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You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/politics/live/2015/jun/17/labour-deputy-leadership-nominations-close-at-noon-politics-live
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| Creasy, Eagle and Bradshaw make it on to Labour deputy leadership ballot - Politics live | Creasy, Eagle and Bradshaw make it on to Labour deputy leadership ballot - Politics live |
| (25 days later) | |
| 4.22pm BST | 4.22pm BST |
| 16:22 | 16:22 |
| Afternoon summary | Afternoon summary |
| The failure to build enough homes to meet this country’s needs has been one of the biggest public policy failures of the last 50 years. This failure has been most acutely felt in London, which is building less than half of the homes in needs to sustain its growing population. As a result, Londoners are missing out on opportunities that previous generations took for granted: delaying having families, relying on a very uneven private rented sector and often being locked out of home ownership completely. The knock on consequence is that London is being held back and London’s competitiveness as the most successful global city is under threat. There are also major knock-on impacts on the rest of Britain’s economy and a distorting effect on other housing markers outside the capital. | The failure to build enough homes to meet this country’s needs has been one of the biggest public policy failures of the last 50 years. This failure has been most acutely felt in London, which is building less than half of the homes in needs to sustain its growing population. As a result, Londoners are missing out on opportunities that previous generations took for granted: delaying having families, relying on a very uneven private rented sector and often being locked out of home ownership completely. The knock on consequence is that London is being held back and London’s competitiveness as the most successful global city is under threat. There are also major knock-on impacts on the rest of Britain’s economy and a distorting effect on other housing markers outside the capital. |
| They feel very strongly about their country and we have been extremely unpatriotic as a party to our country. There’s just a feeling that we’re half-hearted about being British, we’re half-hearted about the monarchy, we’re half-hearted about the way we see our country in the world. I’m very proud of being British and I think the United Kingdom is a force for good in the world and we seem to feel all the time that we have to put ourselves down because somehow that might upset people”. | They feel very strongly about their country and we have been extremely unpatriotic as a party to our country. There’s just a feeling that we’re half-hearted about being British, we’re half-hearted about the monarchy, we’re half-hearted about the way we see our country in the world. I’m very proud of being British and I think the United Kingdom is a force for good in the world and we seem to feel all the time that we have to put ourselves down because somehow that might upset people”. |
| That’s all from me for now. | That’s all from me for now. |
| I will be covering the Labour leadership hustings later on a separate blog. The hustings start at 7pm, and I will launch the blog at around 6pm. | I will be covering the Labour leadership hustings later on a separate blog. The hustings start at 7pm, and I will launch the blog at around 6pm. |
| Thanks for the comments. | Thanks for the comments. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 4.22pm BST | at 4.22pm BST |
| 3.59pm BST | 3.59pm BST |
| 15:59 | 15:59 |
| Here’s an afternoon reading list. It has only got one item, but it’s long, and well worth reading. | Here’s an afternoon reading list. It has only got one item, but it’s long, and well worth reading. |
| Of these two outcomes, easily the more catastrophic as far as Labour is concerned was the one in Scotland – yet it also appears to be the one that is at risk of being ignored. Because the results north of the border mean that the parliamentary Labour party is all but denuded of Scottish voices, the initial manoeuvres in the party leadership contest are being played out exclusively among MPs from England and Wales, many of who are relatively unfamiliar with the party’s difficulties north of the border. | Of these two outcomes, easily the more catastrophic as far as Labour is concerned was the one in Scotland – yet it also appears to be the one that is at risk of being ignored. Because the results north of the border mean that the parliamentary Labour party is all but denuded of Scottish voices, the initial manoeuvres in the party leadership contest are being played out exclusively among MPs from England and Wales, many of who are relatively unfamiliar with the party’s difficulties north of the border. |
