At the final PMQs before summer recess, Theresa May and Jeremy Corbyn revealed a lot about where they really stand

The Tories, said the PM, had a record to be proud of, with more children than ever now growing up with ‘parents in work rather than failure…’ For a moment we wondered if that was the end of the sentence – and if truth be known, it probably was – until May realised how bad it sounded and tried to save herself

Labour appears to have momentum behind it, while the Tories seem increasingly divided over Brexit (BBC)

Theresa May put on her best Tory outfit for the last PMQs of the parliamentary session today, perhaps hoping that the conviction of her blue two-piece suit and pearls would make up for her shaky grip on power. It didn’t really work.

Work it was, however, that dominated proceedings, with Jeremy Corbyn keen to press the Prime Minister on her attitude towards low-paid public sector employees. May, always quick to read the mood of the nation, pointed to the newly released list of BBC salaries: “Some people in the public sector are very well paid!” she trilled.

It is just about possible that the Prime Minister’s detachment from reality extends to believing that Casualty is a documentary and that Charlie Fairhead’s £350,000 salary is the norm for a nurse with 30 years’ experience. Brilliant, harried, NHS staff would no doubt tell her otherwise – if they could ever find the time at the end of a shift to do so. To be fair, Charlie does work every Saturday night so maybe he deserves it.

Putting BBC stars to one side, the Prime Minister reminded the Opposition that salary raises for public sector workers couldn’t just come out of nowhere. The difference between the Tories and Labour, she said, was that “on this side of the house we know we have to pay for them”.

Unfortunately, the old “no magic money tree” argument has been seen for the nonsensical adage it is, uprooted as a campaign slogan by the Conservatives’ £1bn-plus bung to the Democratic Unionist Party. Corbyn was quick to point out the hypocrisy.

Sadly for her, the Prime Minister can’t even rely on her own party these days. Half of them continue to back her only because they worry that a leadership contest will necessitate another general election. Corbyn said the “squabbling” Cabinet was in a chaotic cycle of “bickering and backbiting”. Philip Hammond, the victim of more antagonistic briefing in a two-week period than any other chancellor in history, ostentatiously shook his head at such a notion – while at the same time looking as if he’d rather be anywhere else.

The Tories, said the Prime Minister, had a record to be proud of, with more children than ever now growing up “in households where there is work rather than failure…” For a moment we wondered if that was the end of the sentence – and if truth be known, it probably was; until Theresa May realised how it sounded bad even by her standards. So she turned it into “failure… to have work”. Phew! Good save.

May used to find PMQs a comparative breeze. Now it is the man opposite who has the wind in his sails, while cabinet colleagues blow metaphorical raspberries behind her back. The public sector pay debate may be more nuanced than PMQs permits, but it is a subject which shows Theresa May up as absurdly and simplistically out of touch.

PMQs is now finished for the summer. Theresa May will head off on holiday with a sigh of relief. The rest of us wonder whether she’ll still be behind the despatch box come the autumn.