Jeremy Corbyn is right: Cameron should have made his EU speech in the Commons

With David Cameron in Chippenham, it was left to the Europe Minister David Lidington to respond to Jeremy Corbyn’s urgent question. Cameron’s absence was poor form. Lidington manfully tried to claim that it was explained by the fact the government didn’t know when Tusk would publish the draft, but the media were only alerted that Cameron would give a speech in Chippenham after Tusk had said the deal would be announced at midday today.

Number 10 is defending Cameron’s absence by pointing to the fact he’d already decided to give a statement to parliament tomorrow—once the MPs have had a chance to examine the deal. But it was entirely predictable that Cameron would be urgent questioned once the proposed deal was published, and he should have been in the Commons to answer questions about it.

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In Cameron’s absence, Lidington—one of the safest pairs of hands in the government—batted away questions.