PMQs Post-Mortem

So, a return to the ring for Brown and Cameron after their respective sojourns in Brighton and Manchester. However after the plots and drama of the last few days, the expenses hot potato is something of an elephant in the room, being conspicuous by its absense. I suppose its not really an issue either party see as a major point-scoring opportunity, and both will be wary of exposing discontent in their own ranks.

Infact the normally theatrical PMQs are distinctly sombre from the outset, despite a packed house. The mood can't have been helped by the long list read out by Brown detailing the names and rank of those killed over recess. Cameron opens up with some salvos on troop provisions and training, but they are hardly stinging. GB gives his customary 'I will write to you' response on any issue wherein he's lacking in statistics and initiatives to counter. You also get the impression that he's holding his cards close to his chest on the issue until he gives his statement after PMQs. Both Brown and Cameron seem to be trying to out-statesman the other on the issue of Afghanistan. Only Clegg fails to get in on the act by trying to extract a pre-emptive condemnation of the Afghan government's legitimacy from the PM. GB wisely states that he is reserving judgement until after the results have been analysed. Clegg also gets loudly booed by certain members, presumably because of his brave/foolish stance on expanding Sir Thomas Legg's remit in relation to the expenses audit articulated in this morning's Telegraph. Bad start for the Lib Dems, then.

Similarly absent from the main exchanges is the issue of public spending which dominated the party conference season. Brown cleverly waits until after Cameron and Clegg have exhausted their questions to launch an attack on Opposition cuts by attacking Tory proposals on child tax credits and Sure Start in response to a question from Labour backbencher Julie Morgan. Cameron must be fuming about that.

A final caveat about John Bercow. He certainly is a different kettle of fish to Micky Martin (or Lord Martin of Springburn as we now must call him). Having debuted as Speaker by laying down the law on excessive decibel levels, he is rather brisk with poor old Alasdair McDonnell of the SDLP, who looks bemused and is reluctant to sit down after being curtailed mid-sentence and told that the PM has 'the gist' of his admittedly long-winded question. The Lib Dem's Mark Williams recieves similar treatment. Is Bercow trying to recapture Tory hearts and minds with an efficiency drive of his own?

Self-flagellation and self-righteousness: politicians, the media and the expenses 'scandal'

Obviously the story that has dominated politics since the return from recess has been the further fallout from the expenses scandal in the wake of Sir Thomas Legg's recommendations. Ever the contrarian, I thought I'd add a word of caution to all the indignant headlines (the Standard today is particularly inflammatory: 'MPs Plot To Veto Expenses Payback').

The general consensus amongst the party leaders seems to be that politicians must prostrate themselves before the public over their expenses in order to 'win back their trust'. Gordon Brown has said as much himself, and David Cameron has even gone as far as to threaten deselection to any Tory brave enough to question Legg's demands. However if Nick Robinson is to be believed, there is widespread anger amongst MPs at the retrospective measures being taken. And let's be honest, there is some justification for this anger - if the victims of these measures were anyone other than MPs, you might expect a great deal of sympathy from the mainstream media.

Hardly any of these MPs, however, have gone on the record with these objections. The BBC piece carries quotes from politicians speaking on condition of anonymity, whilst The Guardian cites a 'Labour source' in its story. Absolutely no-one seems to be suggesting that standing up for what you believe in as an MP might be a better means of gaining public trust than pandering to a bloodthirsty media. And herein lies the problem: when the dust has settled on the expenses saga, I think what will be illuminated is the fact that for politicians, 'public trust' and 'positive headlines' are virtually indistinguishable.

Guardian Gag Enigma

Fascinating front page to this morning's Guardian, in which the paper claims that it has been barred from reporting on a mystery ministerial question to be anwered later this week. According to The Grauniad, the whos, wheres and whys cannot be reported either, and the only tid-bit of information offered is that the story somehow involves Carter-Ruck solicitors.

But surely it would be too much of a coincidence for this not to involve the Trafigura debacle, and the paper's accusations last month that Carter-Ruck attempted to supress The Guardian's reports on the alleged dumping of toxic oil waste off the coast of West Africa? And with this in mind, could the question in question perhaps be Paul Farrelly's to Jack Straw, due to be lodged tomorrow, which asks the Justice Secretary:

"what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of legislation to protect...
press freedom following the injunctions obtained in the High Court by...
Trafigura and Carter Ruck solicitors on 11 September 2009 on the publication
of the Minton report on the alleged dumping of toxic waste in the Ivory
Coast, commissioned by Trafigura."?

I suppose we can infer from the uproar created by Carter-Ruck that the contents of the Minton Report are fairly incendiary, and that The Guardian was probably on or near the money with its exposes.

*Update* It seems Guido Fawkes and half of twitter have jumped to similar conclusions - so much for Carter-Ruck's cover-up! Its also worth noting that the part of Farrelly's question that I ommitted in my original post (included by Guido) relates to another investigative story The Guardian has been running on Barclay's alleged use of off-shore tax havens. I think we can all guess which paper flops through the Farrellys' letterbox each morning!

*Update 2* The gagging order has apparently been lifted by Carter-Ruck, and myself and the rest of the blogosphere pointed our fingers in the right direction. Well done us.