MPs' tone still respectful? Don't bank on it
After hitting the bullseye with his attack on the energy companies, Ed Miliband now has his sights set on the banking sector.
During Prime Minister's Questions this afternoon, the Labour leader called on David Cameron to block any plans by Royal Bank of Scotland to pay bonuses of more than 100 per cent, to a braying and heckling chamber.
As Harold Wilson – one of Mr Miliband's predessors – once remarked, a week is a long time in politics.
And judging from the noise coming out of this afternoon's session, the respectful and sombre tone which followed the untimely death of MP Paul Goggins last week seems a very long time ago indeed.
It was friendly enough to being with. Labour's Keith Vaz – a man who has never found a camera he doesn't like – asked a gentle question about whether the Prime Minister would give up sugary drinks this week to raise awareness about obesity and diabetes.
And it was a full six minutes before Ed Miliband mentioned the 'cost of living crisis'.
But once that deadlock had been broken, it was business as usual.
With regards to the banking bonuses, Mr Cameron said the Coalition had capped total pay for bankers, which was more than Mr Miliband's government had ever done.
Faltering nervously against the backdrop of the noise from both sides, Mr Miliband said he agreed with the Prime Minister's broad sentiments, but wondered why he hadn't answered his question.
Mr Miliband seems to be at his best when he is delivering prepared and polished soundbites, but always seems vulnerable when the proceedings do not go quite to the script.
And the Prime Minister was in no mood to be charitable, mocking Labour's record on the banking crisis which happened under Labour's watch.
"He is speaking with all the authority of the Reverend Flowers," he quipped.
Ooh, a bit below the belt, as they say.
Having made so much hay with the energy companies, it is easy to see why he would want to target another industry which the public holds little affection for.
But one wonders, though, whether the offensive on the banking industry will prove quite such fertile ground.
Everybody hates it when their energy bills go up, but the impact of bankers bonuses does not really feel quite so raw.
Time will tell.
But one suspects there are plenty more rounds in this left to go.