As the oldest parliament yawned, the oldest civilisation erupted

One yawn every minute. That’s how PMQs felt today. Foreign affairs dominated the session as Ed Miliband and the Prime Minister exchanged lofty words about the Cairo demonstrations and the spread of democracy around the world. Doubtless they felt they struck a suitably elevated tone but to the viewers they came across as a pair of prep school smart-alecs trying to sound like great statesmen disposing of liberated peoples after the fall of empires. Egypt and Afghanistan were both treated to a torrent of high-minded vacuities.

David Cameron found the demonstrations ‘incredibly moving.’ Ed Miliband was impressed by the sight of ‘hundreds of thousands of people facing overwhelming odds to ask for their democratic rights.’ ‘I know that people prefer a bun-fight,’ said the Prime Minister, (meaning PMQs not Egypt), ‘but sometimes it’s better to have a serious conversation.’ A burst of hear-hears should have greeted this pious tosh. But the mother of parliaments had already put her feet up and was enjoying a sneaky catnap.