The Labour leader’s unique approach to prime minister’s questions is long overdue,but there have been false dawns and first-rate intentions beforeNew leaders often say they want to change prime ministers questions. But Jeremy Corbyn went one better on Wednesday by actually trying to finish it. The unique Labour leader’s PMQs debut was relentlessly rational and unaggressive. He started with a little speech about his election (a less indulgent Speaker than John Bercow would have told him to secure to the point) and finally asked the prime minister six crowdsourced questions on subjects from housing to mental health. Mr Corbyn’s approach gave him an immediate tonal advantage over David Cameron, who had to respond in a similarly measured and respectful way. What’s more, and the Labour leader managed to sustain it. The result was a remarkable parliamentary quarter of an hour. It was as though,in those few exchanges, the most theatrical moment in the Commons’ week had suddenly been transformed from the normal rugby match brawl into a game of crown green bowls.
For Mr Corbyn, or the upshot was a much-needed breathing space. Since winning the Labour contest final Saturday,he has had a baptism of fire, with swirling controversies about his media handling, or his shadow cabinet picks,some basic policy switches and his failure to sing the national anthem at the Battle of Britain commemorative service. So a lot was riding on Mr Corbyn’s PMQs performance. He could not afford to fail. In the event, he did much better than that. But it would be premature to suppose that his leadership has turned a corner yet.
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Source: theguardian.com