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Cameron v Corbyn PMQs verdict: a Greek gift of a gag | Cameron v Corbyn PMQs verdict: a Greek gift of a gag |
(35 minutes later) | |
Key points | Key points |
Jeremy Corbyn used all six of his questions to hold the government to account over its delayed free childcare policy, highlighted in a National Audit Office report, and the teacher recruitment crisis, previously brought up by the NAO. He quoted a teacher called Tom, asking what Cameron was doing about the retention and recruitment crisis in teaching. | |
On the delayed free 30 hours of childcare for the poorest families, Cameron was able to update the NAO figures to show how things had improved since the report’s figures were collected, and on teachers, he sidestepped the current situation by comparing it with before his premiership. | |
Snap verdict | Snap verdict |
Corbyn is clearly on to something with his talk of “agency Britain”, and by and large, he successfully prodded Cameron on the issues of childcare and schools in a way that exposed government delivery weaknesses, but it was a performance that was competent rather than exciting. Cameron was left sounding awkward but never seriously embarrassed. As for the detail, the fact-checkers will have a bonanza, because this was a PMQs unusually rich in statistics. Cameron sidestepped the most tricky complaints about his record, but he was well armed with positive detail with which he could retaliate. The serious tone will appeal to those who hated last week’s abuse, but Cameron could not resist one snappy but largely irrelevant joke. | |
Best lines | Best lines |
Corbyn cited the burgeoning use of agency supply teachers in school, asking: “Aren’t we moving into an era that can be known as agency Britain?” | |
Cameron had a joke up his sleeve. Referring to Corbyn’s decision to ask Yanis Varoufakis, the former finance minister in Greece, to advise Labour, he said: | Cameron had a joke up his sleeve. Referring to Corbyn’s decision to ask Yanis Varoufakis, the former finance minister in Greece, to advise Labour, he said: |
“The Labour economic policy in two words: Acropolis now.” | “The Labour economic policy in two words: Acropolis now.” |
Twitter users were not impressed. | |
For more on PMQs and the day’s politics, read our politics live blog with Andrew Sparrow. | For more on PMQs and the day’s politics, read our politics live blog with Andrew Sparrow. |
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