PMQs: Corbyn doesn't need to prove that Cameron is all talk when the PM does it so easily for him

Jeremy Corbyn stood to jeers, laughs and boos today, but his moves to offer solidarity to the people of France, Beirut, Ankara and Damascus were savvy. In expressing sadness at the murder of innocent civilians, he subtly drew attention to the fact that many are slaughtered across the world – many were last week – and only a global effort can stop further attacks from terrorists like Isis. In other words, ‘revenge bombing’ of Syria would be little more than a sticking plaster.

Calling on Cameron to impose sanctions on those companies and countries that continue to fund Isis and offer safe havens, Corbyn then touched on the issue of the group’s funding. Cameron chose to respond with a few throwaway lines implying that bombs in Syria could be the answer, but the truth is that the issue is so much more complicated than any macho soundbite could possibly summarise.

It felt like Cameron was struggling this afternoon, as the Chancellor whispered an answer into his ear when his government was challenging on spending cuts to security. Corbyn, subtle and quietly pointed in his criticism, asked if the Prime Minister wanted him to go on until he had been given the proper answer. It was a nice exploitation of jokes about the ‘headteacher effect’ Corbyn supposedly has on the room during PMQs.

There is little doubt that proposed government cuts to policing will be crippling, moving Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe to state his ‘genuine worry about the safety of London if the cuts go through on this scale’. Corbyn moved to force the Prime Minister to accept that he cannot talk tough on security, and cut our defences at the same time. It's all tough talk on Trident on the one hand and then the removal of police on the street on the other: Cameron is used to talking the talk, but not walking the walk.

The Prime Minister said this afternoon that he spends every penny with the taxpayers who provided that money in mind. But then, as Corbyn asked a question from ‘John’, a taxpayer who had written in with concerns, the Tory benches erupted with laughter and mockery. Clearly it only took them seconds to forget those taxpayers who are supposedly constantly on every Conservative politician’s mind.

The Prime Minister struck the biggest blow today in stating that Corbyn would not authorise lethal assaults against terrorists, when in fact, Corbyn spoke yesterday of how he would authorise “strictly necessary force” in order to protect lives. The politicisation of terrorism has now reached the office of the Prime Minister, and such action only serves to disgrace the office.

The Prime Minister continued to touch on Labour division and resentment throughout – and unfortunately, there’s an instance where he’s right. For too long, so-called Labour ‘moderates’ have declared open war on their democratically elected leader without consequence. While Corbyn rebelled over academy conversion, foundation hospitals, the Iraq war, tuition fees and detention measures, Blairite MPs have offered their own warped form of ‘principled rebellion’ – airing their anti-Corbyn views in the press and decimating their party. This is not the sort of rebellion Corbyn ever stood for.

It’s time to get real. Jeremy’s performance today was powerful and statesmanlike and it is important to remember that he is the chosen leader, having taken more than 60 per cent of the votes in leadership elections. With his clear principles, he is the total opposite of Cameron’s hot air. Each PMQs session goes further towards proving that to the British public.