PMQs: After a strong start, Angela Eagle lost her way

It was George Osborne v Angela Eagle at PMQs today, with David Cameron at the G7 in Japan. Eagle, who is a far better despatch box performer than Jeremy Corbyn, started off by contrasting Osborne’s handling of Google’s tax affairs with the French authorities raiding the company’s Paris office. She then went on to do what Jeremy Corbyn won’t, or can’t do, exploiting Tory divisions over the EU referendum. She asked Osborne if he agreed with Priti Patel or Len McCluskey on the EU and workers’ rights.

But after this Eagle lost her way, her questions turned into mini-speeches and Osborne batted them away with increasing ease. By the end of their exchanges, the Chancellor had the upper hand.

Osborne then hand to deal with a series of blue on blue attacks from Brexit backing Tory backbenchers. Most of these failed to hit home and Osborne kept his responses as short as possible.