Labour going forward
It must be really difficult to be an opposition MP at the moment because any criticism of the government's handling of the pandemic can be twisted to make them appear unsupportive. I see that Matt Hancock's latest method of quashing opposing MPs is to praise them for the support they're giving the government.
Health Secretary has an ingenious new way of wrongfooting his critics. No longer does he grumble, or snap, or attack them back.
www.telegraph.co.uk
Instead…
he praises them to the rafters.
This, at any rate, is what happened in the Commons today (Tuesday). Jonathan Ashworth, Labour’s health spokesman, had come spoiling for a fight. With a righteous quiver he lambasted Mr Hancock for blunders made the previous year when trying to buy equipment for nurses.
“He paid a pest control firm £59m for 25m masks that couldn’t be used,” railed Mr Ashworth. “He paid a hedge fund based in Mauritius £252m for masks that were adequate. He paid a jeweller in Florida £70m for gowns that couldn’t be used…”
Such a tirade might once have got Mr Hancock all flustered and defensive. Not this time. Quite the opposite.
“Mr Speaker,” said Mr Hancock solemnly, “I’m going to start by congratulating the honourable gentleman – no, the right honourable gentleman – on his appointment to the Privy Council!”
Mr Ashworth smiled – part quizzically, part bashfully. But his opponent had only just got going.
“I appreciate the work that he’s done in support of the Government – in support of the nation – during this pandemic,” intoned Mr Hancock. “And although occasionally he turns to rhetoric, and asks narrow questions that he knows there are perfectly adequate answers to…”
There's also a lot going on in Liverpool. . . Labour bars three women from Liverpool mayoral candidate contest in ‘absolutely disgraceful’ move
Health Secretary has an ingenious new way of wrongfooting his critics. No longer does he grumble, or snap, or attack them back.
Matt Hancock has a cunning new way of wrongfooting Labour... and it worked a treat
When his opposite number lambasted him in the Commons over PPE, the Health Secretary responded in an unexpected way...
www.telegraph.co.uk
he praises them to the rafters.
This, at any rate, is what happened in the Commons today (Tuesday). Jonathan Ashworth, Labour’s health spokesman, had come spoiling for a fight. With a righteous quiver he lambasted Mr Hancock for blunders made the previous year when trying to buy equipment for nurses.
“He paid a pest control firm £59m for 25m masks that couldn’t be used,” railed Mr Ashworth. “He paid a hedge fund based in Mauritius £252m for masks that were adequate. He paid a jeweller in Florida £70m for gowns that couldn’t be used…”
Such a tirade might once have got Mr Hancock all flustered and defensive. Not this time. Quite the opposite.
“Mr Speaker,” said Mr Hancock solemnly, “I’m going to start by congratulating the honourable gentleman – no, the right honourable gentleman – on his appointment to the Privy Council!”
Mr Ashworth smiled – part quizzically, part bashfully. But his opponent had only just got going.
“I appreciate the work that he’s done in support of the Government – in support of the nation – during this pandemic,” intoned Mr Hancock. “And although occasionally he turns to rhetoric, and asks narrow questions that he knows there are perfectly adequate answers to…”
There's also a lot going on in Liverpool. . . Labour bars three women from Liverpool mayoral candidate contest in ‘absolutely disgraceful’ move
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