I THOUGHT that those of you who are interested in such things might like to see today’s order paper for PMQs in advance.
It’s impossible to predict how far down the questions we’ll get; question 10 is usually cited as the average but some weeks it’s hard to get past six and others it can go well beyond 10, so who knows?
I’ve tried to anticipate where others not named on the order paper might be expected to be called, and from which side of the House. Remember, this is just a rough guide.
Those who are numbered are those who are guaranteed to be called if the Speaker gets to them; I’ve inserted (in italics) where you might expect a random back bencher to get called. The convention is to take questions alternately from the government and opposition benches. My prediction is also based on the assumption that Cameron will take one go at the PM. He can, if he wishes, have two bites of the cherry, asking three questions each time, but he’s tended not to do that of late.
I was planning on Twittering during PMQs this week, but I’ve decided to try to become a random back bencher and try to get called to ask a question instead. Wish me luck.
1. Mr Gregory Campbell (East Londonderry): If he will list his official engagements for Wednesday 6 May.
Labour back bencher
David Cameron
Labour back bencher
Nick Clegg
Labour back bencher
2. Steve Webb (Northavon)
Labour back bencher
3. Mr Stephen Crabb (Preseli Pembrokeshire)
Labour back bencher
4. Andrew Rosindell (Romford)
5. Ms Celia Barlow (Hove)
6. Mr Gerald Howarth (Aldershot)
7. Kelvin Hopkins (Luton North)
Opposition MP
8. Jim Sheridan (Paisley and Renfrewshire North)
9. Mr Edward Garnier (Harborough)
10. Mrs Joan Humble (Blackpool North & Fleetwood)
Opposition MP
11. Mr David Kidney (Stafford)
12. Mr Graham Brady (Altrincham & Sale West)
Labour back bencher
13. Christopher Fraser (South West Norfolk)
14. Martin Linton (Battersea)
Opposition MP
15. David Taylor (North West Leicestershire)
Back to top
Wednesday 6 May 2009 at 11:34 am
I look forward to the twittering
Wednesday 6 May 2009 at 12:00 pm
I personally doubt if many people in the real world – as opposed to politics- care about PMQs.
Either Gordon is not there, or he does not answer the question or Cameron asks a silly question or slags off the PM etc.
Any suggestion that it makes any difference apart from TV sound bites is misguided.
After all, William Hague reputedly beat Tony Blair regularly at PMQs and much good it did him, or the electorate or anything else.
Wednesday 6 May 2009 at 12:36 pm
Well Blair killed him most of the times, I watched PMQ’s to day it was nasty bitter and entertaining for once, I’d say Brown won the argument sadly not the battle, the war well we will know that on election day.
Wednesday 6 May 2009 at 2:03 pm
What were you going to ask, Tom? It wouldn’t have been hard to ask a better question than the dreary offerings from the whips’ office.
Wednesday 6 May 2009 at 2:21 pm
I would say that Cameron went too heavily into Brown’s personality, showing Brown’s accusation to be correct. However, seeing as Brown never actually answers a policy question it seemed a bit rich requesting to be asked one, and I didn’t quite understand why Cameron decided not to call Brown’s bluff by actually asking one.
Out of interest, what would you have asked if you had been called?
Wednesday 6 May 2009 at 2:57 pm
How did Cameron manage to get away with saying ‘you’ so many times at PMQs today? The Speaker should have pulled him up.
Wednesday 6 May 2009 at 6:12 pm
I agree with Paul, if only for consistency on the Speaker’s part. That said, PMQs is pretty much Cameron’s only chance to actually debate the Prime Minister, given the latter’s absolute refusal to agree to proper TV debates.
Tom, what odds do you generally think you have each week of being called as a random backbencher at PMQs? I know that Privy Councillors have some sort of priority (although I’m not sure exactly how this works). If a MP’s been in the news recently on a prominant issue, are they more likely to be called?
Wednesday 6 May 2009 at 6:36 pm
“what odds do you generally think you have each week of being called as a random backbencher at PMQs?”
I wish I knew! I don’t stand every week, but back in the days when I did, I was still lucky to get called more than twice a year at most. There are some, though, who seem very lucky in getting their names onto the order paper.
Sometimes the Speaker will allow an MP to ask a question when it’s not “his turn”, especially if there has been an issue concerning his constituency.
Thursday 7 May 2009 at 3:49 pm
I watched the repeat of PMQ’s and thought that GB was right to point out the questions that could/should have been asked, and excuses for Cameron and his dreary acolytes childish PM bashing won’t wash.
.
As Tories frequently complain that Cameron doesn’t get an answer, maybe he should try to rephrase his questions more intelligently to obtain that outcome, and whining that GB is a bully is just a bit disingenuous after yesterday’s malicious performance from the leader of the opposition, and it’s par for the course too, that Tories aren’t here defending his performance either.
Leave a comment