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Harriet Harman takes flak at PMQs as Tories strike in wake of stab-proof vest disaster
Last updated at 14:07pm on 03.04.08
William Hague joked that if Harman dresses appropriately when she goes a a building site or a factory, "presumably when she goes to a cabinet meeting she goes dressed as a clown."
Referring to Hague's own embarrassing fashion moment when he was snapped wearing a baseball cap on holiday Harman said that if she needed advice on what to wear, "the very last person I'll look to for advice is the man in a baseball cap".
How Daily Mail sketch writer QUENTIN LETTS rated Harriet's PMQs
She survived. Wasn't minced. She can even claim, without too much exaggeration, to have taken the day - at least partly. Beach donkey completes course at Grand National. Rusty Trabant burns down the finishing straight at Le Mans, engine smoking in triumph as it takes the chequered flag.
Yes, people of Britain, by her own dire standards Harriet Harman had a successful first outing as Gordon Brown's deputy at Prime Minister's Questions.
As a child receives coos of congratulation when it completes its first few strokes in a swimming pool, so did Westminster respond yesterday. Well done, Hattie! In, out, legs together! Good girl!
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Flak jackets: Harriet Harman wore a stylish cream number in the Commons and a stab-proof vest in Peckham
It may only have been one width. She may have been gasping for air and half-submerged throughout. But she reached the far side. The hour was seized. Amazing!
Expectations had been as low as a viper's navel. The House presumed she was going to be awful. So when Miss Harman actually did not do too badly, Labour supporters were pathetically grateful.
They offered up ragged, relieved cheers, initially not quite grasping what had just happened. Harriet - the woman without a sense of humour - actually cracked a couple of jokes. Thank you, God.
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Challenge: William Hague enjoys a joke with the Shadow Leader of the House Theresa May
Eyes blinked back disbelief. Labour MPs stared up at the sunlight perplexed, unable quite to credit the phenomenon that had just unfolded before their eyes. The few survivors of Pompeii that dusty day in 79 AD maybe wore similar looks of wonderment.
Miss Harman's opponent, William Hague, seemed oddly reluctant to go on the attack. Maybe it was the Yorkshireman in him, not liking to insult a lass.
Maybe he was feeling off-form. Maybe he had under-estimated Miss Harman and neglected his preparations. A mixture of all three, perhaps.
Mr Hague claimed that he had intended to be soft with her. "I was going to be nice," he said, slightly hurt, when replying to the first of Miss Harman's early attacks (a shrieked, distinctly unsisterly denunciation of Theresa May for allowing Mr Hague to take her place at the despatch box).
Niggled by Miss Harman's tinny but savage tone, Mr Hague essayed a couple of jesting swipes but his heart was never really in it. He was laid-back and good-humoured but there was muted disappointment on the Tory benches.
That cap: William Hague in 1997
Pre-match wisdom had got it wrong. It never pays to predict a result at this place. Miss Harman held a folder of concise prompts with neat, blue tags.
She was organised - much more so than Gordon Brown, whose piles of documents are covered in mad scrawl and spill all over the bench.
It was telling that the person to do the most damage to Miss Harman was she herself. This was when she was trying to explain away some rubbish she had written on her website.
She told the House that this had been part of her "Harriet in the High Street Listening" programme. She may well have meant this seriously but the House roared with laughter. Harriet in the High Street! Flak jacket and UN peacekeeper's helmet to the fore, no doubt.
Miss Harman seemed baffled by the mirth. Computer not recognise. Computer unable to process information. Computer requests further instructions.
Half-way through the 30-minute session her good start had segued into something more leaden. Her plodding demeanour returned.
Her chin dropped in time to each falling syllable. We started to hear the occasional 'errrrrm' and 'uhhhhm'.
Someone ought to collect a whole load of these low moos of indecision and join them together for a comedy-show backing track.
Miss Harman's husband, trade union heavy Jack Dromey, watched from one of the galleries. At the end of the half-hour session he gave a beaming smile at his wife, clearly delighted.
A strange thing about her performance had been the lack of apparent nerves. This is one of her traits. She seems curiously detached from life, somehow lacking in spatial awareness.
The more you think about it, the more like Gordon Brown she is. Better than him yesterday, though. Poor Gordon.
Reader views (23)
Here's a sample of the latest views published.
What she did was actually illegal. Why was she not arrested or at least stopped? Unless of course there really was a danger of getting stabbed through this risky act; perhaps by a disgruntled constituent.
- Peter Haldane, London
Well, it seems that the civil enforcement officers have been told to prepare for riots in the very near future, so I expect that H H was just getting prepared.
- Kacey, Devon UK
A few years ago, Police needed to break down a door about two miles from my home. First through the door was a young Constable who wasn't wearing protective clothing. The seriously unwell man that the Police had gone to detain fatally stabbed her.
No-one was ever clear why she wasn't wearing the protective clothing. It was well known at the time that Police protective clothing was designed for men and women found it didn't fit and was uncomfortable.
Now a Cabinet minister has made it clear that problem has been solved. I think that is serious progress and most of these comments take it too lightly.
