Has David Cameron adopted 'fire at will' early? There were no Lib Dems sat on the frontbench at all at PMQs today.

Maybe the PM took Adrian Beecroft's advice and binned 'em?  He certainly looked angry enough.

Maybe the Lib Dem frontbenchers felt they couldn't maintain their 'neutral' faces well enough for the cameras?

Or perhaps they were enjoying the sun? Or bidding for Olympics tickets?

Unfortunately, Ed Miliband didn't have a gag prepared for the absence of Clegg et al.

Instead, it was serious Ed.

"The nasty party" is back, claimed the Labour leader as he highlighted the report by the millionaire venture capitalist and Tory donor.  

"Adrian Beecroft says the law should be changed to fire people at will," said Miliband.

But Cameron was broadly supportive of Beecroft's work. Not surprising, considering he commissioned it.

"The Beecroft report which I commissioned had a number of excellent ideas," said the PM.

"We are consulting on no-fault dismissal but only for micro-businesses. It is a good report."

"People behind him think that the Beecroft report is the bee's knees," retorted Miliband, while the business secretary thinks it is "bonkers".

Without the presence of his yellow bird colleagues, Cameron was not in the mood for niceties. 

Normally Nick Clegg sits on the prime minister's right-hand side, like a little Jiminy Cricket conscience.

Without him, Flashman was out in full force.

"Of course he cannot support any changes to employment regulation because he is in the pocket of trade unions," Cameron shouted.

"He takes instructions from his trade union taskmasters…"

But Miliband wasn't rising to the bait. "This isn't about the trade unions. It's about millions of people up and down this country in fear of their jobs," he said. "The only answer this prime minister has is, 'Make it easier to sack them.'"

It wasn't the PM's only answer, unfortunately.

"They own you lock, stock and block vote," Cameron yelled at Labour benches.

He criticised the "muttering idiot sitting opposite me" on the economy.

The Speaker ticked the PM off for that one.

"I will replace it with the man who left us this enormous deficit in this financial crisis," replied Cameron, staring at Ed Balls.

Shouts of "Flashman" filled the chamber.

Without his Lib Dem wife at his side, Cameron was letting his hair down.

All barrels were firing. 

Beecroft would be proud.

 

Tags: PMQs 2012