Wednesday 11 February 2009

We should stop Prime Minister's Questions

I'm off work today, looking after my ill son. He's content in front of CBBC, so I'm watching PMQs.

I'm coming to the conclusion - fast - that it is very accurately named. It consists of a number of questions, but sadly no answers. Brown has not answered a single one of the questions put to him. Every question is met with a pre-prepared rebuttal which answers a question Brown feels like answering. Usually this is unrelated to the question actually asked.

The exception, of course, is the planted questions. If Brown thinks these are not blindingly obvious, he is much mistaken. But even the questions from his own side get this treatment - he's not brave enough to answer even these ones.

The idea behind PMQs is to hold the PM of the day to account. It's not working. We should scrap it and think of a new way to cross-examine the PM.

2 comments:

  1. Or get a PM who can answer properly?
    Or a Speaker who makes him?
    Or do away with seeing all questions in advance?

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  2. "Every question is met with a pre-prepared rebuttal which answers a question Brown feels like answering. Usually this is unrelated to the question actually asked."

    Eerily like the way my place of work deals with queries from staff on it's 'Questions to the Management' Intranet page. They must have learned from the Master..

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