Falklands And Jobs: PMQs Returns To The 1980s

The second Commons clash of 2012 between David Cameron and Ed Miliband was like a flashback in time, returning to the 1980s.

As the Prime Minister and the Labour leader taunted each other on unemployment, Ed Miliband declared: "It really is back to the 1980s."

And the main news to emerge from Prime Minister's Questions was a "hands off" warning to Argentina about the Falkland Islands.

The Cameron-Miliband clash about unemployment was almost a repeat of those between Margaret Thatcher and Michael Foot in the 1980s.

And on the Falklands, it was revealed immediately after PMQs that Cabinet Ministers and defence chiefs had attended a special meeting of the National Security Council 24 hours earlier solely to discuss the escalating crisis in the South Atlantic.

Many MPs had expected Mr Miliband to use PMQs raise his "war on rip-off Britain" - championing consumers against rising prices - that he spoke about in a Daily Telegraph interview.

But instead he went straight in on the latest unemployment figures - up 118,000 to a 17-year high - and in doing so cheered up Labour MPs after a dismal few weeks.

It was a stronger performance from the Labour leader, who accused the Government of doing nothing to stem the rise in the jobless figures.

And after the Prime Minister said the youth unemployment figures were higher because they were counted differently from the way they were under Labour, Mr Miliband said: "It really is back to the 1980s: A Tory government blaming unemployment on the figures."

Mr Cameron was at one significant disadvantage for this PMQs - George Osborne, who normally prompts him and gives him answers to tricky questions, was absent because he is banging the drum for British business in the Far East.

But while Mr Cameron was on the defensive on unemployment, he went on the attack on the Falklands, accusing the Argentinians of "colonialism".

The question was raised by loyalist and royalist Tory MP Andrew Rosindell, who prompted the Defence Secretary Philip Hammond to throw back his head and laugh loudly when he urged the PM to "remind Argentina they lost the Falklands War".

Throughout PMQs, Labour veteran Dennis Skinner had been desperately trying to catch the Speaker's eye and was finally called by John Bercow right at the end.

The widespread expectation must have been that the "Beast of Bolsover" would unleash a few "class war" jokes at the Prime Minister over the controversial plan for a new Royal Yacht.

But no. He rather surprised Mr Cameron by asking him about appearing before the Leveson inquiry into press ethics. And the Prime Minister's answer was rather churlish.

"I often say to my children 'No need to go to the Natural History Museum to see a dinosaur, come to the House of Commons at about 12.30pm'," said Mr Cameron.

Tory MPs loved it and cheered loudly. At first, the "Beast" had a face like thunder, then Labour's Chief Whip, Rosie Winterton, said something to him and he began to smile.

Ed Balls, famously described by the Prime Minister as "the most annoying person in modern politics" - put his hand on Mr Skinner's shoulder.

It was a bit ungracious from the Prime Minister to someone who, after all, is nearly 80 and it later prompted a point of order from another veteran Labour MP, Paul Flynn, who complained to the Speaker that it was not right for an MP to be criticised on the basis of their age.

While David Cameron is a master of PMQs, often answering without his thick file of notes in front of him, he should curb what his opponents call his "Flashman" tendency.

A bit less Bullingdon Club, please, Prime Minister.

Tony Blair was also a superb performer at PMQs, but did not insult Opposition backbenchers in the way this "heir to Blair" sometimes does.

Nor, indeed, did Margaret Thatcher back in the 1980s.