For the second week in a row Jeremy Corbyn avoided Brexit to focus on domestic issues.
When the country is in the middle of a constitutional and political crisis that will determine the fate of generations to come some will question whether this was the correct judgement by the Labour leader.
Others will perhaps be grateful he was willing to change the subject.
With the local elections looming, Mr Corbyn used his six questions to ask about council cuts.
All were variations on the same theme: why are the most deprived areas suffering the worst cuts?
The Labour leader repeatedly pressed Theresa May on why a council such as Swindon (chosen precisely because of the threat to the town’s Honda plant) was suffering £350 a head reduction in spending when wealthy Surrey was receiving more money.
There is no plausible answer to this question other than the fact that Tory areas tend to prosper under Tory governments so the Prime Minister refused to offer one.
Instead she claimed that local government was getting more money from the Government this year.
The last two words are crucial.
“This year” there has been an increase in funding but that follows eight years during which local authorities have borne the brunt of the Conservative cuts.
The Labour leader’s final question was clearly designed for a video clip to be used in his party’s local election campaign and saw him spell out the consequences of Tory austerity: 1,000 fewer sure start centres, 750 fewer youth clubs and a social care system in crisis.
Mrs May responded by claiming those on low incomes were benefiting from the freeze in fuel duty, rise in the national minimum wage and cuts to the tax threshold.
What was revealing about this answer is the difference in perspective of the two party leaders.
The Prime Minister’s view of those on the breadline clearly does not include those who are too poor to own a car or pay any income tax.
Corbyn fulfilled his objective of setting out the battleground for the elections but the exchanges reflected the tired and fractious mood of a Commons that needs a holiday.
