Theresa May did not waste any time getting to her “strong and stable leadership” campaign slogan during prime minister’s questions today - deploying it straight out of the gate.
It did not stop there. In the raucous almost hour-long session, the prime minister used the word “strong” 31 times.
And she managed to crowbar the full “strong and stable” line into her answers nine times in total.
Here is an example of the prime minister’s message discipline when speaking to Jeremy Corbyn:
Every vote for him is a vote to weaken our economy; every vote for me is a vote for a strong economy with the benefits felt by everyone across the country. Every vote for him is a vote for a coalition of chaos, a weak leader propped up by the Liberal Democrats and the Scottish nationalists; every vote for me is a vote for strong and stable leadership in the national interest, building a stronger and more secure future for this country.
Tory MPs also helped out, hammering home the campaign message by also using the word “strong” a further nine times.
This effort from from Sir Simon Burns was particularly, strong:
Mr Speaker, may I thank you for that? May I tell my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister that, for 30 years, I have had the privilege and the honour to represent the great people of Chelmsford? May I tell her that the great people of Chelmsford are perspicacious and that they have always wanted a Government who provide strong defences, a strong economy and strong leadership? May I also tell her that it is the Conservative party under her strong leadership that will deliver for this country for the next five years?
It is normally a good idea for political opponents not to repeat the messaging of their rivals. However the ‘Jeremy Corbyn 4 PM’ Twitter account (which is not an official Labour Party feed) tweeted a short clip demonstrating how focused May is on her “strong” slogan.