Tony Blair and David Cameron clashed repeatedly over prison sentences in a heated and bad-tempered PMQ.
The start of the session was somewhat muted - Barnsley MP Eric Illsley asked a closed question asking the PM to consider recalling the Bichard inquiry set up after the Soham murders. Illsley was unhappy about the implementation of the inquiry's recommendations, in particular the national database of those who are a danger to children.
Mr Blair declined to recall Sir Michael Bichard to report on progress, said that data-sharing is at an advanced stage and acknowledged the database will not be complete until 2010.
The solemnity was broken by Plaid Cymru MP Elfyn Lloyd. He was just getting into a rant about the Home Secretary when the Speaker interrupted him. Mr Speaker was surprised at an MP of Lloyd's experience would make such a simple error. Supplementaries on a closed question must refer to the topic, unlike the usual open questions at PMQ.
Everyone laughed, and Lloyd missed his turn. At this point Joan Walley asked the one we are used to, at which Tony Blair did what he does every week. For at least the fifth week running, the PM drew attention to the death of another British soldier.
Then he listed his engagements - none of which involved visiting the injured or the families of the dead.
It had to happen sometime. We got away with it last week. Strangely it was a women MP who raised the World Cup, urging the prime minister to wish the England team success. Joan Walley then lightened the mood further, name-checking a report into European sport instigated by "Captain Caborn", sports minister Richard Caborn.
She got a bit carried away with her own success and was handed a yellow card for talking too long - told to sit down by the Speaker.
The PM did wish the team well. This left David Cameron with the difficult task of mourning a British soldier and then praising the national football team. He handled it with skill, and asked his first question - 40 days of the new home secretary. In that time he accused Reid of undermining his department, shelving government policies and misleading the House.
This seemed to anger Blair, who gave us a long explanation of the new sentencing regime contained in the 2003 Criminal Justice Act. Guess who voted against it.
Cameron came back with an emphatic "Right!" and demonstrated that all those perverts and murderers were let out because of Labour's sentencing policy.
Blair responded with a pretty furious "Excuse me! But the right honourable gentleman is talking absolute rubbish!" When Blair is over-polite it is a sign he has been needled. The exchanges descended into more argy-bargy and accusations, with both men trying to convince the other they were wrong. Blair accused Cameron of talking tough to the press and voting soft in the House - in fact he said it twice.
Cameron said John Reid should stop blaming everyone else and get in with his job. He was given a rough ride by backbench Labour MPs, facing such a wall of noise at one point out the obvious: "The only reason they are shouting is because they don't like it!" They clearly didn't like it.
Neither did the Speaker. He named and shamed, getting to his feet to tell the MP for Wansdyke: "Mr Norris, I know you are enjoying yourself, but do not shout at me."
The next backbench question wanted the same answers on sentencing from the PM, but the barracking and shouting died away as Cardiff MP Julie Morgan raised the case of a three-year-old girl in her constituency. The girl was abducted and abused - her attacker could be out again in five years. She wanted assurances from the PM. He told a silent House he would do his best.
Next, Ming Campbell gave another strong performance. He chose to ask about the cost and waste of nuclear power, and wanted to know why the government had changed its mind on new builds.
Strangely, instead of dismissing the question, the PM answered it in some detail, listing the reasons he feels are behind the need to use all available power sources. Why is he being so nice to Ming?
Cameron had another go with a pair of questions about NHS nurses that made little impact, though he did make quite a bit out of Patricia Hewitt's "crass insensitivity" in telling nurses about the best year in the NHS - ever! Which was 2006, apparently.
Blair batted him away, saying the Tories opposed pay deals, extra jobs and wanted to take away the nurses' pensions. Those mean Tories.
The PM, with the efficiency of a pest controller, dealt with questions on the Forest Gate incident, ID cards, local government, parole, public sector pensions, the Saudis, IRA decommissioning and pardons for WW1 deserters with a series of non-answers.
It was a heated session, but while Cameron managed to anger the PM, he most certainly did not defeat him. Blair is the master at this particular game.
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