The Tories are purring with confidence at the moment. Their dominance of the media war and new-found unity means that they are scenting victory (even as the polls continue to show them neck-and-neck with Labour or slightly behind).
The evidence of this was on display at today’s PMQs. Ed Miliband asked David Cameron about preferential tax treatment for hedge funds (they are not required to pay stamp duty on their share transactions), linking the policy to the Tories’ industry donors. But Cameron swatted his question away with effortless superiority. He questioned why “for 13 years, during many of which he was in the Treasury, they did absolutely nothing about this”, before declaring, in reference to Ed Balls’s Newsnight interview: “I have to say I’m delighted he’s raised the economy on the morning after his shadow chancellor couldn’t name one single business leader who backed Labour.”
At this point, the well-drilled Tory backbenches began chanting in unison: “Bill, Bill” and “Where’s Bill?” (the first name of the business leader Balls almost remembered). Their barracking persisted throughout Miliband’s second question and they were rewarded with a first-rate Cameron gag: “Do you know what he said, Mr Speaker? He said: ‘Bill Somebody.’ Mr Speaker, Bill Somebody’s not a person; Bill somebody is Labour’s policy.” Cheers erupted behind him. The Labour benches, meanwhile, already becalmed by the grim news from Scotland, were deathly silent.
Miliband fought valiantly on, pressing Cameron to answer, but the PM had too much ammunition in reserve: the confusion over Labour’s tuition fees policy, the tax avoidance of their donor John Mills, even the news that “the person who wrote that ‘Things Can Only Get Better’ says it no longer applies to Labour.” The only moment of relief for Miliband came when he archly observed, as George Osborne sought to brief Cameron on tax policy: “You can’t help him, George, you’re too far away”.
But while the Labour leader was routed in the chamber, he can hope that Cameron’s evasiveness hurts the PM in the country. His refusal to pledge to close the tax loophole (as Labour has done) risks reinforcing the Tories’ reputation as the party of the rich (the greatest barrier to a majority). As they deride Labour’s weaknesses, the Conservatives would do well not to forget their own.
Outside of the main exchanges, a notable moment came when Labour MP and shadow justice minister Dan Jarvis questioned Cameron about support for a solar panel business in his Barnsley constituency. The respectful silence with which he was heard was a good example of why many believe he could one day lead his party.
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