Tory leader David Cameron warned that Gordon Brown's Government was "falling apart" as he mounted a wide ranging attack on the Prime Minister's hold on office.
In a savage swipe at Mr Brown, Mr Cameron told him: "It took Tony Blair 10 years before confidence in his administration collapsed. You've managed it in six months."
And in a jibe greeted by loud laughter on the Tory backbenches, he even likened Mr Brown to the missing canoeist who came back from the dead this week.
"I know you want us to think that like the man in the canoe, you haven't been around for the last five years.
"But you were the Chancellor who failed to build the prisons," Mr Cameron said, condemning the failure to build more prison places.
Mr Brown repeatedly challenged the Conservatives to return to cross-party talks to discuss Labour proposals for reform of political party funding.
He defended the Government's record, insisting crime was down by 30% under Labour, there were more police and 20,000 new prison places had been built with more on the way.
"We can do it because we have run a successful economy - not the failed economy we inherited from the Conservatives."
Mr Cameron's assault on the Prime Minister covered party donations, defence spending and prison places.
