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| Ed Miliband calls for public PMQs | Ed Miliband calls for public PMQs |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The public should have their own version of Prime Minister's Questions, Labour leader Ed Miliband has said. | The public should have their own version of Prime Minister's Questions, Labour leader Ed Miliband has said. |
| He told the BBC's Andrew Marr Show he was preparing a formal proposal calling for voters to be allowed to question the prime minister in the Palace of Westminster after PMQs on Wednesdays. | He told the BBC's Andrew Marr Show he was preparing a formal proposal calling for voters to be allowed to question the prime minister in the Palace of Westminster after PMQs on Wednesdays. |
| Mr Miliband said it would bridge the "mile-wide" gulf between what people want and what they get from PMQs. | Mr Miliband said it would bridge the "mile-wide" gulf between what people want and what they get from PMQs. |
| Asked if the idea was a gimmick, Mr Miliband said: "No, it's serious." | Asked if the idea was a gimmick, Mr Miliband said: "No, it's serious." |
| It is not clear how the questions would be selected or whether other party leaders would agree to the idea. | |
| Inches of glass | Inches of glass |
| Speaking on BBC One's Andrew Marr Show, Mr Miliband said he wanted to "let the public in to our politics" and promised he would not pack a potential audience with his own supporters. | |
| "I think what we need is a public question time where regularly the prime minister submits himself or herself to questioning from members of the public in the Palace of Westminster on Wednesdays," he said. | "I think what we need is a public question time where regularly the prime minister submits himself or herself to questioning from members of the public in the Palace of Westminster on Wednesdays," he said. |
| "At the moment there are a few inches of glass that separates the public in the gallery from the House of Commons but there is a gulf a mile wide between the kind of politics people want and what Prime Minister's Questions offers. | |
| He went on: "We'll see how often we do it. We definitely want to do it regularly and I want to make a formal proposal to the Speaker of the House of Commons." | |
| Mr Miliband said he wanted to "find ways to change our political culture". | Mr Miliband said he wanted to "find ways to change our political culture". |
| "It's not just about putting the photo opportunity first," he stressed. | |
| Analysis | Analysis |
| By Adam Fleming, political correspondent | By Adam Fleming, political correspondent |
| Nick Clegg does it on the radio. David Cameron prefers it in a factory. And Ed Miliband will do it wherever. Politicians quite enjoy being grilled by ordinary voters. Yes there's a risk they might get egged or - worse - pelted with an embarrassing question, but it makes them look human and cuts out the cynical media man - ie me. | Nick Clegg does it on the radio. David Cameron prefers it in a factory. And Ed Miliband will do it wherever. Politicians quite enjoy being grilled by ordinary voters. Yes there's a risk they might get egged or - worse - pelted with an embarrassing question, but it makes them look human and cuts out the cynical media man - ie me. |
| The Labour leader's proposal of a Prime Minister's Questions for the public in parliament - PPMQs anyone? - is pretty revolutionary. But I think the idea of punters on the green benches is too much for the hidebound world of Westminster. More likely is a Q&A in a committee room or in Westminster Hall, the lesser-known sister chamber of the Commons. | The Labour leader's proposal of a Prime Minister's Questions for the public in parliament - PPMQs anyone? - is pretty revolutionary. But I think the idea of punters on the green benches is too much for the hidebound world of Westminster. More likely is a Q&A in a committee room or in Westminster Hall, the lesser-known sister chamber of the Commons. |
| And who would get to do the asking? How would you get a seat? How would you ensure the audience was balanced and not packed with cronies? Mr Miliband's idea raises a lot of, well, questions. | And who would get to do the asking? How would you get a seat? How would you ensure the audience was balanced and not packed with cronies? Mr Miliband's idea raises a lot of, well, questions. |
| Asked about his effort in a speech two days ago to confront a perceived image problem, Mr Miliband said: "I wanted to say to the public I'm not just going to compete on the terms you're used to. | Asked about his effort in a speech two days ago to confront a perceived image problem, Mr Miliband said: "I wanted to say to the public I'm not just going to compete on the terms you're used to. |
| "I'm competing on terms that are different and I actually think are more important to you and to your life." | "I'm competing on terms that are different and I actually think are more important to you and to your life." |
| He said Labour would put forward policies on issues such as rent and housing, the minimum wage and abuse of zero-hours contracts at the next election. | He said Labour would put forward policies on issues such as rent and housing, the minimum wage and abuse of zero-hours contracts at the next election. |
| "I happen to think that's more important than if I look good eating a bacon sandwich," he said. | "I happen to think that's more important than if I look good eating a bacon sandwich," he said. |
| Obama meeting | |
| Mr Miliband defended a recent short meeting with US President Barack Obama at the White House, which critics dismissed as a photo opportunity. | |
| He said they had discussed important issues such as climate change and inequality. | |
| "If we think about those questions, the solutions go through the United States. | |
| "As someone who wants to be the prime minister... I think that to engage with the United States is a totally sensible thing." |