David Cameron harried Tony Blair about health service cuts, prisoner releases and Gordon Brown in the first PMQ of the new parliamentary session. We also learned that one MP is pregnant and another is on crutches - how things have changed since July.The House was in a bouyant mood after the long break. Labour MP Michael Foster had the first question, and while talking up the massive boost in the NHS in his Hastings constituency, the Tory MPs opposite chorused "but but but!" in anticipation of the point of his question. Foster blamed cuts on "bureaucrats," and the PM took the opportunity to reel off a list of his governments achivements.
"No buts just cuts," was Cameron's response. There was an exchange about moving high risk prisoners to low security jails, as the Opposition Leader claimed that the public are at risk.
"I know you only have a few goes left" he taunted Blair, then accused the government of paying foreign criminals to go home.
"Making sure that all these foreign secretaries ..." Blair stumbled, and at least admitted he would not be recovering from that one.
Cameron was on excellent form, and told the House that since Particia Hewitt announced that this is the best year ever for the NHS, 20,000 jobs had been cut and 80 community hospitals are under threat. The PM said his figures were wrong, and criticised Tory proposals for an independent commissioning board in the NHS.
David rounded on the relationship between No 10 and No 11. "I know the PM and the Chancellor do not talk anymore," and claimed Gordon Brown was in favour of the independent board. Would the Chancellor succeed him?
Mr Blair did not want to answer that, he wanted to return to the Tory proposals. The Speaker was not having it: "ORDER! ORDER! The Prime Mininster is going on too much about the campaigning document of the Conservative party. I give the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition elbow room. I ask the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition to take my advice before it becomes my instruction."
This is not the first time the Speaker has taken the PM to task for not talking about his own record and instead banging on about what the Tories may or may not do.
David Cameron returned to his straight question does the PM back the Chancellor. "I do - do you?" he said to cheers from his own MPs.
The PM tried to return to policy, but David Cameron was on his last supplementary question, so he kept with the personal.
"This government is divided and paralysed. The Chancellor is accused of blackmail, the latest Home Secretary wants the Prime Minister's job while the Deputy Prime Minister doesn't have a job but is still being paid."
It was an excellent performance from Cameron, and Blair did indeed appear to be on his last few PMQs.
The mood was lightened by the next question, from a very heavily pregnant Jessica Morden. MPs on all sides cheered her as she asked the PM to put in a good word with the whips about her maternity leave. Mr Blair promised to see what he could do.
Ming Campbell basically wasted his two questions asking about Northern Ireland. It was a very muted performance from the LibDem pensioner.
The tallest MP ever rose on crutches. At over 6' 8" Daniel Kawczynski's crutches were wooden and no doubt custom made. He asked a nice question about plans to build a Charles Darwin museum in his constituency. Can the PM help? Yes, and get better soon, was Mr Blair's response.
There was a question from Labour MP Ben Chapman about why troops serving overseas still have to pay council tax. The troops were on the minds of many MPs and the PM. Mr Blair said the MoD were giving our service men and women a tax free bonus.
LibDem Bob Russell wanted to know why our soldiers are dying in Afghanistan fighting terrorism while other NATO countries were not sending their troops.
Mr Blair pointed out that Canadian, American, Italian, French and German troops, even Finnish troops, had lost their lives in Afghanistan, but conceded that NATO need to do more. He also said it is important to remind the voters why we are there.
"Support our troops and have pride in the success of that they are doing there," he told the House.
