Dave misses his opportunity

Does Cameron fluff PMQs on purpose? Some theorists say he lets Brown off the hook in order to keep the weakling in his job. I don’t buy that. A politician’s natural instinct makes him want to win every session, every question. But Brown sometimes sneaks through intact because Dave rarely varies his tactics. He doesn’t prepare ambushes. He never ponders what Brown wants to hear least.

Today the Tories had a great opportunity. Brown’s recent flip-flop over the training of TA soldiers for Afghanistan was inspired, in part, by Dave himself, who raised the issue a fortnight ago. But Dave’s tone was wrong. He thought he was the point – not the soldiers. He spent time bigging up his part in the U-turn rather than giving thanks that troops are now going to war adequately trained. It was clear what Dave would do next. He’d link this U-turn to Brown’s other major policy somersault this week, his decision to promote as EU president the very man he ousted from Number 10.