Listening to today's PMQ's was much more like those that we have watched through November and October, with Gordon Brown appearing to have very limited skills for getting through the proceedings and both opposition leaders getting the better of him (at least in this posters eyes).

A rather drab PMQ's saw little of national interest, and what little there was of national interest was ducked and avoided by the Labour leader. Issues about Kosovo, the danger for women in Iraq and the inequality of standards applied to police split by the English-Scottish border were all sidestepped largely, and the only question really adequately answered was that of security for those that lost out in their pension schemes.

Now the reason I was drawn to write this post is that Gordon Browns response to a claim from Vince Cable that 40 women have been executed in Basra for "personal immorality", and who exactly have we delivered these powers to, was that there had been a 90% fall in violence recently. Now the recently part of this is important, because it was only early September since 5000 troops moved out of Basra to the outskirts.

We thought, 'If 90 per cent of the violence is directed at us, what would happen if we stepped back?General Graham Binns

Violence in Iraq

So yes, violence is now 90% down in Basra because the people that have caused a surge of violence in the area have now moved out. How exactly does the Prime Minister have the gall to answer a question as sensitive as to exactly how "successful" the operations in Iraq are if women are still able to be executed for "immoralities" by quoting a statistic showing a reduction in violence that wouldn't even be there if the operation never took place?! Personally I think it is a very distasteful way of completely sidestepping the issue of the liberties being infringed in the Middle East.

Khalaf said bodies have been found in garbage dumps with bullet holes, decapitated or otherwise mutilated with a sheet of paper nearby saying, "she was killed for adultery," or "she was killed for violating Islamic teachings." In September, the headless bodies of a woman and her 6-year-old son were among those found, he said. A total of 40 deaths were reported this year. (link)

Now lets put this in to context, in Basra alone (not the whole of Iraq) you have 40 women murdered by extreme Islamic militants in an 11 month period, in 2007 when we have supposedly helped the rights of citizens in the country we have besieged for so long. In 2000 a report by the Federation of Human Rights League and the Coalition for Justice in Iraq showed that for whatever reason 130 women were beheaded in Iraq in another 11 month period. Both these estimates of 40 and 130 are probably, unfortunately, much lower than the real numbers because of the intimidation in both time frames that people feel that stops them reporting their loved ones being murdered. With this in mind can we really afford to be so glib as to try and placate the masses with irrelevant statistics that don't prove anything other than that military action causes violence in a region?

Police Pay

And as if that wasn't enough, an issue even closer to my heart was answered in a way to attack another political party (top tactic of the day by Mr Brown), that of police pay. This government, in totally abusing its power over the police force, is running a very thin line it would seem. The member for the SNP asked rather cockily if the Prime Minister would congratulate the SNP for their ability to raise police pay *and* backdate it. The response was to state that the SNP should be ashamed as they've only increased police numbers by 500, and not the 1000 they promised.

Now this is a rich statement for a number of issues, not only does EVERY party break its promises for varying reasons (ranging from innocent practicalities to unexplained withdrawals), but Labour is facing yet another revolt on the issue of their pay negotiations with the police force because they wish to act in a completely autocratic fashion and make the police force a very distinct minority in this country that can't take industrial action for their rights while having no promises by this government that they'll listen to independent rulings. The fact that the government is abandoning a promise made almost 40 years ago that has worked adequately in relations between the government and the police force while not giving them the ability to protest is sickening to think about for a supposedly "social" party for the people.

Labour itself isn't exactly one to stand and preach about manifesto pledges either, in fact Gordon Brown specifically shouldn't be standing so high above the parapet on his soap box of derision to the opposite parties with their "broken promises" considering how he personally has treated the HE students of this country, specifically in breaking the promise of no top-up fees. Other things that they have not achieved are targets on things like waiting times and teenage pregnancy, and they have baulked on referendums on single currency and the EU constitution (whatever they wish to name it).

So instead of simply doing the courteous thing and saying that he is glad the SNP are taking part in negotiations as Labour are currently attempting to do (yes, an answer soaked in spin...but if we have to live through petty playground taunting during Browns "Spin-less" tenure then I may have to puke) he fumbles an insult at an opposition party that leaves him and his party open to major criticism about the irony and hypocrisy of their stance at PMQ's

All of this, along with his bickering with David Cameron, I think I'll leave this report on Gordon Browns woeful performance with the following quote from the man himself, something so laced with irony that it's almost too much to bear.

Pre-prepared phrases and still after two years leading the Conservative Party absolutely no substance