Corbyn just wiped the floor with Johnson at his first PMQs

Jeremy Corbyn and Boris Johnson at pmqs


Support us and go ad-free

On 4 September, Boris Johnson faced his first ever Prime Minister’s Questions (PMQs) as leader of the Conservative Party. But he didn’t just bomb; he was in tatters.

In the face of continued insults, opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn remained calm and composed. In fact, he totally wiped the floor with him.

You’re there to answer questions Johnson, not ask them

The clue’s in the name with PMQs. But Johnson failed to give a meaningful answer to any of the questions. In fact, he actually asked more than he answered.

On 3 September, the Telegraph‘s Peter Foster indicated that attorney general Geoffrey Cox claimed Johnson’s ‘promise’ to remove the controversial Irish backstop as part of any Brexit deal is “complete fantasy”:

So Corbyn asked about this and if Johnson’s Brexit strategy was actually just to run down the clock. Johnson didn’t answer. He said Corbyn wanted “mobs of Momentum activists” blocking the roads. Then, he challenged Corbyn to an election, asking “or is he frit [frightened]?”

Corbyn calmly pointed out that Johnson hadn’t answered the question and tried again. He asked for details about any proposals sent to the EU.

And on it went.

Corbyn asked vitally important questions about the possible impact of a no-deal Brexit on ordinary people. Johnson refused to answer. In fact, he also completely lied about the fact that Michael Gove previously said “some” food prices would increase under a no-deal Brexit.

So as Corbyn pointed out, Johnson had:

failed to answer my questions about food supply, about medicine supplies, and about the problems in hospitals. He refuses to publish the Yellow Hammer documents, and he talks about scaremongering, where does the information come from other than his office, in his government?

It wasn’t difficult for people to spot that Johnson didn’t really answer any questions at all:

In fact, some saw Johnson’s first PMQs as “calamitous”:

Scrutiny?

When Corbyn went on to point out that Johnson is “desperate to avoid scrutiny”, it got worse. Because the prime minister just hurled misogynist, Eton-schoolboy-type insults at the Labour leader:

Johnson insulted Corbyn throughout PMQs and swore. Commons speaker John Bercow also reprimanded him for failing to address the Labour leader properly. Yet Corbyn remained calm, composed and utterly professional:

Theresa May wasn’t great at PMQs during her time as leader. But many people felt Johnson totally put her shambolic performances in the shade:

Others, meanwhile, hope that this may be Johnson’s first and last PMQs:

With Johnson proroguing parliament and opposing a parliamentary battle to stop a no-deal Brexit, these are unusual and challenging times. Johnson’s disastrous PMQs confirms, yet again, that he’s not fit for office.

Corbyn, meanwhile, showed the calm poise, intelligence, and dignity of a true leader.

Featured images via screengrab and screengrab

We know everyone is suffering under the Tories - but the Canary is a vital weapon in our fight back, and we need your support

The Canary Workers’ Co-op knows life is hard. The Tories are waging a class war against us we’re all having to fight. But like trade unions and community organising, truly independent working-class media is a vital weapon in our armoury.

The Canary doesn’t have the budget of the corporate media. In fact, our income is over 1,000 times less than the Guardian’s. What we do have is a radical agenda that disrupts power and amplifies marginalised communities. But we can only do this with our readers’ support.

So please, help us continue to spread messages of resistance and hope. Even the smallest donation would mean the world to us.

Support us

Related articles