Watching PMQs hasn’t been much for for Labour supporters recently. If we’re completely honest Ed’s taken some beatings from Cameron recently – and that’s before we even get into last week’s PMQs abomination.

The previews of PMQs all focussed on the “open goal” that Ed had been presented with by today’s GDP figures. And whilst that was true, let’s not forget that Ed hasn’t been great at converting open goals recently. I’ve shared my concerns here time and time again that he lacks the killer instinct to take Cameron down in these high noon encounters.

Today, Ed proved me wrong.

He started with the economy, hammering Cameron on his persistent failure to hit his self imposed targets on growth, unemployment or the deficit. Cameron was arrogant, self-satisfied, complacent, and most of all smug argued Ed. The volley of insults came raining down. Low politics, but high impact. Better. Cameron has been rather good at using lists to try and get out of trouble at PMQs in the past. Today he tried (and failed) and Miliband mocked him for it. “The economy grew last year”, the PM desperately retorted, but when a government have managed to achieve “negative growth” twice in the space of a year, that’s a pathetic little parp of an answer. Desperate Dave.

Ed’s gear change had impressed me, but then he stopped, question splitting, which I hate. Momentum gone, but adrenaline was still high.

A friend texted me during the interval:

“Yikes. Someone’s only gone and told him he’s leader of the opposition.”

How right they were. Ed was finally giving a performance worthy of the title.

Soon he was back at the dispatch box. Health. A tricky topic in PMQs past, but more fertile ground today. Again he used the tactics that had been successful before – waiting lists were up, professionals were against the PMs reforms. And Cameron once opposed “pointless reoaganisation” himself. The house cheered and jeered and waited for the inevitable Cameron zinger.

It never came.

In the face of near unanimous opposition from health professionals, all Cameron could muster was one, solitary, anonymous doctor from – conveniently – Doncaster. You’d think in there was one good argument in favour of the Tory NHS “reforms” then Cameron might have made it.

But he didn’t.

He dwelled on Dr ? of Doncaster. The Mystery Medic

A flawed strategy. A losing strategy.

The Labour benches cheered, the Tory benches shuffled. Unusual sensations all round.

Maybe Ed does have some of that killer instinct after all.

Related posts:

  1. PMQs verdict: Say hello to Bad Dave (and Desperate Dave)
  2. PMQs Verdict – Scratching The Paintwork
  3. PMQs verdict: Miliband lets Cameron off the hook
  4. PMQs verdict: Cut the gags, Ed
  5. PMQs Verdict: The day satire died
  • Anonymous

    David Cameron was truly terrible today, but it couldn’t have gone any other way.  Ed Miliband did quite well, but it was impossible for him not to.  He had two open goals: health and the economy, and he succeeded in both.
    I noticed on Twitter that the Guardian’s political writer, Michael White, thought that Cameron had won today’s battle, rating it: 4-2. Questioning whether the ‘complacency’ tag would stick.  I don’t think it will work because complacency is a perfect word to describe Ed’s leadership at times.
    Ed has performed well today, but what is his alternative?  We still don’t know, and what would Labour cut?  We know it’s harder for Labour voters than Conservative voters to accept cuts, so how will they address the inevitable? 

    • Gracie Samuels

      Michael White of the Guardian would say Cameron had won even if he was out cold laying on the ground with Ed standing over him, so you will have to find a better example than him to quote, even Guido Fawkes who never has anything marginally good to say about Miliband noted he won. By the way your posts reeks of Tory and for a good analysis of what Labour would do   you can find out more about our plan for jobs and growth at http://labour.org.uk/plan and Ed Ball’s response to today’s figures at http://t.co/Bn37C7wo

  • Mike Murray

    Ed’s performance at PMQs today was masterful. Cameron looked outclassed and out of touch. If Cameron can only find one GP in Doncaster who supports his disastrous Health reforms he really is in trouble.

    • ian

      do you believe there wasa GP, in fact if there was he would have named him, he never.

      Mark hints at this but I will say it, it was  lie, one day these lies will show him up and we will beneft 

      one day it will happen

      • derek

        I’m thinking @Jaime, oops! I think @Jaime said he spent some time in Doncaster?……….??????????

        • ian

          if you do not quote a name of someone you are lying, that is my basic premise at PMQ’s 

          first thing Ed did you remeber was to quote a named doctor in Witney against it

        • http://twitter.com/gonzozzz dave stone

          But Jaime is only a pretend medic – a sock puppet profile – no trace of registration with the GMC. Or if, heaven forbid, he is practicing then the constabulary will be knocking at his door shortly.

          • jaime taurosangastre candelas

            @ Dave Stone

            As I have said before on LL, I practice and am registered in the UK under my English name.  The name I post under is the name I have on my Chilean passport, and under which I attended my schools and medical college.  You may check me out through 

            Chile Medical Association:

            Colegio Médico de Chile

            Esmeralda 678,

            Casilla 639

            Santiago

            Tel: +56 2 633 05 05

            Fax: +56 2 633 09 40

            http://www.colegiomedico.cl

            Alternatively, try translating my name minus the matronymic into English, and then looking again on English registrations.

            It is not uncommon for people with dual nationality to have two different legal names on their two different passports.  In my case, I only obtained a British passport in about 1974 when my father thought that Pinochet’s regime needed him to protect me and my sister by (after our births) registering us as British citizens, so that if necessary he could secure for us consular assistance.  I was 9 at the time I think, and my sister 4.  He did not tell us he was doing it, only later.

