Some tips for David Cameron on ‘answering the question before last’
David Cameron: He’s no Mastermind.
Today in Prime Minister’s Questions, Jeremy Corbyn struck a body blow against David Cameron when he accused the prime minister of “answering the question before last”.
He was commenting on the behaviour highlighted by a commenter calling him/herself Jaraine on the Guardian‘s live blog: “Labour’s Khalid Mahmood asks why the number of skilled apprenticeships has fallen.
“Cameron says the government is building more houses.”
Some readers may not grasp the reference. It is to a sketch by The Two Ronnies in which Messrs Barker and Corbett play quizmaster and contestant on Mastermind.
Corbyn was (appropriately) casting himself as the Ronnie Barker character – serious and professional, with Cameron as Ronnie Corbett – equally serious, but spouting apparent nonsense in response to each question.
This chimes perfectly with what Jeremy Corbyn wrote in an Independent column earlier – that Cameron has yet to provide him with a straight answer after 100 questions.
So, for your pleasure and Mr Cameron’s instruction: If he’s going to answer the question before last, here’s how to do it properly.
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I note Cameron ignored a question about B&Q employees being £50 a week worse off after the “living wage” is introduced because B&Q will be altering conditions of employment. (They are not the only employer using that tactic.)
The reference made me smile, I have to admit. I’ll have to dig out my old Two Ronnies DVDs and have myself a laugh later. :)
Saw an article on this and was shocked that so many commentors were so hostile to Corbyn almost as if any comment in agreement had been ‘disposed of’. Poor man cant get any sprt of fair hearing. He must be terrifying them!
its happening on the public sector too. Unison are weak in their negotiations due to the apathy of public sector workers.
they are caring public sector workers and strikes are not likely. this has been exploited in negotiation of terms and conditions for all public sector workers. thus the privatisation in the future will be for contracts of zero hour contracts with no overtime or enhancements payable for public holidays if tories are elected again.
I stopped watching PMQ’s because every time Cameron was unable to justify any kind of answer to a question he would repeat the same mantra about how the Tories had done this and that and delivered a stronger economy – all of it lies. What angered me the most was that no-one in their next question to “Dave” ever said thanks for not answering the question and giving us the propagandist spiel of which hardly any of the content was evidenced.
i wouldn’t believe CaMoron if he told me the world was round.
Don’t – it’s an oblate spheroid.
How about a national zero hours shopping day. Where we all do our shopping at one period of the day. Preferably when it’s most inconvenient to the organisation, say 1 hour before closing time!