to love PMQs?

[OTheHugeManatee]

Apparently something like 70% of MN thinks PMQs is 'outdated, unprofessional and needs to change'. So clearly I'm in a minority. But I actually love PMQs. It's on in the canteen at work every week and I always make the effort to be down there at noon on a Wednesday to watch the bunfight.

I don't care if it's rowdy. I don't really care if it's a bit old-fashioned. Plenty of modern things are a bit shit, being old-fashioned isn't necessarily bad. I don't even particularly care if no serious politicking happens there either. (Though I do think important dividing lines are drawn between the parties in the cut and thrust of live debate.) I enjoy watching it and frankly I'd rather have a political system with space for public bunfights than one built on shady EU-style deals in darkened rooms with nary a whisker of democracy or public scrutiny to be found in any of them.

Surely I'm not the only one?

I think you are, OP.

No I'm with you. I keep getting an annoying pop-up telling me there's a petition about it. I don't see what's wrong with it.

I love it too.

No, I like it too. I find it very entertaining and informative. I am mildly irritated by this campaign, I don't want to sign a petition and I keep being asked to by pop up.

I never even saw the original survey, the pop ups are annoying. Why is it assumed we all agree with it and need to be reminded to sign it?

But why do you love it?

What's attractive about toffs guffawing and bellowing at each other? It's just a "who can piss the highest" contest, only indoors and with suits

PMQ = Prime ministers Questions?

I love them. If we didn't have them, then we'd never know that our MP's were in Parliament and they could get away with doing naff all. There's nothing wrong with seeing David Cameron getting a bashing, what the hell are MNHQ thinking? If you're going to campaign, at least make it something worthwhile, like having NRP's who avoid paying maintenance arrested and charged with child neglect. Now, that's a worthy cause.

I'm not signing the petition. I'm a lawyer and I like public law, so this interests me.

it isn't just toffs guffawing

that is not true at all. There are many reasons for NOT liking it but I don't think that kind of prejudice is appropriate. Not all MPs went to Eton you know just the front bench then

You should hear the arguments. Who needs Eastenders!

It's not all toffs though, is it? I think the short clips that are often replayed give the wrong impression of the whole event. You have to watch it all the way through and listen to the range of questions, many of them about individual constituency issues.

You can be a toff and not have been to Eton, humphrey.

It's not prejudice to hate watching privileged, (mostly) white, (mostly) men behaving like toddlers.

OP, if this is democracy, I despair.

I would hate prime minsters question time to be sanitised. I am pleased that individual MPs can put questions to the PM on the behalf of consituents.

PMQ time is part of the tradition of the houses of commons. If you don't like it then don't watch it.

I think you are prejudiced, lots of MPs are not 'toffs'. WTF is a toff anyway - someone richer than me or you?

If you can tell me specifics about what is bad about it (there are lots of things that are not ideal) then I will concede you have a point, but talking about posh white people is not an argument for banning PMQs. Possibly an argument for better representation in the House of Commons, but that is a different matter.

MPs get to ask the Prime Minister difficult questions, I see nothing wrong with that in a democracy.

I'd be interested to know how differently they would behave if it wasn't televised.

"If you don't like it, then don't watch it".

We're not taking about Eastenders here, really.

Oh, hang on ...

But it's not at 'bunfight'. It's largely posh men trading petty personal insults while some more posh men yah and boo behind them. It's embarrassing. There is absolutely no need for the insults (and I'm sure they were taught why that's no good debating practice at their expensive public schools). And the sarcastic use of 'right honourable gentleman' makes my blood boil.

MPs putting questions to the prime minister so as to elicit reasonable discussion would be great, but what we have is just dreadful.

I think it was Michael Portillo who defended the way pmq's is traditionally for me.

Basically if you're going to raise an issue then you'd better make sure you can defend your argument and sound like you mean it, because you will be ripped to shreds if you can't.

I think it does turn into stupid, snipey sound bites at times, but if it's too often and makes you feel like it's ridiculous it's probably more to do with the over styled and pr primed politicians occupying the seats than it is with the rambuticious nature of it. Vote in people who aren't twats and you'll likely see an improvement.

I couldn't give a shit if other countries are 'laughing' at us - stones and glass houses spring to mind. There are plenty of things I'm grateful don't happen here that regularly go on in other political arenas so if they enjoy their moment of amnesic smug, let them.

YANBU.

Of all the things wrong with the world PMQs (which isn't even wrong in my book) is hardly top of the list.

As a lawyer I'd be far more impressed if they were campaigning for a criminal investigation of Wonga impersonating solicitors (which I've always understood was a criminal offence)

Wonga claim people who received these fraudulent letters will be compensated. This happened 4 years ago. I would guess many of the people who have to resort to Wonga are not the sort of people who will be easily tracked down. Sorry off topic but just one far more pressing wrong.

Have you listened to the whole thing? It is often very informative. I listen to it most weeks. How much HAVE you listened to it? Or is it just the soundbites on the tv or radio that you are familiar with, it gives a misleading impression imo.

Thanks for filling me in - with my history, PMQs are Private Married Quarters - military family housing.

But they shouldn't be able to pull out sound bites like that. If the people involved would act like fucking adults through the session, then it would all be fine. There is no excuse for any if that shit.

And being able to get your mates to shout others down is not the same as providing a good counter-argument.

phaedra, there's no reason why MPs can't investigate the wrongdoings of Wonga and behave like civilised human beings in the House of Commons.

The two aren't mutually exclusive.

Suburban I meant MNHQ, Why aren't they suggesting a petition re a criminal investigation/sanctions of Wonga?

I think the one re PMQs is just silly.

Well those ARE better arguments for changing it. I still think there is a place for that kind of freedom of expression in responding to the front bench though. I mean, they really deserve it sometimes, no?

To be clear, of all the awful things in the world one could legitimately get up a head of steam about PMQs just doesn't figure.