Thank God for PMQs today

[Idotoo1]

What will Keir Starmer ask do you think?

What would you like him to ask?

I would like him to ask about the chaos that seems to be test, track and trace, why the traffic light alert system seems to have been dropped, why the government ignored public health officials and scientists telling them it is too soon to relax the rules, why we have to have a dubious app, what they are going to do about the public losing trust and confidence in them (in general but especially after Dominic Cummings).

@Idotoo1

Isn’t the issue here that Rosie Duffield has not only resigned, but she has also not taken the public for fools, prompting the DVLA and opticians to advise people not to drive to test their eyesight, and really damaged a very important public health message?

Has she resigned as an MP? I believe she is only no longer a Whip, which is nothing more than a glorified prefect.

She did indeed 'take the public for fools' as she said only a few days before being caught that 'she was unable to visit her husband who had a heart attack, so Cummings should be ashamed'. Disgusting really to use this situation to score points considering she was probably with her bit on the side anyway.

Starmer said clearly be would sack anyone breaking the rules, so yes let's hope his hypocrisy regarding Duffield is brought up.

@TheFaerieQueene

I truly believe that in a time of national crisis the management of said crisis should be a cross party effort, with all of the population being represented, not just one party and one ideology. If they had come together as a parliament we would have had a much better outcome.

Hell no. It's a lovely sentiment, and I do agree with it whole-heartedly in theory.

But, back in the real world, like Brexit, the Tories must be absolutely made to own the mess they are making. Any cross-party effort would simply see the Tories blame Labour entirely for any faults. This is the government the people voted for, so they get to do all the job, not just the "easy" bits and then try and rope the other in when the going gets tough only to hang them out to dry afterwards.

@TheFaerieQueene

I truly believe that in a time of national crisis the management of said crisis should be a cross party effort, with all of the population being represented, not just one party and one ideology. If they had come together as a parliament we would have had a much better outcome.

This ^

I wonder if Starmer will appear with a court room wig and gown on today. His dramatic pauses and ridiculous attempts at being a cross examiner are painful to watch.

Absolutely challenge Government, question strategy and decisions. Just leave your ego at the door and work on cross party efforts rather than this cringe worthy display of one upmanship.

Coconut

Starmer sacked Duffield for her disgraceful behavior, it would be up to her local party to deselect her as an MP, all KS could do is remove the whip, she also didn't travel around the country with suspected CV or take CV into a hospital.

Only the govt can seek cross party involvement, it would be good to have some opposition members holding senior cabinet posts, however do you really see Johnson offering that?

@Idotoo1

Surely at some point in the not too distant future Boris will be replaced as even the Tory machinery must see how rubbish he is?

I am also scared for us.

Each Tory replacement has been worse. Johnson makes Cameron and May look like good leaders. There is no one in the party who would be any better or has experience. The whole party are woefully inadequate and inexperienced.

@CoconutMacaroon

Totally disagree. What really doesn't work with Boris or the other Cabinet members is the usual style of pontificating and asking several questions at once which leaves the person being questioned free to cherry pick the easy ones and waffle on until everyone's forgotten what the hard ones were. I watched Jonathan Ashworth ask Nick Hancock multiple questions in one go yesterday. For much of the time the camera was on Hancock's petulant face. I thought to myself he must have an excellent memory because he didn't make a note on his pad of any of the questions he was being asked. Or maybe he was just going to ignore the questions and waffle on in response .....yep.

The very refreshing thing about Keir is that his questions are so forensically clear and focused. And when Boris has finished rambling, Keir comes back at him and summarises Boris's response, drawing his own crystal clear conclusion. It's that style that really rattles Boris and leads him down the path of ridiculous promises (we'll have a world beating track and trace system in place in a few days sort of thing).

If people haven't watched Boris at last week's Liaison Committee meeting, it's well worth a look (I-player). Although he still rambles and obfuscates in a way only he can, it's refreshing to see him in a position where he's not in charge of when the questioning moves on. I bet he finds he's too busy doing important things to make a return appearance any time soon.

I want him to ask (i) about the track and trace fiasco (ii) how vulnerable MPs are now expected to represent their constituents, and (iii) to identify when we moved from level 4 to level 1, such as to allow the shielded to go out and about. So far KS has skilfully and effectively highlighted the governments ineptitude and lies.

'The very refreshing thing about Keir is that his questions are so forensically clear and focused. And when Boris has finished rambling'

The 'forensic' tag so very tedious. Everyone from Piers Morgan to Kay Burley also apparently 'forensic'. It seems to apply to people who patronise, mock and only listen to one side of a debate.

I won't disagree with you that Starmer is more articulate. However, he is using the situation to score political points and most watching can see straight through his hard stare.

