Ed Miliband calls for public PMQs

The Labour leader said inviting public critics to directly confront the country’s political leader in parliament would help re-engage citizens.

He is to submit proposals to Commons Speaker John Bercow amid calls to reform the much-criticised weekly Prime Minister’s Questions sessions where the premier faces MPs.

“I think what we need is a public question time, where regularly the prime minister submits himself or herself to questioning from members of the public in the Palace of Westminster on Wednesdays,” he told BBC1’s Andrew Marr Show.

“Why is that important? Because I want to let the public in to our politics.

“At the moment there is the glass that separates the public in the gallery from the House of Commons, but there is a gulf miles wide between the kind of politics people want and what prime minister’s questions offers.”

Welcomed Mr Clegg’s phone-in

Mr Miliband applauded Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg’s decision to take on a weekly radio phone-in and said that he intended to take part in more of those himself.

But he indicated that his proposed public session in parliament may not happen every week.

“We’ll see how often we do it. We definitely want to do it regularly and I want to make a formal proposal to the Speaker of the House of Commons.

“He and I have talked before, many times, about prime minister’s questions.”

Those invited “would not just be cheerleading Labour supporters”, he insisted.

Mr Miliband earlier this week sought to fight back against critics of his leadership and “geeky” appearance by insisting principles and ideas are more important in politics than style and image.

Not a gimmick

He suggested the initiative was part of that agenda and not a “gimmick”.

“It is serious. I want to find ways to change our political culture. It’s not just about photo-opps – that is a problem – it is deep and it goes well beyond that,” Mr Miliband said.

Labour said that the sessions would happen at least once a fortnight and possibly weekly, if they were given the go-ahead by the Speaker.

Questioners “would be chosen by a method to ensure a wide representation of the country and political backgrounds”, a spokesman said.

David Cameron held regular “Cameron Direct” meetings in town halls and other venues outside Westminster as opposition leader and has continued them, less regularly, as Prime Minister.

Labour said that the sessions would happen at least once a fortnight and possibly weekly, if they were given the go-ahead by the speaker.

Questioners “would be chosen by a method to ensure a wide representation of the country and political backgrounds”, a spokesman said.

David Cameron held regular “Cameron Direct” meetings in town halls and other venues outside Westminster as opposition leader and has continued them, less regularly, as prime minister.