The art of answering parliamentary questions is mastered by most ministers within five minutes of entering office and the interpretation of the uninformative replies by most MPs in a similarly short time frame.
“We have no plans to do so” does not mean “we will not do so” but rather, we are still working on the plans and will reveal them at a more politically opportune moment”.
“We are looking carefully at this” means not on your life.
“I am grateful to the honourable gentleman for raising this” means the exact opposite.
The art of answering parliamentary questions is mastered by most ministers within five minutes of entering office and the interpretation of the uninformative replies by most MPs in a similarly short time frame.
“We have no plans to do so” does not mean “we will not do so” but rather, we are still working on the plans and will reveal them at a more politically opportune moment”.
“We are looking carefully at this” means not on your life.
“I am grateful to the honourable gentleman for raising this” means the exact opposite.
His stonewalling over Mandelson exasperated friend and foe alike. Again he chose to raise extraneous issues rather than engage with what was asked. He just will not give a straight answer to a straight question.
I once complained to the then Speaker about Tony Blair’s non-answers but Keir Starmer is in a class of his own.
Given that he is a lawyer, his ducking and diving are not even slick or clever. He looks, as ever, like a rabbit in headlights.
Perhaps next time he does it, all the Opposition parties should walk out. Some chance.