| He says Tony Blair’s claim that the main problem was that Labour abandoned the centre ground was too simplistic. | He says Tony Blair’s claim that the main problem was that Labour abandoned the centre ground was too simplistic. |
| Data from the British Election Study shows that those who voted Labour in 2010 but subsequently switched their support to the SNP after the referendum were both disproportionately in favour of a more equal society and more likely to regard the SNP as the party that shared that view. No less than 74 per cent of these lost voters supported the redistribution of income (compared with 59 per cent of Scots generally), and although 48 per cent of them thought that Labour backed that position, 75 per cent reckoned that the SNP did. | Data from the British Election Study shows that those who voted Labour in 2010 but subsequently switched their support to the SNP after the referendum were both disproportionately in favour of a more equal society and more likely to regard the SNP as the party that shared that view. No less than 74 per cent of these lost voters supported the redistribution of income (compared with 59 per cent of Scots generally), and although 48 per cent of them thought that Labour backed that position, 75 per cent reckoned that the SNP did. |
| This evidence must caution against any idea that the solution to Labour’s problems is simply for the party to reclaim the centre ground of British politics that was supposedly vacated during Ed Miliband’s tenure as leader. The complaint about the party north of the border has been that its voice has not been sufficiently radical, or at least distinctive – an impression that fighting a referendum campaign in alliance with the Conservatives certainly did nothing to dispel. | This evidence must caution against any idea that the solution to Labour’s problems is simply for the party to reclaim the centre ground of British politics that was supposedly vacated during Ed Miliband’s tenure as leader. The complaint about the party north of the border has been that its voice has not been sufficiently radical, or at least distinctive – an impression that fighting a referendum campaign in alliance with the Conservatives certainly did nothing to dispel. |
| He says Labour did not lose ground amongst middle class voters. | He says Labour did not lose ground amongst middle class voters. |
| The level of support for Labour in each class was much the same as it had been five years previously. There is, in truth, no strong evidence here of Labour particularly losing touch with its more middle class supporters. Rather, what is notable about the party’s performance is that what had been an especially marked drop in its support among C2 and DE supporters between 2005 and 2010 was not reversed this time around. Perhaps not least of the reasons for this – and for the Conservatives’ own loss of support among working class voters – is the fact that support for Ukip among C2 and DE voters was at 19 per cent and 17 per cent respectively, markedly higher than among AB (8 per cent) and C1 voters (11 per cent). | The level of support for Labour in each class was much the same as it had been five years previously. There is, in truth, no strong evidence here of Labour particularly losing touch with its more middle class supporters. Rather, what is notable about the party’s performance is that what had been an especially marked drop in its support among C2 and DE supporters between 2005 and 2010 was not reversed this time around. Perhaps not least of the reasons for this – and for the Conservatives’ own loss of support among working class voters – is the fact that support for Ukip among C2 and DE voters was at 19 per cent and 17 per cent respectively, markedly higher than among AB (8 per cent) and C1 voters (11 per cent). |
| And he says that competence is crucial - but that this is not the same as taking a conservative approach. | And he says that competence is crucial - but that this is not the same as taking a conservative approach. |
