PMQs, 25-Jun

Yesterday at PMQs (iPlayer; UK-only), Gordon Brown informed the House that it was a shame that the Euro-Parliamentary Tories had left the EPP to form their own grouping, effectively excluding the parties of Merkel, Sarkozy and Berlusconi, reputable parties all. If only a Tory had been able to ask a question immediately after! In that position, I'd have asked:

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has just said that the Conservative party has excluded the reputable party of Prime Minister Berlusconi. Would the Prime Minister like to be associated with the Italian Prime Minister's exceedingly reputable parties?

On another note, I thought John Bercow didn't do too badly at PMQs. He calmed down the rowdier elements of the opposition back-benches without completely shutting them up, and cut short the worst offenders on the Labour benches when it comes to rambling patsy questions. He also appears to be somewhat more lenient on the occasional slip into the second person singular than was Michael Martin.