Keir Starmer endured his penultimate Prime Minister's Questions on Wednesday, a session described by observers as farce rather than tragedy, with his would-be successor Andy Burnham absent from the chamber. The Labour leader trudged through the exchanges, flanked by loyalists Rachel Reeves and David Lammy, while an empty seat was kept for Burnham at the back of the room.
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch seized on the absence, demanding three times whether Burnham had signed off on the £5 billion defence black hole that has dogged the government. 'If the Labour party cannot defend our country, then what is the point of them?' she boomed, accusing Starmer of being unable to count.
Shakespearean Allusions and Defiant Defence
Starmer mounted a robust defence of his record, claiming the defence investment plan had 'strengthened our international leadership.' His backbench supporters offered meek cheers, but erupted when he wished the NHS a happy 75th birthday. However, the atmosphere was marred by visible ghosts: a former minister who quit over the defence plan scowled behind him, while another, John Healey, lurked at the chamber's entrance.
The final sting came from Catherine West, the backbencher whose call for a challenger triggered the leadership contest. Her question, described as dull but pointed, nodded to Starmer's work abroad while ignoring domestic issues—a dagger twisted with a smile.
A Walking Shadow
Despite dour faces all round, Starmer beamed, buoyant as a man already packed. The session ended with the sense that his hour upon this stage is very nearly done. 'He was but a walking shadow, a poor player,' wrote political correspondent Aaron Newbury, drawing parallels to Macbeth and Julius Caesar, but concluding it was pure farce.