| There can be little doubt that one of Labour’s key failures in the last five years was its inability to restore its reputation for economic competence. On that, all wings of the party can probably agree. But restoring that reputation need not necessarily be synonymous with embracing a conservative approach to handling the nation’s finances or the economy more generally. What Labour has to ask itself is not only why it failed to attract the support of voters who were concerned about the deficit, but also why it often struggled to secure the support of those who were doubtful about the way in which the deficit and the economy were being handled in the first place. Many of the latter were working-class voters among whom Labour suffered a sharp loss of support in 2010 which they failed to reverse in 2015. Labour needs to convince the electorate not only that it can run the economy well, but that it is capable of creating a more attractive economy. Then, perhaps, voters not just in England and Wales but in Scotland too would be willing to look at the party afresh once more. | There can be little doubt that one of Labour’s key failures in the last five years was its inability to restore its reputation for economic competence. On that, all wings of the party can probably agree. But restoring that reputation need not necessarily be synonymous with embracing a conservative approach to handling the nation’s finances or the economy more generally. What Labour has to ask itself is not only why it failed to attract the support of voters who were concerned about the deficit, but also why it often struggled to secure the support of those who were doubtful about the way in which the deficit and the economy were being handled in the first place. Many of the latter were working-class voters among whom Labour suffered a sharp loss of support in 2010 which they failed to reverse in 2015. Labour needs to convince the electorate not only that it can run the economy well, but that it is capable of creating a more attractive economy. Then, perhaps, voters not just in England and Wales but in Scotland too would be willing to look at the party afresh once more. |
| 3.41pm BST | 3.41pm BST |
| 15:41 | 15:41 |
| David Cameron has been in Milan today for a meeting with the Italian prime minister, Matteo Renzi. Here is some Twitter coverage of the trip. | David Cameron has been in Milan today for a meeting with the Italian prime minister, Matteo Renzi. Here is some Twitter coverage of the trip. |
| From Sky’s Faisal Islam | From Sky’s Faisal Islam |
| "For us, EU without UK is impossible” - Italian PM Matteo Renzi after meeting @David_Cameron | "For us, EU without UK is impossible” - Italian PM Matteo Renzi after meeting @David_Cameron |
| Cameron after meeting Italian PM Renzi: "on reform & change in Europe ..we do have some common perspective & ideas…need for competitiveness" | Cameron after meeting Italian PM Renzi: "on reform & change in Europe ..we do have some common perspective & ideas…need for competitiveness" |
| PM with renzi on med crisis: "absolutely recognised this is something where all of Europe is to work together, Britain is playing its part" | PM with renzi on med crisis: "absolutely recognised this is something where all of Europe is to work together, Britain is playing its part" |
| "Britain playing its part" on Med crisis said PM was not taking migrants, but bulwark saving them, anti-trafficking by NCA officers & aid | "Britain playing its part" on Med crisis said PM was not taking migrants, but bulwark saving them, anti-trafficking by NCA officers & aid |
| Basically PM and Renzi seemed to have as much if not more of a discussion about Med crisis as UKS renegotiation.. Quick chat on Greece too | Basically PM and Renzi seemed to have as much if not more of a discussion about Med crisis as UKS renegotiation.. Quick chat on Greece too |
| Italian journalists saying discussions were about Med migrant crisis, not UK situ. when I asked about treaty change, they presumed Dublin. | Italian journalists saying discussions were about Med migrant crisis, not UK situ. when I asked about treaty change, they presumed Dublin. |
| From the Telegraph’s Matthew Holehouse | From the Telegraph’s Matthew Holehouse |
| Cameron, looking like he feels the heat, has arrived at the British pavilion on the Milan Expo, in Renzi's Lancia Therma limousine. | Cameron, looking like he feels the heat, has arrived at the British pavilion on the Milan Expo, in Renzi's Lancia Therma limousine. |
| Italian pensioners cheer as Cameron tours stand with his counterpart: "Renzi! Renzi!" | Italian pensioners cheer as Cameron tours stand with his counterpart: "Renzi! Renzi!" |
| 3.12pm BST | 3.12pm BST |
| 15:12 | 15:12 |
| Here’s a Guardian video showing George Osborne and Hilary Benn at PMQs. | Here’s a Guardian video showing George Osborne and Hilary Benn at PMQs. |
| 2.39pm BST | 2.39pm BST |
| 14:39 | 14:39 |
| This is very good on the Labour leadership nominations. | This is very good on the Labour leadership nominations. |
| Another genius chart by @JJ_159, cross-listing all Labour MPs by nominations for leader and deputy pic.twitter.com/ZoxoTkpCz3 | Another genius chart by @JJ_159, cross-listing all Labour MPs by nominations for leader and deputy pic.twitter.com/ZoxoTkpCz3 |
| 2.29pm BST | 2.29pm BST |
