A shock for Corbyn

Like him or loathe him, it would be impossible to deny Boris Johnson owned the House of Commons during his first address to Parliament as our new Prime Minister.

He spoke with uplifting enthusiasm and clarity, which impressed his own benches, but did not go down well with the labour front bench.

Jeremy Corbyn looked visibly shaken as if he’d just witnessed a wild animal breaking loose from his cage and roaring into action.

He concentrated on the words written in front of him, stuttering and spluttering through his response, demonstrating to all sides of the House that these two antagonists were far from evenly matched.

It appears that Boris will be likely to dominate their future exchanges.

Boris talked of a new era in Parliamentary proceedings while offering an olive branch to those who might oppose him in the future — on both sides of the House.

Corbyn knows how to complain, object, obstruct, refuse, criticise and generally turn his back on any constructive debate.

He’ll be no match for the seasoned speaker who has lined up his new Cabinet as a prelude to what looks like an inevitable General election in the coming months.

TONY EDWARDS, Ockham, Surrey.