A Great Parliamentary Moment ... and the Queen's Speech

The Queen's Speech is usually one of the highlight's of the parliamentary year - but this year it seemed very slimmed down (and as a small state Tory I have no problem with that) but the relative lack of business does demonstrate a certain lack of focus and direction on the part of the government. However, whatever Brown's last full parliamentary year hailed, it was unlikely to beat the statement by Speaker Martin, which really did give us a marvellous parliamentary occasion.

It wasn't really much to do with what he said - although the revelations about the police not having a warrant may cause problems for the Acting Commissioner - but the tone and manner of the Point-of-Order contributions that followed it. What followed was a general cross party debate, where party advantage wasn't pressed and where the primacy of the Commons was at stake. MPs of all sides showed the dignified and serious response that this situation demands. The contributions from former Tory Leaders Michael Howard and Iain Duncan Smith, former LibDem Leader Sir Ming Campbell, former Minister Denis McShane, former cabinet minister Douglas Hogg and Tory grandee Sir Patrick Cormack delivered well presented, relevant and forensic insights into the current problem - demonstrating why our parliamentary democracy needs former frontbenchers to stay in the House to use their wisdom and experience in such a way. And when Ashford MP Damian Green spoke it was to deliver a perfectly crafted and devasting attack on the whole affair.

This clearly isn't the end of the matter and it will go on; however I think a competent performance by Speaker Martin may guarantee his job for a while yet. However if this gets worse then he could yet be in trouble.

What made me smile was the govenrment mortgage plan; not in the Queen's Speech but announced today, knocking the Green affair off the top media slot. Deliberate? From Brown? Hasn't he given up spin?

Sleeping dogs etc etc

According to Culture Secretary James Purnell (was it him, or a photoshop on screen ... hard to tell!) two Tory MPs fell asleep during Cameron's speech today, including one who fell forward into his knees. LibDem MP Chris Huhne then retorted that the Speaker fell asleep during Brown's speech! A lovely moment from Newsnight!

Brown's Vision

I was going to post a long post analysing the vision as laid out by Prime Minister Brown in today's Queen's Speech. But as so much of it was trailed in advance or simply stolen from other parties, I really don't think I can make that much of it.

It was dull - just, dull. This seemed like the Queen's speech of a ten year government rather, as Brown would have wanted, the Queen's speech of a new Prime Minister. It didn't excite me at all - I'm definitely not let down because I had no expectations of this Prime Minister at all.

The only point of note was the bad tempered exchanges between the two main party leaders. Cameron did extremely well and clearly won but in a scrappy debate that won't enhance politics at all. It seems the Browns and Camerons won't be going round for Sunday dinner then ...

The last thing to note is the BNP jibe that Cameron used over Brown's fluffed "British jobs for British workers" line. I don't think we ought to be suggesting that mainstream parties are accepting the BNP line but this line should scare the Labour Party and Brown in particular because their rhetoric on immigration is looking scarily like something from the far right.