| 14:29 | 14:29 |
| Lunchtime summary | Lunchtime summary |
| Final deputy leadership batting order: Watson 62 Flint 41 Eagle 38 Bradshaw 37 Creasy 35: http://t.co/DyvHbaukOQ | Final deputy leadership batting order: Watson 62 Flint 41 Eagle 38 Bradshaw 37 Creasy 35: http://t.co/DyvHbaukOQ |
| Rushanara Ali's transfers: 7 to Bradshaw (incl Ali herself), 2 to Creasy, 2 to Eagle, 1 not nominating (John Mann) | Rushanara Ali's transfers: 7 to Bradshaw (incl Ali herself), 2 to Creasy, 2 to Eagle, 1 not nominating (John Mann) |
| It is now essential that all remaining responses are received so that the process can be completed. Only when all responses are in our possession and have been evaluated will I be able to write to you with a realistic timetable for completion. | It is now essential that all remaining responses are received so that the process can be completed. Only when all responses are in our possession and have been evaluated will I be able to write to you with a realistic timetable for completion. |
| Cameron said he and other had “hoped for publication of your report by now and we are fast losing patience”. | Cameron said he and other had “hoped for publication of your report by now and we are fast losing patience”. |
| This country faces a very simple choice. We have got 1% of the world’s population, 4% of its GDP, but we undertake 7% of the world’s welfare spending. We can either carry on on a completely unsustainable path or we can continue to reform welfare so that work pays and we give a fair deal to those on welfare and indeed a fair deal to the people, the taxpayers of this country, who pay for it. | This country faces a very simple choice. We have got 1% of the world’s population, 4% of its GDP, but we undertake 7% of the world’s welfare spending. We can either carry on on a completely unsustainable path or we can continue to reform welfare so that work pays and we give a fair deal to those on welfare and indeed a fair deal to the people, the taxpayers of this country, who pay for it. |
| The pensions freedoms we introduced in April deliver a fundamental Conservative principle that people who have worked hard and saved hard all their lives should be trusted with their own money. There are clearly concerns that some companies are not doing their part to make those freedoms available. We are investigating how to remove barriers and we are considering now a cap on charges. I’m asking the Financial Conduct Authority to investigate. People who have worked hard and saved hard deserve a better deal. | The pensions freedoms we introduced in April deliver a fundamental Conservative principle that people who have worked hard and saved hard all their lives should be trusted with their own money. There are clearly concerns that some companies are not doing their part to make those freedoms available. We are investigating how to remove barriers and we are considering now a cap on charges. I’m asking the Financial Conduct Authority to investigate. People who have worked hard and saved hard deserve a better deal. |
| I tried to make this a general election issue but nobody really wanted to listen. The fact is we now have the beginning of an exodus of people coming from North Africa that could even reach biblical proportions ... | I tried to make this a general election issue but nobody really wanted to listen. The fact is we now have the beginning of an exodus of people coming from North Africa that could even reach biblical proportions ... |
| The government says it’s OK, don’t listen to Mr Farage because we are opted out of EU asylum policy. But all the Italians have to do is give people who come an EU passport and then any of them can come to Britain. | The government says it’s OK, don’t listen to Mr Farage because we are opted out of EU asylum policy. But all the Italians have to do is give people who come an EU passport and then any of them can come to Britain. |
| There is a problem with numbers but there is an even more serious problem and that is that Isis (Islamic State) have been absolutely frank in saying that they will use this migration of people to put jihadist fighters into Europe. | There is a problem with numbers but there is an even more serious problem and that is that Isis (Islamic State) have been absolutely frank in saying that they will use this migration of people to put jihadist fighters into Europe. |
| It takes us back to the beginning. It takes us back to what this referendum is going to be all about. Do we want as a country to control our own borders or not? | It takes us back to the beginning. It takes us back to what this referendum is going to be all about. Do we want as a country to control our own borders or not? |
