The emotion of politics
Context Cast News Comment
PMQs was up until now a traditional adversarial contest, but social media is intruding.
After a slow start, Kemi was turning out to be a worthy adversary to Sir Keir Starmer, holding the government to account and arguably using motivating public outcry that led to U Turns in policy such as the pensioners’ winter fuel payments, farmers’ family inheritance tax, welfare reform and the grooming gangs enquiry, trans, mandatory digital ID, plus pressure on continuing policies relating to the Chagos Islands and jury trials. Not a little.
The work of real opposition continues with serious politics. Similarly parties like the Lib Dem’s and Greens do their bit. The Government, meanwhile, gets on with the job of government for good or ill depending on the political perspective of the observer, but it is serious politics and the Prime Minister tries to steady the ship as prime ministers do.
Meanwhile, what is going on at the back of the classroom during PMQs? Reform MPs are the naughty boys at the back at the class making faces and passing scribbled notes and cartoons forward to pupils near the front asking them to join them at the back to shout and jeer at their former head girl.
In short, there doesn’t seem much of any serious opposition to the government benches or constructive ideas coming from them apart from ink pellets and pea shooter and catapult ammunition aimed at head girl while trying to do her job.