London —Dave Hibbert relished the prospect of a good political brawl last Wednesday as he waited outside Parliament to witness Prime Minister’s Questions, the rowdy weekly event in which British politicians pummel the prime minister with questions that range from insightful to downright mean.
“There should be fisticuffs,” said Mr. Hibbert, a retired engineer from Southampton, nodding in the direction of the debating chamber, whose 150-spot gallery is a hot ticket. Awhile later, he got what he wanted. “Look at them now,” said Nick Clegg, the leader of the opposition Liberal Democrats, jabbing a finger at Prime Minister Gordon Brown. “You failed. It’s over. It’s time to go.”
When the British candidates take the stage this week, American political pros advise them to remember the difference between the open warfare of PMQs and the broader messaging of a staged TV event. These debates are about “getting a clear core message developed and finding the way of making sure in the debate they get back to those key points,” says Mark McKinnon, a media consultant who advised former President George W. Bush on debates. He says the three leaders need to “dumb it down” so everyone can understand, and not get lost in the policy minutiae that often underlies PMQs.
American fascination with PMQs bemuses Britons. Mr. Duncan Smith was once approached by a fellow hotel guest in Washington and asked if he was Iain Duncan Smith. “I recognize you from Prime Minister’s Questions. I love that show.”
