Brown fends off Cameron’s attacks – for now

Another good day for Gordon Brown – not because anyone watching PMQs from the gallery would have been inspired (not even Lord Mandelson) but because he has so much to be guilty about and brushed a lot of it off. The highlight of this PMQs was about how the two party leaders use the recession as weapon, both testing the strength of their positions.

Cameron started by asking if Brown was wrong to predict an end to boom and bust. As Brown is programmed never to admit error, this question will always leave him looking evasive. He responded, rather oddly, by listing countries he claims are not copying the Tory policy. “No one except him is proposing to cut public spending at this time.” A lie, of course, the Tories propose to increase it. But I note that even Cameron didn’t correct him. Nor when he claimed there would be DWP cuts.