Rishi Sunak “is the richest Prime Minister in history”. So said Richard Burgon (Lab, Leeds East), but the many people who say this are almost certainly wrong.
What about Lord Derby, Lord Salisbury, Lord Rockingham or the Duke of Newcastle? Comparisons across large expanses of time are never satisfactory, but in terms of land, houses and works of art many PMs have been far richer than Sunak.
Burgon, who assumes being rich is a dreadful handicap, pointed out that Sunak has promised to publish his tax returns, and asked when this will happen.
“Very shortly,” the PM replied, and was soon insisting that Sir Keir Starmer suffers from a far worse handicap: “He’s just another lefty lawyer.”
Sir Keir denounced the PM for “driving a coach and horses through our world-leading modern slavery framework”, and for failing to stop the small boats crossing the Channel: “the problem just gets worse with every new gimmick”.
Sunak accused Sir Keir of being in favour of open-door immigration: “He’s on the side of the people smugglers. We’re on the side of the British people.”
Sir Keir: “Nobody on this side of the House wants open borders. On that side they’ve lost control of the borders.”
The Labour leader bridled at being told that throughout his legal career he had been “on the wrong side of this issue”, retorted that as Director of Public Prosecutions “I extradited countless rapists”, and said of the PM, “He should be apologising, not gloating.”
“Gloating” is the wrong word, but Sunak did sound remarkably calm. He and the Home Secretary, Suella Braverman, who sat beside him, smiled in a manner which suggests they think they know what they’re doing.
Stephen Flynn, Westminster leader of the Scots Nats, has a pleasantly self-assured manner, speaking without a note, and without the protection of a Despatch Box, something so considerable a parliamentarian as Roy Jenkins found difficult when leading for the Social Democratic Party in the Commons.
Quinn wondered whether, on its new immigration measures, the Government is “taking inspiration from Nigel Farage or Enoch Powell”?
How funny if Sunak had answered “both”, and had pointed out that the initiative in British politics often comes from the Right, a point which always takes the Left by surprise.
But Sunak, in his astute, self-possessed and unexciting way, declined to do battle on ground chosen for him by his opponents.
He looked, astonishingly enough, as if he was enjoying himself.