Cameron: Blair is Westminster's David Brent
Cameron: Blair is Westminster's David Brent
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Wednesday, 28, Jun 2006 02:21
David Cameron made the most of another difficult week for Tony Blair by refusing to pull his punches at prime minister's questions today.
The Tory leader taunted his opponent by likening him to The Office character David Brent and accusing him of being "utterly redundant, just hanging around the office".
He also demanded that Mr Blair put the issue of a replacement to Trident nuclear weapons to a House of Commons vote, emphasising the apparent differing opinions on the matter expressed by the prime minister and his chancellor.
The Tory leader claimed that Gordon Brown had said replacing Trident would be put to a vote but Mr Blair insisted the programme was a manifesto commitment on which a decision would be made later this year, when "we will of course consult the house fully".
"We will announce the means of consultation at the time we publish the white paper. Of course we believe it is important we have the fullest possible debate on the subject," the prime minister added.
Mr Cameron was not to be easily put off however and continued to highlight the apparent divide between Mr Blair and Mr Brown.
"Isn't there a danger that the prime minister is becoming the David Brent of Downing Street – utterly redundant, just hanging around the office?" he said.
And the prime minister was also quizzed by a member of his own party on the Trident issue as Jeremy Corbyn, Islington North Labour MP and Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament member, questioned the government's plans.
In response Mr Blair admitted that the topic was a contentious one and that the debate about it was likely to be lively.