| Our response to the contempt being shown in some quarters for ordinary, grassroots members of this party. pic.twitter.com/BLemH6oY2Q | Our response to the contempt being shown in some quarters for ordinary, grassroots members of this party. pic.twitter.com/BLemH6oY2Q |
| 1.38pm BST | 1.38pm BST |
| 13:38 | 13:38 |
| And here are three blogs on PMQs. | And here are three blogs on PMQs. |
| 1.33pm BST | 1.33pm BST |
| 13:33 | 13:33 |
| PMQs - Verdict from the Twitter commentariat | PMQs - Verdict from the Twitter commentariat |
| And this is what political journalists are saying about PMQs on Twitter. The verdict is fairly mixed. | And this is what political journalists are saying about PMQs on Twitter. The verdict is fairly mixed. |
| From the BBC’s Vicki Young | From the BBC’s Vicki Young |
| Apart from inappropriate (and unfunny) joke at the start of #PMQs Osborne has looked very comfortable standing in for Cameron | Apart from inappropriate (and unfunny) joke at the start of #PMQs Osborne has looked very comfortable standing in for Cameron |
| From the New Statesman’s George Eaton | From the New Statesman’s George Eaton |
| The story from Osborne's first #PMQs is his unwise, pre-scripted "Bennites" joke. | The story from Osborne's first #PMQs is his unwise, pre-scripted "Bennites" joke. |
| From the Guardian’s Gaby Hinsliff | From the Guardian’s Gaby Hinsliff |
| Joined #pmqs late due to an i'v but what I've seen of Osborne pretty smooth. As he shd be, having been prepping leaders for it since forever | Joined #pmqs late due to an i'v but what I've seen of Osborne pretty smooth. As he shd be, having been prepping leaders for it since forever |
| From the Sun’s Tom Newton Dunn | From the Sun’s Tom Newton Dunn |
| If that was an audition for the top job, some room for improvement. Osborne too sneery and looked uncomfortable, some obvious nerves; 4/10. | If that was an audition for the top job, some room for improvement. Osborne too sneery and looked uncomfortable, some obvious nerves; 4/10. |
| From the Independent’s Nigel Morris | From the Independent’s Nigel Morris |
| Limp joke about Bennites apart, Osborne looked comfortable at #PMQs | Limp joke about Bennites apart, Osborne looked comfortable at #PMQs |
| From the Daily Mirror’s Kevin Maguire | From the Daily Mirror’s Kevin Maguire |
| Must've slipped Osborne's mind his father-in-law has a financial interest in fracking or I'm sure he would've mentioned it #pmqs | Must've slipped Osborne's mind his father-in-law has a financial interest in fracking or I'm sure he would've mentioned it #pmqs |
| From the Independent on Sunday’s Jane Merrick | From the Independent on Sunday’s Jane Merrick |
| Osborne name-checking Northern Powerhouse is like an actor going on Wogan to plug new film. "Did I mention the Northern Powerhouse?" #pmqs | Osborne name-checking Northern Powerhouse is like an actor going on Wogan to plug new film. "Did I mention the Northern Powerhouse?" #pmqs |
| From Guido Fawkes’s Harry Cole | From Guido Fawkes’s Harry Cole |
| Po-faced Labour types will try make a stink about the Bennite gag timing, but George proves he can do it... #PMQs | Po-faced Labour types will try make a stink about the Bennite gag timing, but George proves he can do it... #PMQs |
| From the Times’s Tim Montgomerie | From the Times’s Tim Montgomerie |
| Comfortable. Solid. Safe. @George_Osborne won't be unhappy at his #PMQs debut. | Comfortable. Solid. Safe. @George_Osborne won't be unhappy at his #PMQs debut. |
| From Tony Grew | From Tony Grew |
| Osborne will be pleased with his #pmqs performance today -very prime ministerial. @hilarybennmp also did well. Thoughtful Qs | Osborne will be pleased with his #pmqs performance today -very prime ministerial. @hilarybennmp also did well. Thoughtful Qs |
| From the Financial Times’s Robert Shrimsley | From the Financial Times’s Robert Shrimsley |
| The problem with Osborne's Benn joke was not so much that he did it but that it wasnt any good | The problem with Osborne's Benn joke was not so much that he did it but that it wasnt any good |
| 1.20pm BST | 1.20pm BST |
| 13:20 | 13:20 |
| On Twitter Joe Dromey pulls me up for saying George Osborne has been successful as a chancellor in his own terms at least. | On Twitter Joe Dromey pulls me up for saying George Osborne has been successful as a chancellor in his own terms at least. |
| @andrewsparrow 'Osborne has been a successful (at least, in his terms) chancellor for five years'. Really? | @andrewsparrow 'Osborne has been a successful (at least, in his terms) chancellor for five years'. Really? |
| @andrewsparrow he has failed by his own measures - retaining AAA credit rating and eliminating structural deficit in one parliament | @andrewsparrow he has failed by his own measures - retaining AAA credit rating and eliminating structural deficit in one parliament |
