Cameron scores a direct hit with his “phoney” jibe

A good old-fashioned punch-up at PMQs today. Much dust was raised, much smoke emitted and our old friend, the Truth, barely got a look in. Brown was ready and waiting for Cameron when he led on the surge in unemployment to 2 million. His note of piety was well received, at least by his fellow Labour penitents. ‘I came into politics to tackle unemployment and poverty,’ said a sorry-sounding Prime Minister. Cameron asked him to admit he’d been talking ‘nonsense’ when he claimed Britain was better placed than other economies to survive the recession. Brown quoted investment figures at him, millions here, billions there. Cameron disregarded this and turned to the IMF’s analysis that our recession would be deeper and longer than elsewhere. The temperature was rising fast and Brown flashed angrily in reply. ‘Let me correct him,’ he yelled three times as he reeled off figures which Cameron, in fact, hadn’t challenged.