Speeches in Britain’s Parliament are getting shorter—and worse

The problem is the Post-its. Many criticisms have been made of prime minister’s questions (pmqs). It has been called “boorish”, “childish” and “rude”. Sir Tony Blair thought it “unforgiving”; David Cameron called it “Punch and Judy politics”. It can be cruel: it was at PMQs that Boris Johnson called Sir Keir Starmer “a pointless human bollard” and “Captain Crasheroony Snoozefest”. It can cause shock—and awe. “I count my blessings”, George H.W. Bush said, that “I don’t have to go into that pit.”