Prime Minister's Questions - Live (almost!)

I've just been sitting in the House of Commons for the weekly Prime Minister's Questions, and have come 'hot foot' to the HoC library to report back on what happened.

The way PMQs work is that the first question is always asked by a backbencher who has come first out of the hat. Today it was a loyal Labour backbencher who had clearly been 'lent on' by the whips. He asked a toadying question which enabled Gordon Brown to list the Government's achievements on the economy. MPs on all sides groan when we go through this charade.

Then we have David Cameron who has up to 6 goes. He went on Northern Rock. There's lots to criticise but the Tories have no answer, so we had a stand-off where DC kept asking questions and GB kept saying - do you support us or not? Neither would answer the other.

One interesting bit of Parliamentary protocol was breached incidentally. The custom is you address the Speaker, not the other person. So when you say "you" you mean the Speaker. But this looks a bit daft on the TV. Any ordinary MP would not be allowed to get away with this, but DC repeatedly said: "you have dithered.. " etc. so that the TV clip would be more effective than "The Rt. Hon. Gentleman has dithered..." I would guess a note from the Speaker's office may go out reminding DC not to do it again.

After a couple of backbenchers, Nick Clegg came in with another serious question, this time about home repossessions. Gordon Brown has no real answer on this as many thousands of people are clearly going to lose their homes this year. His feeble second response was to quote from the 'calamity Clegg' document prepared during the leadership election (surprised he didn't use that last week) which demonstrated he had nothing of substance to say. Whilst it got a good laugh inside the House (as Chris Huhne was sitting next to Nick), I suspect that 'real people' who are concerned about losing their homes will be more impressed with Nick raising the question that with GB's response.

We then had a run of backbench questions covering everything from Peter Hain, inflation, the murderer let out on bail, Devon naval base etc. A rather 'well built' Labour MP said that "whilst he didn't anticipate much demand for his kidneys and liver", he hoped the Government would get on with presumed consent re organ donation etc. Susan Kramer was called on spec. (as she wasn't on the list - shows the merits of 'bobbing up and down') and asked about Heathrow expansion, but got a patronising response from the PM.

After half an hour I'm not sure we know much more than we knew before. The Tories will clearly be probed hard about Northern Rock, especially if they have to vote on legislation to Nationalise it. Nick did well again and seems to be getting through his ordeal by fire, and I think the PM will have to come up with better responses on these serious isssues.