Howls across the house, Belgian breakfast and the ire of a furious raisin
I was only watching and it made me want to puff my way through a whole pack of Benson & Hedges
SIR KEIR began this week’s PMQS by crowing about owning a copy of Liz Truss’s book – “a rare, unsigned copy”. Mr Sunak, in rare good form shot back:
“Perhaps he ought to read the deputy leader’s tax advice.” A reference to Angela Rayner’s continued woes.
Cue howls across the house – and, that great parliamentary rarity, a laugh from Theresa May.
Rayner was there, unrepentant. Gurning at the front bench. Sir Keir carried on his “back to the future” act, focusing on Ms Truss and her ill-fated tax cuts. Who said what and when was bandied back and forth. It made a playground argument look Ciceronian. “No more waffle,” goaded Sir Keir. Rich from a man who might as well be made of eggs, butter, flour and milk and toasted in a hexagonal shape on a Belgian breakfast table.
Rishi continued his usual bluster about how wonderful everything really was. Like Willy Wonka singing about his world, “our plan is working and the Conservatives are delivering a brighter future for Britain”. Penny
Mordaunt looked like a deflated balloon. How any of these people could want to ban smoking is beyond me. I only watched it and it made me want to puff my way through a whole pack of Benson & Hedges. Meanwhile, Sir Keir continued his great wave of smuggery.
“I was a lawyer long enough to know when someone’s evading the question.” If only Sir Keir had mentioned this before. Next he’ll be telling us his father was a tool-maker.
As ever, the most interesting performances happened away from the two main leaders. Terrifying egg Stephen Flynn did his classic “not just angry but disappointed” act. Tom Randall MP for Gedling, a live action version of Viz’s Mr Logic, asked a question about towns. Daniel Zeichner produced a lame jokey question about what Mr Sunak admired about Liz Truss.
Finally, inevitably, came Galloway. Wrinkled and angry, he stared out into the lobby like a furious raisin.
Even more inevitably his question was about Israel.
What a week to quit smoking.