We're back after the break in Parliament, and is it only me that feels that it was nice to not have one? Perhaps not. Let's see where this goes, I'm going to predict that Northern Rock is going to be the subject of the day for the Lib Dems, but perhaps the Tories will attack on something else, perhaps the DNA disc stuff they've spoke up about today? We'll see...

Surprise, surprise, plant question comes in first to give the thumbs up to Northern Rock and the plant stumbles all over her lines to boot. Cameron then comes up, and yes the issue for the Tories is not Northern Rock that they beat to death last month, it's on the serious offenders issue I predicted. Apparently a happy birthday to the PM as well, to many jeers from the opposition benches.

Holy moly! Brown actually answers a question, has someone perhaps had a word with him? I mean he can keep on with his questioning of the opposition leader as much as he likes as long as he actually answers his first in my mind. Cameron has set him right about the Tory histroy on DNA and that's got to be annoying for the PM, though obviously not enough to repeat his questions over and over again. I don't know why politicians think that asking meaningless questions over and over again in defence of their actions actually convinces anyone of anything.

Lib Dem's up, lo and behold they take the opportunity to brag, and why not! Apparently though the Lib Dem's had six different policies on Northern Rock...which as far as I am aware is utter bollocks, I shouldn't be surprised that the PM can get away with accusing parties of things they don't do, as he did with Boris at the last session, but I am every time.

Clegg returns with an attack about fuel pricing, and it is unfortunate that Brown needs to continually hide behind previous policy as if it is actually enough. So some of the old are getting £300 for their winter fuel, he says it as if that actually gets them out of fuel poverty,

What's interesting is when a Labour MP gets up (to ask about Climate change targets), reading from a sheet to make some sound bite happy statements that's perfectly ok...Cameron does it and it's avoiding answers by talking about rehearsing in front of a mirror. Talking of the Tory leader, he's moved back to using his time for two questions for the first time in a while. Now he's actually on Northern Rock and from his face you'd think he smells blood.

The question here is very interesting, apparently Northern Rock won't be subject to freedom of information while other publicly owned companies are. Cameron is actually hitting quite big with this attack which is refreshing for a guy that usually looks a bit damp against the decidedly more boring Brown. Funnily enough Brown doesn't answer any of his criticism, I guess we're back on the old script.

Ahhh, and after another seemingly planted question to allow Brown the chance to further go on about how great Labour are about the Northern Rock decision, he rolls out the old economic record rubbish again. He really must feel he's on the rocks.

Fucking hell, they might as well just call this Labour propaganda time. Three questions from Labour MPs, each one of them absolutely NOTHING to do with constituency needs or even the impact of national policy, just an opportunity for Brown to big up party policy. It's so frustrating, perhaps I'm being naive here but all of these MPs on the Labour side know exactly what their government policy is so why are they asking about it at PMQs if not to just allow the party to get their policy in to the news?

Thank god for Northern Ireland to actually bring a real issue to the event, although perhaps the Tory question earlier about the BBFC was also a real issue. And it would seem, aside from Labour with their partisan point scoring, the trend continues with Lib Dem questions about why public transport costs have risen while driving by car has got cheaper. The PM's answer? We give concessionary travel to the elderly now. Shameful answer.

But wait! John Battle, I think it was, you amazing man...thanks for bringing some integrity back to the Labour benches (with a question about maternal health). If only more MPs took your lead and actually asked about real issues that aren't already national headlines because of policy announcements. If people wanted a quick reform of the PMQs it's clear now that they should take the first 20 minutes of questions and just stop them from ever taking place so that we can get to the real meat of the event that unfortunately always gets squeezed by time constraints.