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PMQS SCORE
When May’s away, the deputies play – but most MPs were more interested in the robin flying round the Commons
David Lidington took on Emily Thornberry - and showed up Theresa May's lack of energy
THERE was a moment when a stray robin flying around the House of Commons chamber was set to be the most exciting thing to happen all day.
The red-breasted intruder had MPs tweeting away, pondering what omen their feathered friend heralded - and with the way things are going in Westminster this year, who can blame them.
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With the Prime Minister in China it fell to the deputies to step up to the plate for PMQs - and it was a grudge match.
First Secretary of State David Lidington had not stared down Labour’s Emily Thornberry for more than a year - and she was not going to let him forget it.
12 months ago, with the Tories 17 points ahead in the polls, Mr Lidington put the boot in to accuse Labour of “quarrelling like the cast of the Mutiny of the Bounty, shot by the team from Carry On.”
It’s fair to say that line has not aged well...
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But with maximum smugness Ms Thornberry felt the need to ram that point home with a extra “what a difference a year makes”, seemingly worried no one had appreciated the subtleness of her humour.
It wasn’t all bad gags though, Labour wonks had clearly done their homework as they devoted the entire session in the uphill challenge of trying to get “coalition of cavemen” on the Government benches to back votes for 16-year-olds.
It’s probably not the most pressing issue of the day, but that has never stopped Labour at PMQs.
“I am the only Emily elected since 1918 and but there have been 155 Davids,” said Emily.
“It's a delight to see the Right Honourable Lady in her place, when no fewer than 97 of her frontbench colleagues have been sacked or resigned,” hit back David - who was also armed with stats.
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Mrs May must wish she could hit back with zingers like that.
Her heavy-footedness at these bouts was highlighted very clearly by the nimble and witty Mr Lidington.
So it must have hurt when Ms Thornberry gently asked: "If the party opposite is so proud of having a female leader, why are so many of them trying to get rid of her?"
Acutely aware he was being shown up as the biggest virtue signaller in the House, it was only a matter of time before Speaker Bercow got in on the act.
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Claiming people were interrupting a woman speaking, he branded the Government benches “noisy, boorish, and in one case, stupid”.
But by then it seems most people had switched off and were back to studying the robin - and who can blame them?
Final score: Lidington 4, Thornberry 2
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