PMQs Verdict: Miliband knocks Cameron for six with a first round sucker punch

Today, Ed Miliband knocked David Cameron on his arse with his first question at PMQs, and the Prime Minister spent the next thirty minutes trying – unsuccessfully – to stumble back to his feet. It was Miliband’s best PMQs performance in months – perhaps his best as Labour leader – and it inspired what was surely Cameron’s worst PMQs performance as Prime Minister.

Miliband’s first round sucker punch – asking the PM if, in light of the alcohol pricing u-turn, there was anything he could “organise in a brewery”, was met first by silence and then a pantomime-style roar of laughter. The whole chamber, which had been uncharacteristically quiet, swayed and roared like a football terrace as the PM struggled for a retort, and lashed out at Ed Balls in desperation.

But he was unsatisfied.

He knew that – to use a technical parliamentary term – his response had been a load of crap. So after Miliband’s second question, referring caustically to Theresa May (who responded with a cold stare) – a still flummoxed Cameron asked if he could answer the first question again.

On behalf of the whole Labour Party let me say this – you can spend all day talking about your brewery piss-up co-ordination failings as far as we’re concerned. As it happened he simply sought to bash Ed Balls again. Weak stuff – especially when we know what Tories really think about the Shadow Chancellor – but you can’t blame Cameron.

He’s obsessed. Bless him…

The rest of the exchange between the two men continued in the same vein. Miliband had seized the upper hand and commandeered the high ground, and was using both to whack Cameron from a great height.

I’d love to say it was uncomfortable watching Cameron get stuffed, but that would be a lie – it was enormous fun.

The extent to which the Prime Minister had been wrong footed only came to light once Miliband had sat down, when Cameron decided to take a few cheap shots once Miliband couldn’t fight back (how brave of you Dave).

There was a desperate attempt to claim Miliband is somehow in the wrong by meeting Union General Secretaries (I predicted this Downing Street inspired story last night). Cameron certainly has some chutzpah making claims about donors and donations…considering what his party has been through. But that was nothing compared to his imaginary letter from Ed Miliband which he read out near the end of PMQs, like a debating crutch he’d forgotten to use, but leaned on when he was asked if he’d benefit from the millionaire’s tax cut.

A bizarre spectacle – and all rather unedifying.

The cracks are showing, but I’m sure – as they used to say of Gordon Brown – that it went down very well in the bunker…