David Cameron’s entrance to the Commons at noon was cheered so ecstatically by his backbenchers that broadcasters decided to run the footage again, straight after PMQs.
The Tory cheers redoubled when Ed Miliband rose to quiz the PM. Miliband, however, had discovered a flaw in the prime minister’s position. He probed him on his voting intentions in the European referendum. This should have been clear and simple. It was anything but.
‘Can he guarantee that he will vote Yes?’ said Miliband
‘Yes,’ said Cameron. And he immediately added, ‘I want Britain to be part of a reformed EU.’ So the answer slithered out into a single gloopy sound-bite. ‘Yes-I-want-Britain-to-be-part-of-a-reformed-EU.’
Very clever. And pretty devious. He appeared to be guaranteeing a Yes vote but he was really just expressing his positive hopes for the negotiations. Miliband spotted this. ‘That wasn’t quite a complete answer. Let’s press him further.
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