He would do better to actually offer suggestions and assistance. I bet today he will say (with lots of dramatic pauses and stares) 'isnt it true prime minster that track and trace Is. Not. Fit. For. Purpose!!!! Bob from Leeds said he has not had to contact one person m'lud! What does the defence, sorry I mean the pm, say to this?!'

As I say I find his delivery tiresome. He isnt challenging government, he is an opportunistic showman imo.

I'd like KS to ask the massive windbag all that Gloria has listed above plus:
iv) How do the Government expect the public to adhere to ongoing public health instructions when their own top advisor doesn't (and for those pointing to Duffield - surely two wrongs don't make a right? if you are saying she acted wrongly then Cummings did too without so much as an apology. Plus the public get a chance to vote her out over her actions unlike Mr Untouchable.)
v) what their plan is for re-establishing public trust when they fail to be accountable (opening up shops as a distraction isn't really cutting it) inquiry still needs to be called
vi) when will they finally be introducing quarantine for international travellers and a definitive answer on how it will operate
vii) why the death rate in the UK is so much higher than other developed countries with similar demographics?

I don't expect a straight answer to any of the above. I bet Johnson is shitting himself and rightly so. I bet the rest of the party are shitting themselves too over what the buffoon will say next to incite public dispproval / bring their party into greater disrepute.

Richard Susskind now live in House of Lords - all about using the court system in a virtual way. Brilliant, calm and reasoned

...on parliamentlive

@MaxNormal

Scotinengland76 Rosie Duffield resigned, and wasn't a covid policy maker in the first place.

She didn’t resign

She stepped down from her role but she’s still an MP

Love all the hypocrisy on here.

I've got another question:
viii) why did the Government allow people in England to travel throughout the country for leisure during lockdown? If they had introduced the 5mile restriction as in the Scottish and Welsh policies the level of crowding on beaches and at beauty spots would have been greatly reduced. I suppose then they wouldn't be able to point the finger of blame for a further spike of cases on 'covidiots' and can suggest it's the publics own actions rather than their management of the pandemic that have caused such high levels of cases and deaths.

@FourTeaFallOut

I don't think we'll see rioting and looting, what makes you think that?

Rioting and looting should always be expected if the unemployment rate spikes massively, which according to the Bank of England it is set to do (from 4% to 9%). The US currently has the highest unemployment rate on record, at almost 15%. There was of course a crucial trigger in the murder George Floyd, but you can’t discount economic factors.

@CoconutMacaroon

'The very refreshing thing about Keir is that his questions are so forensically clear and focused. And when Boris has finished rambling'

The 'forensic' tag so very tedious. Everyone from Piers Morgan to Kay Burley also apparently 'forensic'. It seems to apply to people who patronise, mock and only listen to one side of a debate.

I won't disagree with you that Starmer is more articulate. However, he is using the situation to score political points and most watching can see straight through his hard stare.

He would do better to actually offer suggestions and assistance. I bet today he will say (with lots of dramatic pauses and stares) 'isnt it true prime minster that track and trace Is. Not. Fit. For. Purpose!!!! Bob from Leeds said he has not had to contact one person m'lud! What does the defence, sorry I mean the pm, say to this?!'

As I say I find his delivery tiresome. He isnt challenging government, he is an opportunistic showman imo.

Totally agree so easy to be critical when your party hasn’t had to make any decisions that affect the county for years.....

BoJo is such a gaslighter.

Boris may be a lying cheating hypocrite but he's (surely😳) not stupid enough to deliberately stir up civil unrest, that doesn't help anyone, especially the elites

‘I don’t see these endless attacks on public trust and confidence’ - delivered in angry tones.

He’s illustrating the lack of trust you fucking twat.

Aggressive lying is all I can see Johnson doing.

The old something must be true if someone says it is .

@Idotoo1

Aggressive lying is all I can see Johnson doing.

The old something must be true if someone says it is .

Did you miss the bit where Starmer whined/lied 'I wrote to you I haven't.. had.. a.. response..' Then Johnson said 'I rang you! We spoke on the phone'?

I will wait to read the published letter before deciding, and I have no reason to believe that BJ is being any more truthful than KS regarding the content of the phone call or the reason for it.

However, the above won’t change the fact that BJ lies about the number of tests undertaken, track and trace being up and running, PPE etc. Deflects questions about lack of trust. People are slowly being let out of lockdown without any reassurance that they are safe. The alert level still being at 4 really matters.

I wish KS had also asked questions about shielded people, and about the public health and scientific communities’ fears about lockdown easing.

I think @GloriaTeasdale got most of them

It doesn't really matter if you appreciate the style of the Prime minister or the Leader of the opposition during PMQ's. The Conservatives are in power, they are entirely responsible for what has happened and will happen during their tenure.