PMQs. Time for a change?

[nlogax]

I made the mistake of watching PMQs today, a weekly event that - way back when - was a serious and worthy insight into a government's accountability and responses to (insert topical thing here).

While the questions remain as serious and as pressing as ever, the answers..don't. Evasion and media training all come to the fore. Nobody really answers anything anymore, at least in any full or serious sense.

Sure, it's been heading towards this level of farce for at least the last two decades, but now this political pantomime is so utterly tiresome. I wonder what will happen to it. Will Parliament acknowledge it fulfils no real purpose in this day and age? What could be done to force PMQs into being a meaningful barometer of democracy - or is it time to retire PMQs gracefully and come up with an alternative?

 

[DarloRich]

serious and worthy insight into a government's accountability

It has never been that. It is knockabout theatre designed to land a soundbite on the evening news and land a humiliating verbal blow on the PM or leader of the opposition. I love it.

The main work of scrutiny is done in the committee rooms.

 

[nlogax]

It has never been that.

I'd respectfully disagree - I remember it used to have a purpose, or at least it used to be taken a lot more seriously. Parliament is considerably noisier place these days which doesn't help.

One clip I always return to - say what you like about the PM and the back bencher involved at the time (I can't stand either), it struck a far more measured tone than how things are now..

 

[deltic]

Commons has always been incredibly noisy and in some cases was far worse before it was televised in terms of abuse and gestures thrown by each party at each other. PMQ is principally about the two main party leaders trying to show their own parties they are in control and can sock it to the other side. It has nothing to do with asking or answering questions.

 

[jon0844]

It has never been that. It is knockabout theatre designed to land a soundbite on the evening news and land a humiliating verbal blow on the PM or leader of the opposition. I love it.

The main work of scrutiny is done in the committee rooms.

Do you still love it? There was a point where you had the 'banter' but actually some answers too. Now it seems to be the slagging match with nothing more than scripted soundbites.

It's as entertaining as watching a faux reality show, although given they're so popular I guess we're set to continue with this form of politics. Social media has ensured that everyone is judged on what they can get in a 280 character Tweet these days. Anything more will be truncated, so you may as well just continue the charade.

 

[DarloRich]

Do you still love it? There was a point where you had the 'banter' but actually some answers too.

It is about the soundbites. it is pantomime about the political leaders getting on stage and selling themselves to the nation. If you want stolid scrutiny head to he committee rooms. That is where the government is held to account and the real skeletons unearthed.

 

[jon0844]

I know, but it never used to be that bad.

 

[hexagon789]

I know, but it never used to be that bad.

Personally I think it's actually less noisy than 25-30 years ago. I'm reminded of Speaker Betty Boothroyd saying to an MP: "You must project your voice, it's no good me telling them to be quiet because they won't you know!"

At least you can generally hear what's being said, but I've always thought it was more of a performance than a political debate as such.

 

[Bromley boy]

I know, but it never used to be that bad.

It’s probably worse now than in the past because neither Teresa May nor Jeremy Corbyn are particularly good orators.

 

[DarloRich]

I know, but it never used to be that bad.

I think in modern times it has been. The style may have changed slightly but the ethos remains the same: Answer the question you want to answer not the question they asked.

 

[hexagon789]

It’s probably worse now than in the past because neither Teresa May nor Jeremy Corbyn are particularly good orators.

Indeed, neither are particularly interesting to listen to.

 

[jon0844]

Indeed, neither are particularly interesting to listen to.

I only ever see the soundbites these days, but does Jeremy still ask questions on behalf of constituents? All genuine, I'm certain.

 

[hexagon789]

I only ever see the soundbites these days, but does Jeremy still ask questions on behalf of constituents? All genuine, I'm certain.

I believe so; I'll be honest I tune out a bit, but I can recall him doing so fairly recently, yes.

 

[Domh245]

From memory, they weren't (necessarily) constituents but rather anyone who'd sent him a letter. And I don't think he's done it since last year's GE at least, or certainly not on a regular basis - he's switched to more targeted questions about current events rather than whatever people were writing to him about (much as they might have been semi-relevant)

 

[Busaholic]

The problem is with the type of people who are being selected as candidates for winnable seats by both Labour and Conservative. So few now have any great experience of anything away from the political mainstream, unless they are lawyers, so they're usually coming from such a small pool, even when selection is done with gender or ethnicity in mind. At least the SNP intake a couple of elections ago brought a breath of fresh air. So many MPs are inarticulate when supposedly answering questions, or even when making statements, and that is a change for the worse compared to some time ago. There have always been 'thicko' MPs, party fodder, but they were balanced by some good intellects and wits. Any MP now showing these qualities is liable to be suppressed at an early stage, unfortunately for democracy.

 

[birchesgreen]

I only ever see the soundbites these days, but does Jeremy still ask questions on behalf of constituents? All genuine, I'm certain.

I've received emails asking for potential questions, so party members but constituents all the same.

I used to like PMQs but loathe it now, open lying by the PM isn't challenged.

 

[jon0844]

I've received emails asking for potential questions, so party members but constituents all the same.

I used to like PMQs but loathe it now, open lying by the PM isn't challenged.

I am sure people are asked, but I always wonder if the questions asked were really genuine, or at the very least unmodified?

Maybe it was just the whole idea of trying to shame the PM by asking questions on behalf of someone else that seemed funny to me.. as in the PM can attack the leader of the opposition, but it's somewhat harder when it's Mrs Ethel Dorothy Jones, 85, who asked the question.

Frankly, given it's just entertainment these days I suppose the next step would be to allow Ethel to ask the question herself. ITV could take over the Parliament channel and the public could vote on who gets to appear...

 

[birchesgreen]

They'll get enough questions i suspect, seems like it would more trouble than it's worth to make things up (especially if the right wing press found out!), but in this age of idiocy who knows these days?