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Jeremy Corbyn clearly doesn’t like to be rushed.

A week after he should have challenged Theresa May on her grammar school reforms, he decided to raise the subject.

Perhaps he was right to take his time as he delivered one of his best performances at Prime Minister’s questions.

Theresa May began by paying tribute to David Cameron which came across as so hollow that it would have sent a lie machine into meltdown.

There are double glazing salesmen who could have spoken the words with more sincerity.

She also kindly set up Mr Corbyn who was able to remind the Prime Minister of her predecessor’s objection to grammar schools .

His opening question dripped with sarcasm: could the Prime Minister name a single education expert in favour of her school reforms?

Mrs May replied with the vapid language that normally graces those motivational books found in airports and spoke about the wish for opportunity for all.

There was a clear hesitancy to her replies that reflected, no doubt, the unease at the reforms by some on her own side.

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Asked specific questions about the policy, she blustered before ridiculously accusing Jeremy Corbyn of wishing to turn the clock back to the 1950s.

When this didn’t work she went personal by noting the Labour leader was former grammar school boy.

Corbyn, whose opposition to selective education is such that it reportedly led to the break up of his marriage, can be accused of many things but he has been resolutely principled when it comes to his stance on education.

Too often in the past he has been too slow to respond to jibes from his opponent.

This time he showed a surprising nimbleness.

When May accused him of wanting to pull up the ladder of opportunity, he replied that Labour was “not pulling up ladders but providing ladders for all children.”

This was not a perfect outing for Corbyn but he was much closer to finding the right mix of passion and forensic questioning.

The fact that the Prime Minister had to respond with a limp series of slurs at his expense should be regarded as compliment.

Even Labour backbenchers look cheered. That is some achievement, by Mrs May.

SCORE: Jeremy Corbyn 3 Theresa May 1