- Alan Griffiths, Forest Gate, London
is it true that most people in house of commons call her Harriet Harperson because she is so politically correct ?
- Peter, bBristol
I thought she would make a very good Bingo Caller and Buzz Word Bingo seems to be all the rage at PM's Questions these days. Pity the Liberal question from Vince Cable was blocked by the Speaker - mind you he seems to be playing a straight bat with everything these days.
- Robert, Hull, East Yorks.,
In response to John in Dundee, you don't mention which virtuous industry you work in? I work in the private sector, but my husband is a local government officer who works long hours for a pittance of a pay and puts up with pretty poor working conditions - the environment I work in compared to his is luxurious. I'm fed up to the back teeth with people like you stereotyping all council employees and public employees. Get off your high horse! My husband doesn't have time to read and respond to these websites during his working day - he is busy doing just that...working! Why don't you try it!
- Mandy, UK
Just how dim is this lady? How patronising to talk about putting on Indian clothes to visit an Indian family, does she put on bandages if visiting someone in Hospital? Wake up Gordon! time for a change.
- Graham Hersey, england london
Well, I think she was quite brave. After all, it's not the most flattering "look", is it?
- Karli, Tottenham London
Harperson? Harwoman more like, she'd rather there was no such gender as men, ... then again who could she blame all the female failures on then? Her constituency is awash with people who have never worked and who never intend to. This is what looking after trades unionists in councils up and down the country rather than looking after the local taxpayers has led us into. If Cameron really wants to win he should talk about doubling services by halving the number of council employees. He should make plain that when he wins those who have high sickness, who have bad timekeeping, who steal materials do do private work etc will be sacked from councils up and down the land. He should sack every police officer who refuses to go out on the beat alone. He should also ban paper money so there is no such thing as a cash economy. He should also ensure that every second of every moment a police officer is on duty is recorded including going for a dump. Let's see how many cops and council employees skive off during the day then.
- John, Dundee, UK
That is DISGUSTING!
Surely part of her job as an MP she should work to make her constituency safe and not parading around in a 'bullet proof vest'.
Is the woman stupid?
- Kalstar, London, UK
New Labour. Tough on Crime, Tough on the victims of crime.
- Adam, Harrow, UK
A picture paints a thousand words. No amount of political speak will get Ms Harman out of this mess, or it seems, her stab jacket. It's time for Nu Labour to go, and the sooner the better.
- Teddy, Islington, London
Dressing up in 'the kit' in order to identify with uniformed forces is of course an affliction that Mrs Thatcher suffered from. It demonstrates an inability to think for one self and a failure to understand the message one might be sending out. In short, a detachment from how real people actually live their lives and an insult to the community which has to put up with an increased incidence of knife crime while the government continues to peddle its misleading message that crime is being reduced.
- Peter Haldane, London
I remember when I used to live in Camberwell and everyone I know hated her, she was seen as another middle class snob looking down on the locals but doing her patronising bit for them. Has the labour party ever actually had any working class members?
She really is just another patronising, right on pc idiot isn't she, she said "Just as I might wear a hard hat on a building site or an Indian outfit going to meet Indian constituents, it's just about wearing the kit" Why would she need to wear an Indian outfit, is that all that Indians wear then? On a building site the law requires that you wear a hard hat, you don't just wear it as a courtesy to the builders, would she dress up as a Rastafarian if she was meeting some Jamaicans. How would wearing the veil sit with her pc attitudes when meeting Muslims? This pc stuff is a right minefield isn't it.
- Dr Finlays Casebook, London, UK
You shall reap what you sow.
Or in New Labour speak... We'll create the problem, then you all have to live with it.
- Tangomike, Kensington, London
Does she have something to fear or feel guilty for? Look at her track record and you decide. Typical Nu Labour spin - saying isn't everything great and wearing a vest yourself but expecting the rest of us to go it alone - hmmmm - the elections should let them know what we really think of them.
- David Newton, Southampton
What is going on in this country. Who do these politicians think they are. If it is not safe to walk the streets of her own constituency with three Met coppers god save the rest of us poor souls. Would the last person please now turn out the lights !
- Gazza, London, UK
Well, it is April 1st... isn't it?
- Paul, London
Yes Harriet you can be so proud of yourself and of your Nu-labour government, this is what the ordinary people of this country have to put up with every day, the fear of being shot raped, mugged and murdered,
Yes, this is the cesspit mess that you and your like have turned this once great country into.
- Bazzer, West Country, England.
This is rather symptomatic of this current administration: all stunts and no action. Shame they can't even do that with grace.
- Matthew, London
We should get used to seeing more Labour MPs dressed like this as they approach election time and start stabbing each other in the back!
Come on the people of Camberwell and Peckham wake up and throw out these champagne socialists that have conned you for so long and get real local representatives!
- Alan Dickinson, Beaconsfield UK
The Truth is out there. Labour admits by its own actions what they have done to the streets of Britain.
- Roland, Geneva, Switzerland
Absolutely scandalous! These people do not seem to live in the same world as us mere mortals. I thought she said crime was going down and all was well? The sooner this bunch of wasters are out the better
- Duncan Walker, London England
