PMQ

I presume that was directed at me, rather than NotTooOld.
Tell me where I have excused Corbyn from avoiding press questions.
I cannot recall saying that at all.

It was on another thread and I'm certainly not trawling through all of them to justify my point.

Still waiting for the apology about the 'private healthcare' dig BTW.

You cannot justify your point. I maintain I did not say it. You are wrong.
I've hardly been on here for the last week, so am highly unlikely to have said it.

I'll find it.

Meanwhile, about the 'private healthcare' dig, for which you had no justification at all...?

durhamjen - it was John McDonnell who picked up the mace in 2009. I thought Heseltine had too but I think he may have picked up the sword. Of course, if we are looking for breaches of protocol and nit-picking, some young unelected Tories did invade the Chamber over the Fox Hunting Bill. Tut! Tut!

POGS- had to say yours was a well considered post, sorry you had to defend it as others misinterpreted it. I have said before its a pity that people who may have their own different views cant respect others and not get quite so abrasive....and DURHAMJEN where did that epic post come from re the NHS. I too have worked in the NHS at Senior level for 6 years ( after 30 years in the private sector) Is yours a failing Trust/ Healthcare system? Of course it could be,there are quite a few! Fortunately mine is not. My Foundation Trust has achieved an outstanding CQC rating ( very few in the whole country) The staff are NOT demoralised, they work very hard to ensure customer care, efficiency and effectiveness with a quality and standardised approach to getting it right for patients. They are challenged and motivated by this. They are innovative and are looking at the Future view for healthcare models and collaborations....I know we may be in the minority but only because of resistance from staff at all levels for change. elsewhere. Staff across the NHS are paid well at all levels ( I know I see the pay progression awards that can be 6% per year that were mentioned by DC in response....sorry this was about JC and Question time...lets see him challenge next time ......so back to POGS blog!

I have listened to the PMQ and it was so good to be rid of the bear pit; however, JC does need to take care that he does not simply feed DC opportunities for propaganda without asking him to justify his answers.

Give him time lucky what people may forgetting is that he has taken on the mantle of leadership that neither he nor many others expected him to win, which just shows once again how wrong the pundits were. There is undoubtedly a yearning to do politics in a different way. One way he could continue with the involvement of the voter who put the MPs where they are, is to take the top issue and explore that, asking "closed" questions much more in depth with more research behind the question. His team should support him in this. Of course some issues may be more immediate and he will then ask his own questions as it were

So we have a new kid on the block trying to find his way around. If JC continues in this vein only those of the socialist tribe will give him full marks in their adulation. DC will have an easy ride because in answer to such questions he can truthfully give the party policy achievements with smile on his face. There is no challenge to him. Politics in the HoC is like boxing ring you have to land a few verbal punches. As outsiders we may not like punch and judy politics, but it is what works in there. You have to find your opponents weak spot and go metaphorically for the knock out blow. Being the nice guy fails abysmally with all watching in and out of the House. The odd epigram works well.

jefm the lengthy NHS post was taken from the debate in parliament.

"14 Sep 2015 : Column 185WH
Westminster Hall
Monday 14 September 2015
[Valerie Vaz in the Chair]
NHS (Contracts and Conditions)
4.31 pm"

Not sure that the pundits agree with you jtl . opinion seems to be that he may not yet have landed blows but given time over the next weeks and months and DC will not find it so easy. Opinion is also that JCs stance went down well in living rooms with the voter, and that is what counts.
Just wait for him to develop his economic argument and then we will see who is winning the argument

The only economic argument he seems to have currently is to print money.
So he has a very long way to go.

I forgot the trident bit.

Then you don't understand his arguments soon

He is of course against Trident as are the Chiefs of Staff of the services.

Jefm. Your not Jeramy Hunt in discuise are you?

It's probably a ploy, part of his planned agenda.

Give DC an easy ride at first at PMQ - then, when he has relaxed and expects a weekly easy ride, up the ante!

some would be happy to see MP's throwing a few actual punches and knocking each other senseless on the dispatch box
roses rofl

Oh - and no, I don't have private health care. Can't afford it!
Ana - hope you don't live in Wales, then where Labour run the NHS.

GPs now advising patients to go private if they are able to because the waiting lists are just horrendous.

fullfact.org/factcheck/health/8_billion_funding_nhs-48101

Cameron's PMQ response about mental health.
There is no extra money for it yet, and he can wait until 2020 before the NHS gets the £8 billion it has been promised.
It's not £8 billion per year.