PMQ's unpacked on Times Radio, unpacking the politics and cutting through the crossfire. And I'm joined as always by Times Chief Political Commentator Patrick. Yo, how are you? I say as always, but I haven't seen you for a while. Well, it's been recess, Hugo. Have you been? I'm all right, thank you. Yeah, how was recess? How was recess? Is recess relaxing when you're like sort of, you know, deep in the bowels of Westminster?

I went on a brief holiday, which is nice.

But, yeah, it's sort of slightly, it's slightly post-apocalyptic.

Literally, nobody's around.

And you're lucky if anyone responds to a lunch invitation, which is always sad.

Do you like to go rollerblading down the corridors, an empty corridors and I kind of sort of... You know what? I've not rollerbladed in a long time, Hugo. Well, you should, you should. And I'm joined by the equally bearded comedian Andrew Maxwell, oh, Andrew. Well, it's wonderful to be here with my fellow beards. I mean, I feel like I'm only just starting. I feel like a positive youth compared to the two of you.

Yours. be here with my fellow beards. I mean, I feel like I'm only just, I'm only just starting.

I feel like a positive youth compared to the two of you. Yours is very patchy and it's never grown to grow in. From a distance, either one of you could be an apiarist. It could be just like clinging to your face, loads of bees. PMQs. Are you a big fan, Andrew? Yes. I like the pushing, pushing shove of

British politics

red and toothing clore

in the mother parliament. Have you been finding it lately? Because, Kenney-Bain-Noch, she's been coming on, I feel. Yeah, I think so, too. I think she's, she's compatible. There's now getting around that. Yeah. She's good at that. Yeah. She's certainly got a bit more fun, more fun.

Look, if you cast your mind back before the Easter recess, Kirstarmer took his strategy of just not answering the question to a new high slash low, depending on, you know, choose your medicine. Kemi Badernock asked about Peter Mandelson, and he gave an answer about not joining the war in Iran. and then she asked the next question

and he also gave an answer

about not joining the war in Iran.

Do you think that's been mentioned a lot, it's been criticised a lot, do you think he might have stung enough for him to change his tune to actually start engaging with what he's being asked of? I think you're meant to sort of answer the questions. Sort of. Sort of. You're meant to, you know, at least a setup, if not the punchline. You're meant to give them something. Yeah. Something about what you're talking about. Yeah. Hasn't Mandelson been recently arrested for public urination? He was given a fixed penalty notice by the police, yeah. So never arrested, but, yeah. It was outside George Orbourne's house. Yeah, it was, yeah. Was that coincidence? Or has he been... No, he'd been for dinner at George Osborne's house. But was not permitted to use the bathroom. Well, no, he'd already left. Right. He was waiting for an Uber. Right. George Osborne has very small children. So didn't want to knock on the door, ring the doorbell late and wait the kids up.

It was a moral act, is what you're saying.

It was so George Osborne has said, yeah. George Osborne said he did the right thing. It's nice when they can, you know, cross the Great Divide and stick up for each other when arrested for these things. It's nice to know that the elite aren't that cozy, that they can pee in each other's front gardens without reproach.

Moving on from that, gratefully.

Patrick, just before we get the first question,

the... that they can pee in each other's front gardens without reproach. Moving on from that, gratefully.

Patrick, just before we get the first question,

I think, so I'm not sure it was the last time you were here, or it was, I think it was maybe the last time you were here, it was like, it was as bleak as it's ever been. Yeah, it was terrible. It was really, really bad. and Kierstimer has come in to quite a lot of criticism for that, for not answering the question.

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