Brown's first PMQs

As the dust settles on the new Prime Minister's first PMQs, the reaction has been surprisingly critical. The assumption seems to be that after 10 years of waiting to be PM, the transition to actually doing the job would be straightforward.

But, although I'm no great fan of Gordon Brown, I think the critics are missing the point. As Chancellor he had to answer questions once a month. And at Treasury questions there are three other ministers to share the load. And you know what the topic is going to be before you start. Whereas the PM has to answer questions every week, and in most cases (except those tabled by toadying backbenchers) you don't know what they are going to be about.

He gave some good answers, and some weak ones (eg protesting that the reason a terrorist group had not been banned yet was that he had only been in the job for five days). Probably the least helpful intervention came from former Home Secretary John Reid from the backbenchers who basically told the PM the answer he should have given to an earlier question!

But taking together Brown's reshuffle, his handling of the terrorist incidents and his opening statement on constitutional reform, I would say he has made a good start overall - as indeed the polls seem to be saying. So I'd cut him a bit of slack at PMQs for now!