Float Like A Butterfly

Prime Minister's Question Time in the House of Commons - or PMQs for short - is normally a boring affair.

More often than not it's a Punch and Judy show - with the PM answering questions he wasn't even asked - and the leader of Her Majesty's opposition (Ed Miliband) plkaying to the gallery.

But yesterday was different.

Ed Miliband asked detailed questions and much to his surprise - he got detailed answers - which left the Labour leader floundering around like the proverbial fish out of water.

The Labour leader's 'killer questions' were all about border control and immigration - not normally fertile ground for the People's Party.

Ed wanted to know how many 'undesirables' had entered the UK during the period when border checks were relaxed - a subject of great controversy at the moment and a row involving the Home Secretary - Theresa May.

But the PM answered coolly under fire - explaining that the number of people arrested for drugs, firearms and other offences had actually gone up during this period - and significantly so in some categories.

Yet this didn't stop the Labour leader from walking straight into more punches - over Labour's track record on immigration - which was simply grist to the Prime Minister's mill.

If this had been a boxing match - the red corner would have thrown in the towel and spared their man further punishment - but instead he plodded on and just ran out of questions.

So the motto of the story is to stay on your toes - be nimble and flexible - don't keep banging  away with the same old tactics - especially if they're not producing any results.

Not everyone can 'float like a butterfly and sting like a bee' - it's fair to say.

But at PMQs that's what you've got to train hard for - because just like a boxing ring - at Prime Minister's Questions there is no hiding place.