PMQs 21/07/2021 - I know, what's the point?

Baroness Boothroyd , a former speaker , has said that Johnson is in contempt of Parliament by his constant not answering questions. The present speaker has told him a few times. Johnson is too keen on doing his "show" for his fan back benchers.
PMQT was supposed to be for the P.M. to be questioned on the whys and the wherefores of their actions, Johnson thinks its more like the end of the pier show. He needs putting right by the Speaker.

But will the Speaker do that? I really doubt he has that about him.

I have stopped listening to PMQT. I just get so mad at the constant non - answers. It is pointless.

Johnson is allowed to do what he likes. PMQT makes me so irritated these days. His answers are never any sort of answer.

Exactly Grandmajean!

Johnson is just being Johnson. No answers, no responsibility, no bloody idea!

Johnson doesn’t really do answers, but having said that, PMQ’s
Hasn’t ( for donkeys years) been a serious affair of the PM just answering questions, it has been a bear pit for the benefit of their own benches for all Parties in the House.
The only exception I can think of is Theresa May, who couldn’t do grandstanding or humour so didn’t try.She was probably the best ever for just answering a Q.
Cameron used urbane sardonic humour and Corbyn just did
Tetchy mini rants rather than ask questions.
Blair was the master of bland charming distractions. Anyone who tunes in hoping for good mannered serious Q and A
Session will always be disappointed.
Starmer is better (as an Opposition Leader )in that he does ask short enough questions and doesn’t get enraged.

Blinko

Johnson is just being Johnson. No answers, no responsibility, no bloody idea!

But he is answerable to the Speaker who does not seem to see it as his responsibility.

It is interesting that he can't answer yes or no to the pinging alerts on the NHS app

I love how answer is follows with 'hand har world beating vaccine program! scoff'

And a nice little sound bite. “We jab while they Jabber”. Such larks.

It's like the band playing while the Titanic sank. We are entertained (?) by a really bad comedian while our democracy disappears.

PippaZ

Blinko

Johnson is just being Johnson. No answers, no responsibility, no bloody idea!

But he is answerable to the Speaker who does not seem to see it as his responsibility.

True.

As I said ...end of the pier show .
Wonder how long that will last. See there was a photo in Times showing Tory M.P.s not wearing masks in the chamber despite warnings from no 10."Tories ditch masks in snub to No 10 "
These are the M.P.s Johnson is wary of ...they could vote against him .

He does whatever he likes - no-one truly challenges him. That is pretty unacceptable in normal times, but during a pandemic it is unforgivable.

You have to ask who is PMQs really for? Most of the public never watch it, so it’s mainly for journalists and media sound bites IMO. That’s what is important to a populist PM and government and explains Johnson’s antics. Otherwise meaningless charade.

PMQT is for M.P.s to question the P.M. on what is happening. It is a means to hold them to account .I don't think it is meant as entertainment and for that reason it should continue. The P.M. is supposed to know what is going on in all his departments .The Speaker should call Johnson out for contempt .

In Rachel Johnson's book 'Rake's Progress' she describes how the Johnsons have an approach to life which her husband refers to as Johnsonitis. It's a condition peculiar to the family where they all view every single thing in life as either a game, a joke or a competition.

I watch PMQ and see the PM move between these three modes. The jokes always pre-prepared and not funny. The game played with the arrogance of someone who expects to win and bred to believe he can't loose. Then when the competition kicks in any tactic is played in order to win. When the competition doesn't seem to go his way...white hot rage.

As a result PMQ appears to me to be a huge waste of time, money and opportunity.

I would agree with that moorland, it's a very dysfunctional family and Johnson is partly a result of that.

Speaker Lindsay Hoyle is a big disappointment - I'm reminded of Denis Healey saying that being criticized by Geoffrey Howe was like being savaged by a dead sheep!

He's a pleasant enough chap but doesn't have an authoritative voice or manner to manage Johnson - sounds too friendly.

Greeneyedgirl

You have to ask who is PMQs really for? Most of the public never watch it, so it’s mainly for journalists and media sound bites IMO. That’s what is important to a populist PM and government and explains Johnson’s antics. Otherwise meaningless charade.

In the first instance PMQs if for Parliament, both government and opposition, in order to hold the government to account. We may be able to watch it now but it is a process of Parliament.

the current speaker just isn't strict enough, there have been several incidents when Johnson has been in contempt of the House and very little has been done. I do think that Starmer gets the barb in sometimes though, and the sheer spluttering rage of Johnson is amusing to witness. I predict that one day he will just explode and there well be a huge F**k it type tantrum followed by him storming out.

I know what the function of PMQs is supposed to be in our “democracy” PippaZ but I think it has evolved into the pantomime that we see today.

GillT57 You've got it right. It's a great shame that Bercow isn't Speaker. He wouldn't have put up Johnson's tantrums but I expect many would disagree with me.

It is the job of the Speaker to hold the PM to account, and to insist that he does answer the questions asked by Members of the House - and not fo on pre-prepared rants and attacks, or his own agenda. A fee times, the Speaker had told him to answer instead of doing above- and then sat down and let him continue his ranting and attacks.

The Speaker is NOT doing his job. He should stop Johnson if he does not answer, remind him of his duty, and then remind him again- then ask him to again to answer. If he does not, he should be held in contempt, asked to leave the House.