Your party will shortly take over the responsibilities of Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition. The British people will ask you, on their behalf, as (let us assume) the Opposition party leader, thoughtfully to examine and candidly to question Her Majesty's Government on all aspects of its policy.
To this end, as Leader of Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition you will have priority over all other elected representatives of the people in holding the Prime Minister to account.
This is a serious and onerous task. The British people will expect you to elicit thoughtful answers from the Prime Minister. They will expect the Prime Minister to treat you with the respect due to the importance of your position.
How will you approach your new responsibilities? How do you expect the Prime Minister to (a) answer your questions and (b) treat you, personally, on the floor of the House?
Will you accept dissembling from the Prime Minister? Will you be content with Stakhanovite lists of carefully selected and even false data? Will you accept it if the Prime Minister dismisses your questions with contempt and treats you personally with open derision?
I ask because I would really like to know how you see the proper relationship between a serving Prime Minister and Leader of the Opposition and how you expect the next Prime Minister to respond to you.
Sincerely,
Prodicus of Ceos
Gordon just doesn't do honour, he could probably get a book written about it though.
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