| I was basing my claim on the assumption that Osborne’s primary measure of success is an electoral one. | I was basing my claim on the assumption that Osborne’s primary measure of success is an electoral one. |
| 1.18pm BST | 1.18pm BST |
| 13:18 | 13:18 |
| At PMQs George Osborne came up with a new statistic about welfare spending. | At PMQs George Osborne came up with a new statistic about welfare spending. |
| .@George_Osborne welfare stats there: uk has 1% of world pop, 4% of world gdp, 7% of global welfare spend | .@George_Osborne welfare stats there: uk has 1% of world pop, 4% of world gdp, 7% of global welfare spend |
| It is a British version of a claim that Angela Merkel, the German chancellor, is fond of making about Europe; that it has 7% of the world’s population, 25% of its wealth and 50% of its welfare spending. | It is a British version of a claim that Angela Merkel, the German chancellor, is fond of making about Europe; that it has 7% of the world’s population, 25% of its wealth and 50% of its welfare spending. |
| Full Fact examined it here. | Full Fact examined it here. |
| In the briefing after PMQs, government officials were not able to elaborate. | In the briefing after PMQs, government officials were not able to elaborate. |
| Osborne's new stat on UK has 1% world population but 7% of world welfare spending is based on 'an internal Treasury analysis', spksman says | Osborne's new stat on UK has 1% world population but 7% of world welfare spending is based on 'an internal Treasury analysis', spksman says |
| 1.08pm BST | 1.08pm BST |
| 13:08 | 13:08 |
| Back to the Labour deputy leadership contest, and the Labour party has confirmed that five candidates are on the ballot: Tom Watson, Caroline Flint, Stella Creasy, Angela Eagle and Ben Bradshaw. | Back to the Labour deputy leadership contest, and the Labour party has confirmed that five candidates are on the ballot: Tom Watson, Caroline Flint, Stella Creasy, Angela Eagle and Ben Bradshaw. |
| 1.06pm BST | 1.06pm BST |
| 13:06 | 13:06 |
| PMQs - Verdict | PMQs - Verdict |
| PMQs - Verdict: Some of the commentary before PMQs billed this as our chance to determine whether George Osborne would be up to the job of being prime minister. That’s not the best way of framing it, because Osborne has been a successful (at least, in his terms) chancellor for five years, and he is often the person David Cameron relies on most at PMQs for advice about what to say, and so there was never really much doubt about whether he is capable of standing in for the prime minister. He is, and he showed it today. | PMQs - Verdict: Some of the commentary before PMQs billed this as our chance to determine whether George Osborne would be up to the job of being prime minister. That’s not the best way of framing it, because Osborne has been a successful (at least, in his terms) chancellor for five years, and he is often the person David Cameron relies on most at PMQs for advice about what to say, and so there was never really much doubt about whether he is capable of standing in for the prime minister. He is, and he showed it today. |
| That said, he wasn’t great. In at least two places, he misjudged it, and struck the wrong tone. The joke about Hilary Benn and Bennites may have sounded fine in rehearsal, but when Benn opened with a serious, non-partisan question about Islamic State, he should have realised that the gag was inappropriate, and dropped it. Equally, when Jess Phillips asked about whether women in refuges would lose housing benefit, he should have stuck to his (semi-informative) answer, before launching into a broader rant about Labour’s stance on welfare reforms. | That said, he wasn’t great. In at least two places, he misjudged it, and struck the wrong tone. The joke about Hilary Benn and Bennites may have sounded fine in rehearsal, but when Benn opened with a serious, non-partisan question about Islamic State, he should have realised that the gag was inappropriate, and dropped it. Equally, when Jess Phillips asked about whether women in refuges would lose housing benefit, he should have stuck to his (semi-informative) answer, before launching into a broader rant about Labour’s stance on welfare reforms. |
| But these were not huge mistakes (although they do, perhaps, illustrate quite how polished David Cameron is at all this). Overall, Osborne was fine. He was helped by the fact that he had some news to announce too. He said the government might cap the amount pension firms can charge for withdrawal of money, and he had a go at the Chilcot inquiry for taking too long to publish its report. | But these were not huge mistakes (although they do, perhaps, illustrate quite how polished David Cameron is at all this). Overall, Osborne was fine. He was helped by the fact that he had some news to announce too. He said the government might cap the amount pension firms can charge for withdrawal of money, and he had a go at the Chilcot inquiry for taking too long to publish its report. |
