PMQs verdict: A PMQs of two halves

Sometimes the main subject for PMQs is clear. With what appears to be systematic establishment-level child abuse (and cover ups) dominating the front pages of the papers in recent weeks, Miliband touching on the subject was inevitable. Savile and Harris are the monsters revealed by police, courts and newspapers to be at the epicentre of the entertainment establishment’s abuse of children and young people – now the focus has moved towards the behaviour of establishment politicians.

Miliband had to tread carefully of course. Avoiding looking party political is key when discussing issues of such importance, and deeds of such wickedness. Wrongdoing is not confined to one political party or another – it’s likely all political parties have skeletons in their closets, and those closets are about to be blown wide open. If the necessary evidence exists and has not been “lost” that is.

So Miliband kept his questions to the point. He wanted to know about the investigation that the Home Secretary had announced. He wanted to know who knew what and when. Cameron, in turn, played the role of Prime Minister well. Both men did themselves and the chamber a service by treating this issue with the tone and respect it deserved.

And then, after three questions, a gear change from Miliband. And the debate moved onto the NHS. And everything fell apart.

Cameron wouldn’t answer a simple question. Stats were flung from one side of the chamber to the other. Miliband rightly noted that Cameron was slammed by the august House of Commons Library for stat misuse last week. Cameron respond by reeling off a totally different list of figures, which sort of proved Miliband’s point.

But it wasn’t Cameron’s failure to answer questions that was so disappointing this week. That happens every week. It is no more worth noting than that the sun rises in the morning. No, what Cameron did that should shame him is that under pressure to explain himself, he tried to make a scapegoat out of Andy Burnham over Mid-Staffs. Back when the Francis Report on Mid Staffs was released, Cameron himself declared that the government would not “blame the last Secretary of State for Health” or “seek scapegoats”. And yet today he did exactly that in an attempt to deflect attention from himself.

Today we saw that Cameron is capable of being a serious and statesmanlike political figure. But we also saw how at times he can behave in a way that is completely beneath the office that eh holds. He should be ashamed of himself.