PMQs: Thornberry set to take on lesser known Tory minister with May away

Emily Thornberry will today take on one of Theresa May’s key common allies in prime minister’s questions as both main party leaders miss the lunchtime session.

With May away in the Middle East, convention demands that someone other than the leader of the opposition stands. David Lidington, the leader of the House of Commons, replaces May so Jeremy Corbyn is obliged to select an equivalent more opponent from his top team.

Corbyn has chosen a key ally in Thornberry over Tom Watson, the deputy leader of Labour, but this could also be explained by him wishing to prioritise a woman’s voice. Earlier this year, Angela Eagle, then the shadow business secretary and shadow first secretary, stood in for Corbyn at various PMQs jousts.

There have been some suggestions that the decision to give Lidington the role of deputising for May is a snub to the chancellor Philip Hammond. George Osborne would regularly deputise for David Cameron, and that Hammond is not following this pattern has led to some raised eyebrows – but he also had a moment in the spotlight recently when he delivered the Autumn Statement.

When Harriet Harman was acting Labour leader last year, between the general election defeat and Corbyn’s first leadership victory, Hilary Benn acted as her de facto deputy – and deputised for her at prime minister’s questions as Osborne.