Week after week, Theresa May seems completely unable to answer Jeremy Corbyn at PMQs. Today’s session was no exception, with Corbyn making damaging points about May’s excruciating lack of clarity or detail regarding the biggest political issue facing Britain today: the terms of Brexit.
The mainstream media has, as usual, decided to attack the leader of the opposition, despite May’s exceptionally weak performance.
Corbyn probed the Tories’ total lack of clarity over Britain’s departure from the EU, as well as Theresa May’s consistent inability to ever actually answer a question, by comparing her to one of the ‘great philosophers’: Baldrick from Blackadder.
Pushing May to deliver some actual answers on Brexit, the Labour leader asked:
On Monday, you told the House, ‘We have a plan which is not to set out at every stage of the negotiations the details’.
I’ve been thinking about this for a couple of days. I think when you’re searching for the real meaning and the importance behind the prime minister’s statement, you have to consult the great philosophers.
The only one I could come up with is Baldrick, who says, ‘Our cunning plan is to have no plan.
May’s response was a complete evasion of the point, instead mystifyingly attempting to link Baldrick’s comical ineptness with the Labour Party.
I’m interested that the right honourable gentleman chose to support Badrick, of course the actor playing Baldrick was a member of the Labour Party as I recall
May wasn’t the only Tory to miss the point of the Baldrick remark, as this Tweet from the Telegraph’s Asa Bennett shows.
#pmqs Baldrick on the agenda. Corbyn cites his "cunning plan" line to attack Brexit. May notes he is quoting @Tony_Robinson, a Labour member
— Asa Bennett (@asabenn) October 26, 2016
Asa I hate to break it to you and Mrs May, but Corbyn wasn’t quoting Tony Robinson, he was quoting a fictional character that Tony Robinson plays.
Tony Robinson the ACTOR that plays Baldrick decided to chip in and clarify his position on Baldrick.
Baldrick means Baldrick #pmqs
— Tony Robinson (@Tony_Robinson) October 26, 2016
He later confirmed – owing to doubts surrounding whether or not he quit the party – that he is indeed still a member of the Labour Party.
Just to clarify, I am still a member of the Labour Party. 40 years and counting #coregroupturnip
— Tony Robinson (@Tony_Robinson) October 26, 2016
However we still don’t know which political party Baldrick lends his support to. Perhaps Asa could use his journalistic prowess to clarify this for us one day?
After the Baldrick remark, Corbyn continued to press May for answers over Brexit
Brexit was apparently about taking back control but the devolved governments don’t know the plan, businesses don’t know the plan, Parliament doesn’t know the plan. When will the Prime Minister abandon this shambolic Tory Brexit and develop a plan that delivers for the whole country?
May responded in her usual vague and evasive manner:
I’ll tell the right honourable gentleman what we’re going to deliver, we’re going to deliver on the vote of the British people, we’re going to deliver the best possible deal for trade, in goods, and services, both with, and operation within the European Union.
And we’re going to deliver an end to free movement, that’s what the British people want, and that’s what this government are going to deliver for them
Yet another PMQs where May failed to provide any solid or useful answers.
May is starting to develop a reputation for political vagueness, bordering on the Trump-esque, as an astute Twitter user pointed out.
Theresa May starting to sound like Donald Trump: "We're going to deliver the best possible deal" #PMQs
— ✨ Dean Tāne ✨ (@Maccadaynu) October 26, 2016
How long until May starts telling us she wants to make Britain great again? I shudder to think.
Corbyn then went on to question the PM about the Government’s involvement in the ongoing Yemen crisis.
Asking if she would discontinue support for Saudi Arabia as a member of the UN Human Rights Council, given that they are a world leader in human rights abuses.
May failed to provide any answers to the questions, and said the the government are seeking to work with the Saudis to find a “political solution”.
Despite the fact that May never answers questions, and has consistently failed to provide a clear strategy for Brexit, the mainstream pundits still thought the PM came out on top in today’s PMQs.
Instead of focusing on what Corbyn did ask, many mainstream pundits attacked the Labour leader for not questioning her about this morning’s leaks regarding speeches she made to Goldman Sachs prior to Brexit.
Corbyn missed open goal to destroy May after she warned Goldman Sachs that Brexit would be disaster. She won #PMQs by default
— Kevin Maguire (@Kevin_Maguire) October 26, 2016
And, presumably if Corbyn had used his allotted questions to focus on May’s leaked speeches, the very same pundits would probably be asking why he’s not asking more pressing questions about the real issues of today. Y’know, like Brexit.
Corbyn’s damned if he does, and damned if he doesn’t. This is why we need a completely new media.