            I am proud of my Chilean ancestry through my mother.  When I first came to England, I tried to fit in in every way, including my name and things like wearing a tweed jacket which I thought was very British.  Now I find that I want to celebrate one half of my heritage, so I relax.  I registered under my Chilean name to post on LL, originally it came up as Jaime T, now after the change in software it comes up with my full name.  If you click my profile you will find that I only post on LL.  There is nothing to hide.

          • http://twitter.com/gonzozzz dave stone

            All permutations and ‘sounds like’ variation searches at the GMC have the same result: 
            Sorry but we cannot find a record that matches your search.

            You threatened legal action against another contributor on the grounds of protecting your reputation as a medic who posts here under his real name.

            As the ‘real’ name used here does not appear on the GMC register it appears that there is no professional ‘reputation’ to protect.

            Therefore…

  • Guest

    Who cares about pmqs?

  • http://twitter.com/Nicky2806 Nicky

    I’ve mentioned this on another LL blog but Cameron has lied on 2 occasions now about cuts to disabled children. Just to point out so that Labour listers know. Support for disabled children is being cut massively and when he denies it he is telling a deliberate out and out lie.

    • ian

      that was a great point by the labour MP on that and I think a point of order should be raised on it

    • Duncan

      Could you give more detail on this?  It’s obviously very interesting.  A lot of Cameron’s refutations are carefully crafted, obfuscating truths (i.e. he is asked about unemployment for more than 6 months and he’ll reply about unemployment for more than 12 months as if that was what he was originally asked about; he’ll be asked about one benefit and reply as if he were asked about a different one) – what he ends up saying is not a lie, but it is deliberately highly misleading.

      Evidence of an out-and-out lie would be much more useful.

  • Anonymous

    I haven’t seen coverage of PMQ’s today, but am glad Ed M made some real headway.

    On the health reforms though, I’m truly despondant it’s taken this long
    for any kind of momentum in opposition, and impact in argument;
    literally at the eleventh hour?

    However, there may be a glimmer of hope in reversing full scale of proposed reforms?

    DC cannot possibly ignore the overwhelming consensus from the medical, nursing,
    and allied professions’ views and predictions?

    Also Tory led health committee, and expertise in the HOL; mgt in NHS…

    This, and changes in welfare- could be the crucial issues which turn back the tide?

    The writing has surely been on the wall for some time though-
    so many have been saying this.

    Jo

  • Anonymous

    Well that’s Ed safe now.

    No doubt Cameron is pleased with a job well done.

    • ian

      so lets see then, an issue bound to be the headline in the main news bulletins and Dave plays it deliberately bad ?

      can not work out if you are joking or not 

    • ian

      so lets see then, an issue bound to be the headline in the main news bulletins and Dave plays it deliberately bad ?

      can not work out if you are joking or not 

      • Anonymous

        Everything he says is a joke.

    • http://twitter.com/gonzozzz dave stone

      But how safe is Cameron?

      I reckon as the economy nosedives, thanks to Cameron’s ‘leadership’, Cleggy will become increasingly twitchy, should he jump now or wait until support for the Lib-Dems plummets a fast as the economy and jump later?

      • ian

        it is an interesting Q. Mainly because as the cuts bite then it is not the people the the Daily Mail highlight that get hit but decent people like your neighbour, your friend, your cousin that all get hit, suddenly not all benefit claimants are evil but real honest people.

        http://www.labour.org.uk/prime-ministers-inaccurate-claims 

        the more he is in trouble the lies come out

        • Anonymous

          Perhaps the chap that might be hurt would be lets see the chap that Ed knocked on his door and knew without asking he could work.

          I saw PMQ’s to day and I think the poor old GDP has upset Cameron or the wife is nagging.

          But in the end I suspect 99.9% of the nation does not watch PMQ’s and would not know anything about the success to day, mind you tomorrow Ed may well have changed his mind and will tell Cameron he agrees with him

      • Anonymous

        Dave
        “Cleggy will become increasingly twitchy, should he jump now or wait until support for the Lib-Dems plummets a fast as the economy and jump later?

        Well as LD support has halved since the GE (20 odd % to 9% ish) he’s hardly likely to jump now.

        Why be hung today? Something might turn up. The economy may improve, the LDs may regain some lost support  or Labour self destruct .
         Or something else.

        I suspect the LDs will look to gain electoral support by the odd measure here and there which the Tories will happily pass .. like dogs to a bone bones to a dog.

        (see raising the lower tax rate..)..  I think the LDs are stuck until 2015..

      • Anonymous

        Dave
        “Cleggy will become increasingly twitchy, should he jump now or wait until support for the Lib-Dems plummets a fast as the economy and jump later?

        Well as LD support has halved since the GE (20 odd % to 9% ish) he’s hardly likely to jump now.

        Why be hung today? Something might turn up. The economy may improve, the LDs may regain some lost support  or Labour self destruct .
         Or something else.

        I suspect the LDs will look to gain electoral support by the odd measure here and there which the Tories will happily pass .. like dogs to a bone bones to a dog.

        (see raising the lower tax rate..)..  I think the LDs are stuck until 2015..

      • Anonymous

        Re the LD’s Dave, I think NC, and “orange booker” wing in it for the full course.

        But possibility of a wider split within their party over time;
        and that’s where I see potential for a centre left coalescence
        as a real alternative to the current ideological agenda and path
        being set.But some within Labour would also have to embrace
        need for change and flexible thinking.I also see it wider than that;
        a more pluralist approach, eg incorporating Green Party thinking
        and ideas from the Euorpean left.
        Generally though, I think cross party approaches on the big issues
        will probably be more fruitful; times have changed to demand something
        more than narrow party boundaries.

        Jo

      • Anonymous

        I did reply Dave, but now getting “system error.”

        No idea what’s happening.

        Jo

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