Today's Pmqs

[Paigntonian]

I was struck by how political discourse in the Commons has deteriorated over the last 40 years. When Thatcher gave her final PMQs, a day after resigning, she was, despite being a wholly polarising figure, treated with respect by the Labour Party. Even Dennis Skinner, yes, him, played along with a light-hearted remark to which she responded in good heart. There are many other examples. Foot's last performance as Leader of the Opposition was listened to with respect for such a great parliamentarian. Blair, another polarising figure, was applauded by the whole House, including every Tory bar one. So, today, we had pigmies making Party points, wholly unaware that even Boris, for all his many faults, should, at the very least, be given a send-off with a modicum of respect. Starmer ignored convention and seemed to believe that acrimony and spite were, on this occasion, appropriate. They were not. Labour, the SNP and the Liberal Democrats repeated the same old lines and, in my humble view, should have shown a little grace to someone who, after all, heavily defeated them in a general election election,

[ToraToraTora]

That's the nasties for you.

[Paigntonian]

If another pol says 'vision'...

[THECORBYLOON]

"the SNP and the Liberal Democrats repeated the same old lines and, in my humble view, should have shown a little grace to someone who, after all, heavily defeated them in a general election election"

By how much did the Tories heavily defeat the SNP in the 2019 General Election?

[JimF]

You're not seriously comparing Johnson with former party leaders like Thatcher and Blair, are you?

[jno]

he's lied to the Queen, lied to Parliament and lied to his own MPs.

As for "convention", note his refusal, against convention, to send Bercow to the House of Lords.

Respect must be earned.

[Gromit]

Oops selective memory syndrome has clicked in.

PMQs was not broadcast live in 1990, the BBCs digital channels did not exist. So you could not have watched it, let alone accurately remembered it for 30 years.

PMQs is a working day in parliament, even if it is the Prime Minister’s last day in the job. So it will be treated like a normal day until business is over and then informalities can happen. Johnson’s last day was no different than Blair’s or any other leader.

[bobbinwales]

//Oops selective memory syndrome has clicked in.

PMQs was not broadcast live in 1990, the BBCs digital channels did not exist. So you could not have watched it, let alone accurately remembered it for 30 years.//

Am not sure where you think Paigntonion said he'd seen it live gromit.... am not sure if there were filming then so footage may exist but it was defo broadcast on Radio 4 cos i used to cheer on Callaghan, Foot, healy(?), Kinnock against Thatcher

[Paigntonian]

Bobbin: Thanks. Everyone I mentioned was on TV. Thatcher's resignation, was in November 1990 so, yes, it was on TV. Foot's last performance, in 1983, was not but I am capable of reading newspapers.