PMQs offered a glimpse of Corbyn’s narcissism

PMQs began with tributes to the late Paddy Ashdown. The philandering man-of-action was the closest thing the Liberal Democrats ever got to James Bond. And though he was often ridiculed by MPs as a self-important windbag, today they hailed him as one of the greats. In this respect the House truly reflected the people. Death brings out the hypocrite in all of us.

May offered a few respectful words. The Lib Dems were represented by the weirdly pompous Sir Edward Davey whose knighthood has swollen his head without affecting the capacity of his brain. At least his tribute seemed genuinely heartfelt. The most sincere effort came from Jeremy Corbyn. ‘He was elected at the same time as me, in 1983,’ said Corbyn, recalling his arrival in parliament as if it were the highlight of Lord Ashdown’s career. ‘He and I spent a lot of evenings voting against what the Thatcher Tory government [sic] was doing at the time.