| Benn was perfectly good as well. A former communities secretary, who now speaks on foreign affairs, he asked about radicalisation, a policy area that straddles both those portfolios, and he sounded authoritative and sensible. It helped that he was not trying to score too many political points. | Benn was perfectly good as well. A former communities secretary, who now speaks on foreign affairs, he asked about radicalisation, a policy area that straddles both those portfolios, and he sounded authoritative and sensible. It helped that he was not trying to score too many political points. |
| So, if this was an audition, Osborne passed. | So, if this was an audition, Osborne passed. |
| And why not extend the idea more widely? As I was monitoring Twitter during PMQs, the thing I saw was a retweet of this, from Labour MP Ian Austin. | And why not extend the idea more widely? As I was monitoring Twitter during PMQs, the thing I saw was a retweet of this, from Labour MP Ian Austin. |
| Here's an idea: Why not put candidates for Labour leader up against Cameron at PMQs? Give them each a week so public can see how they get on | Here's an idea: Why not put candidates for Labour leader up against Cameron at PMQs? Give them each a week so public can see how they get on |
| Sadly, though, it is probably not a runner. On the Daily Politics, when it was pointed out that this might mean Jeremy Corbyn speaking for the party in the Commons, Emma Reynolds, the shadow communities secretary, said it was probably best to let Harriet Harman carry on leading at PMQs. | Sadly, though, it is probably not a runner. On the Daily Politics, when it was pointed out that this might mean Jeremy Corbyn speaking for the party in the Commons, Emma Reynolds, the shadow communities secretary, said it was probably best to let Harriet Harman carry on leading at PMQs. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 3.14pm BST | at 3.14pm BST |
| 12.39pm BST | 12.39pm BST |
| 12:39 | 12:39 |
| Sir Gerald Howarth, a Conservative, praises Osborne for his long-term economic plan. He urges Osborne to spend 2% of GDP on defence. Defence of the realm should be the number one priority of the government, he says. | Sir Gerald Howarth, a Conservative, praises Osborne for his long-term economic plan. He urges Osborne to spend 2% of GDP on defence. Defence of the realm should be the number one priority of the government, he says. |
| Osborne says the government will set out its plans at the spending review. | Osborne says the government will set out its plans at the spending review. |
| Today is the 75th anniversary of the sinking of RMS Lancastria in the second world war, he says. It caused the biggest loss of life in a British sinking ever, and it was kept quiet during the war, he says. He says we should remember the victims today. | Today is the 75th anniversary of the sinking of RMS Lancastria in the second world war, he says. It caused the biggest loss of life in a British sinking ever, and it was kept quiet during the war, he says. He says we should remember the victims today. |
| And that’s it. | And that’s it. |
| I’ll post a verdict shortly. | I’ll post a verdict shortly. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 2.36pm BST | at 2.36pm BST |
| 12.34pm BST | 12.34pm BST |
| 12:34 | 12:34 |
| Labour’s Jim Dowd asks about the way writers are losing out from the calculation of public lending right because so many libraries are run by volunteers. | Labour’s Jim Dowd asks about the way writers are losing out from the calculation of public lending right because so many libraries are run by volunteers. |
| Osborne says he is happy to look at this issue. | Osborne says he is happy to look at this issue. |
| 12.33pm BST | 12.33pm BST |
| 12:33 | 12:33 |
| Osborne says, after 32 minutes, there has been not a single question from Labour on jobs. | Osborne says, after 32 minutes, there has been not a single question from Labour on jobs. |
| 12.32pm BST | 12.32pm BST |
| 12:32 | 12:32 |
| Osborne says tackling the problem of the radicalisation of young people is not something that will be solved easily, or perhaps even in this parliament. It requires parties to work together. | Osborne says tackling the problem of the radicalisation of young people is not something that will be solved easily, or perhaps even in this parliament. It requires parties to work together. |