YESTERDAY’S Prime Minister’s Questions showed exactly why Labour needs a new leader. It was excruciating to watch, with the new Conservative Prime Minister, Theresa May, elegantly savaging Jeremy Corbyn.

Mr Corbyn opened with a question about the Orgreave dispute of 1984 – a serious issue, but a tactical mistake as it made him look as if he were still fighting the battles of another era.

The Northern Echo: Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn speaks during Prime Minister's Questions in the House of Commons

Jeremy Corbyn in the Commons

He moved on to austerity and job insecurity.

In response, looking confident for a debutant, Mrs May taunted him about his own job insecurity and ridiculed him by comparing him to an unscrupulous boss who makes his employees do double the work (Mr Corbyn is so bereft of support in his shadow cabinet that some MPs hold more than one brief).

She finished her answer by using a Thatcher-like intonation to dramatically stab at her opponent: “Remind him of anyone.”

It was painful to watch. In fact, animals who are suffering less are taken to a vet to be put out of their misery.

Of course, it was only Parliamentary theatre, but it matters for at least three reasons.

Firstly, many people’s views about politicians are formed from brief clips on the television news. If they see Mr Corbyn being ridiculed, there’s no way they are going to vote for him.

Secondly, the tone of PMQs sets the mood of the party. A humiliated Labour Party is not one that will go around the country enthusing people to vote for it.

And thirdly, Mr Corbyn’s questions were correct but because of his weakness Mrs May rode roughshod over him. He was correct to say austerity is making people, and public services, poorer, but he wasn’t strong enough to be able to hold Mrs May to account.

It is going to be a painfully long haul to an election, which could be as far away as 2020, unless Labour is able to find someone who can present its case much better.