One thing we are learning about Sunak is that he doesn’t like PMQs and his team is going to great lengths to restrict the number of his appearances. Hence this last week and next we find that the PM will not be facing the Commons and Starmer.
With next Wednesday taken into account, the total of PMQs he will have missed since becoming PM will be 7 which is a far far higher proportion than his predecessors. Sure there are events that the PM has to attend but these should normally be arranged so he doesn’t have to be there at midday on Wednesdays for 35 minutes or so.
The Commons tradition when the PM is away is for the Opposition leader not to take part. I would suggest that Starmer makes a point of being there even when Sunak is absent. This would highlight how often Sunak is trying to duck out of being questioned but would also give Starmer more exposure. After all Sunak’s absences inevitably mean that the Labour leader gets less coverage.
I can’t see a downside to this and maybe it would encourage Sunak to attend more often.
In my days working at Westminster there were two sets of PMQs each week – on Tuesdays and Thursdays with the session only lasting 15 minutes and the opposition leader restricted to 3 questions.
