PMQs

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Discussion

Short Grain

Original Poster:

3,221 posts

235 months

Wednesday 4th June
quotequote all
Just watched an hour of PMQs during Politics Live on BBC2 today. My God, what do they think they're doing, or look like? Zero questions answered, it seemed to me. Just a load of evasion, name calling, blaming the previous government, and rather pathetic 'jokes'.

SKS stock 'answer', when he gave one was merely, "We will look at the question raised, and get back to you' The parties just seem to treat it as an excuse for various mps to shout out, what they think, are really funny in jokes, laughing uproariously at each 'witty' reply, and virtually slapping each others backs when they thought they'd scored a point!

What a waste of time and money! They look like a set of unruly school kids, and they get paid for it!

Rufus Stone

9,932 posts

71 months

Wednesday 4th June
quotequote all
It's been like that for years.

BikeBikeBIke

11,609 posts

130 months

Wednesday 4th June
quotequote all
Agree. It needs to be stopped, it's a national embarrassment.

Bo_apex

3,771 posts

233 months

Wednesday 4th June
quotequote all
and the PM wonders why the public are getting more unruly

Lead By Example

valiant

12,244 posts

175 months

Wednesday 4th June
quotequote all
It's a performative show for the backbenchers with rarely a sniff of actually answering the questions put to them.

As it ever was, it will be thus.

z4RRSchris

11,921 posts

194 months

Wednesday 4th June
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Jezza tried to make it a bit different when he first started which "worked" for a while. Its now back to public school debating

Vanden Saab

16,053 posts

89 months

Wednesday 4th June
quotequote all
What are you on about, the grown-ups are in charge now.

flames

Super Sonic

9,511 posts

69 months

Wednesday 4th June
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Ask silly questions...

ntiz

2,548 posts

151 months

Wednesday 4th June
quotequote all
I have never seen the point with PMQ.

The opposition side of the house asks questions the government with the majority doesn’t have to answer them if they don’t want to because they have the majority and will continue doing what they want to do regardless.

It’s just an opportunity for the the opposition to moan with no outcome.

z4RRSchris

11,921 posts

194 months

Wednesday 4th June
quotequote all
well thats all of parliment when you have a stonking majority like Labour do.

can do whatver they like, whip the MPs etc.

bitchstewie

58,477 posts

225 months

Wednesday 4th June
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Heard the first 20 minutes or so on the radio.

Absolute stshow to be honest.

Mr Penguin

3,456 posts

54 months

Wednesday 4th June
quotequote all
It is one of the few chances the PM has to really get cabinet ministers to give him the bad news that might come up so does serve a hidden purpose for government.

jesusbuiltmycar

4,863 posts

269 months

Wednesday 4th June
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Did he just mislead the house? If so that was enough to get Boris removed as an MP.

https://order-order.com/2025/06/04/watch-starmer-m...

INo doubt Labour's usual PH cheerleaders will be along to state that Guido is talking nonsense... when they do I hope they can point to some evidence that China opposed the Chagos surrender "deal"

airbusA346

1,926 posts

168 months

Wednesday 4th June
quotequote all
Last time I watched some of PMQs, Diane Abbott spent most of the time standing up and sitting straight back down. biglaugh

BikeBikeBIke

11,609 posts

130 months

Wednesday 4th June
quotequote all
ntiz said:
I have never seen the point with PMQ.

The opposition side of the house asks questions the government with the majority doesn t have to answer them if they don t want to
The opposition asks questions specifically intended to be a bear trap which the PM has to dodge then the PM dodges the question. Whichever party is on whichever bench.

Just scrap it and let them all do something more useful.

Randy Winkman

18,873 posts

204 months

Wednesday 4th June
quotequote all
Rufus Stone said:
It's been like that for years.
And as a just retired civil servant, I wrote answers for Labour, Tory and coalition ministers. Sorry everyone. hehe

oyster

13,128 posts

263 months

Wednesday 4th June
quotequote all
It's just one part of the oversight we can have of Parliament and Government.

It does have some benefits.

1. It ensures the PM is fully briefed and up to date on all possible issues affecting the country.
2. Allows non-friendly, non-selected audience members to directly question the PM.
3. Allows some local issues to gain national prominence and attention.

I can accept the jeering and party politics in return for the above 3 benefits and because PMQs is only 30 mins, once per week.

119

11,602 posts

51 months

Wednesday 4th June
quotequote all
BikeBikeBIke said:
The opposition asks questions specifically intended to be a bear trap which the PM has to dodge then the PM dodges the question. Whichever party is on whichever bench.

Just scrap it and let them all do something more useful.
Im reasonably sure the PM has a 'heads up' with what questions may be asked.

Mr Penguin

3,456 posts

54 months

Wednesday 4th June
quotequote all
119 said:
Im reasonably sure the PM has a 'heads up' with what questions may be asked.
Depends on how aware he is of what is going on - with Starmer it doesn't really matter because he just says what he wants to anyway whether it has anything to do with the question or not.

BikeBikeBIke

11,609 posts

130 months

Wednesday 4th June
quotequote all
119 said:
BikeBikeBIke said:
The opposition asks questions specifically intended to be a bear trap which the PM has to dodge then the PM dodges the question. Whichever party is on whichever bench.

Just scrap it and let them all do something more useful.
Im reasonably sure the PM has a 'heads up' with what questions may be asked.
Which is irrelevant to my point.