There are times when victories at PMQs don’t really matter in the greater scheme of things. But there are times when it adds considerably to the argument. Today was one of those. It is difficult to imagine Ed Miliband causing bruises but he probably caused his greatest damage yet. There was a lot of control exerted by the Labour leader, he kept calm, spoke slowly and it was only when he started slapping his knee excitedly as David Cameron tried to hit back that his real excitement emerged.
All six of his questions focused on the NHS, and they all pushed simple statements. The health and social care bill is in enormous trouble, why won’t the prime minister drop it? David Cameron fought back as heavily as he caught, attempting to link the two arguments together that the NHS is getting more money and reform which will improve the health service. But it couldn’t stop the battering he was receiving. “Even the Tories don’t trust the Tories on the NHS” taunted the Labour leader as he cited the opposition of the Tory Reform Group to the health secretary’s reforms. But it’s the opposition of the NHS staff and the organised campaign by the Royal College of Nursing and the British Medical Council that is the real problem for the PM.
David Cameron looks like he is on the wrong side of the argument, and as the House of Lords debates the bill again this afternoon, he looks like he could be fighting against a very large tide.
David Cameron is too good a performer to have been completely destroyed but his claims that his government has improved with NHS with increased clinical staff and decreased waiting times don’t work as a justification for further reform. His soundbites were also unusually lame. “If their record is so good, why where they thrown out at the last election” was a flat attack on the opposition in 2012 and it’s not wise to claim “even when he moved the goalposts, he can’t put it in the back of the net” when Ed Miliband is soundly beating you and has one question left.
Andrew Lansley located further down the government frontbench had the dubious help of whip Michael Fabricant who was squeezing his elbow in support. The PM’s claim that his health secretary’s “job prospects were a lot better” than Ed Miliband, were read by some as half-hearted. I suspect the PM has decided that Lansley will stay because the alternative is worse damage for his government. But PMQs finished with us wondering how the government will rescue these reforms now? Ed Miliband helped place them in greater difficulties today. The Labour leader will now look to make it a defining problem for the coalition, all the way to the next election.
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