The loathsome bear-baiting spectacle that is Prime Minister’s Question Time was on again today. I don’t get it. It’s a Kobayashi Maru for Ed Miliband. He can’t win: if he scores a point off David Cameron he looks as sneering and supercilious as Cameron, and if he doesn’t, he just looks weak. Why doesn’t he pull the plug and refuse to play?
I don’t mean fail to turn up (although that in itself would make a helluva story) but change the game. Get his troops together, and ambush the tories by behaving like…
… well, like grown ups. Like thinking human beings. Like statesmen and women. Be the change you want to see and actually ask sensible questions, answer points that are raised, debate like you mean it. And meanwhile refrain (and get your supporters to refrain) from making braying noises like a meeting of the Drones Club.
The tories would walk all over him? Well they’re walking all over him now. He seriously needs some media training. Hell, he seriously needs to watch a box set of the West Wing. But people are tired of the stupid game: get into its programming and change the rules. Live long and prosper!
The view from my sofa 
Oh Lord, there are so many people who need to watch a box set of The West Wing – I’ve often suggested it should be required (by school) viewing for 15 year old Americans who don’t know how their government works – but yes, political leaders we’d like to see doing their job better, yes… at least the first couple of seasons.