Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer brushed off criticism of his top team and backbenchers during the first Prime Minister's Questions since he announced his exit plan. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch labelled Labour ministers as “traitors and deserters” and questioned whether Starmer felt “betrayed” by the MPs he led to victory two years ago.
Speaker Hoyle Intervenes for Decorum
Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle interrupted the session, urging both leaders to choose their words carefully. “When we leave this chamber, don’t be surprised when constituents feel they can use the same language against each other,” he warned. “Let us show a little bit more decorum and respect to each other.”
Badenoch Targets Defence and Chancellor
Badenoch congratulated Starmer on Labour’s by-election win in Makerfield, where Andy Burnham returned to Parliament. She then attacked the government’s defence record, noting that Defence Secretary John Healey resigned the day after Starmer claimed defence funding was under control. Starmer replied that the government had delivered “the biggest sustained boost to defence spending since the 1980s – that’s £270 billion over this Parliament,” and said the defence investment plan would be published before the Nato summit on July 7.
Turning to Chancellor Rachel Reeves, Badenoch asked if Starmer felt let down. Starmer responded that Reeves “ended austerity inflicted on our country for 14 long years – this is the Chancellor who got the economy growing.”
Miliband and Phillipson Under Fire
Badenoch described Energy Secretary Ed Miliband as a “failed Labour leader” and suggested he betrayed his brother David in 2010. She also attacked Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson for taxing private schools while teacher numbers fell. Starmer defended Phillipson, saying, “I am so proud that she is sitting there… She knows that for poor children, education is absolutely vital.”
Starmer Defends Labour MPs
When Badenoch asked if Starmer felt betrayed by backbenchers, he said he would “miss” PMQs and added: “I’m very proud of every one of our MPs who’ve had a landslide Labour victory… We inflicted the biggest loss on the Tory Party opposite in the history of their party.” Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey acknowledged the difficulty of Starmer’s decision to resign, urging MPs to remember that “we are all human.”
A Conservative source claimed Phillipson aimed a barb at Badenoch as they left the chamber, with Badenoch responding, “I’ll fight you all the way – you’re destroying children’s lives.” A spokesman for Badenoch said she would “absolutely not” apologise for her language.
