Bridget Phillipson and Liz Kendall confronted Kemi Badenoch after the Tory leader branded the Education Secretary a 'spiteful class warrior' in a PMQs attack. The incident occurred as the two Labour ministers passed the Conservative leader in the voting division after Prime Minister's Questions.
Confrontation in the Voting Lobby
Ms Phillipson, who grew up on a council estate in Washington in the North East, was with DWP Secretary Ms Kendall when they encountered Ms Badenoch. Ms Kendall called out Ms Badenoch's behaviour, to which the Tory leader replied: 'I'm never going to stop talking about how spiteful you are.' The fuming Education Secretary allegedly had to shout her response as Ms Badenoch walked off: 'The public are going to find out who you really are.'
PMQs Exchange and Speaker's Intervention
During PMQs, Ms Badenoch pointed to a National Education Union poll showing no teachers thought Ms Phillipson was doing 'very well' in her job. She said: 'She taxed private schools to pay for more teachers, but the number of teachers has gone down. It turns out appointing a spiteful class warrior as Education Secretary was a disaster.'
Speaker Lindsay Hoyle intervened, warning members about showing 'respect' to one another. He said: 'Can I just say think about the language use… because when we leave this chamber, don't be surprised when constituents feel they can use the same language against each other. Let us show a little bit more decorum and respect to each other.'
Starmer and Labour Figures Defend Phillipson
Keir Starmer defended Ms Phillipson, saying he is 'so proud that she is sitting there and so should everybody in this country who cares about social mobility'. The PM continued: 'She knows that for poor children, education is absolutely vital and that is why it drives every single priority and value that she has. I would have thought the party opposite would recognise and understand some of that, but they've fallen so low, they don't.'
Deputy PM David Lammy added: 'Kemi Badenoch's attack on Bridget Phillipson at PMQs today lays bare something deeper about the direction of their politics. I'm proud that this Labour government has the most state-schooled Cabinet in the post-war era - people who didn't grow up with privilege, but earned their place through hard work. That's the difference between us and them.'
Trade minister Chris Bryant said: 'Badenoch just did spite today. Magnanimity is nearly always a better strategy at moments such as these.'
Backlash Over Language and Tone
Labour MP Uma Kumaran said: 'Just last week we wore white roses to remember our dear Jo, killed whilst undertaking duties as an MP. My constituency is where Sir David Amess went to school, also killed whilst undertaking his duties as MP. Both their families robbed of their loved ones. Their killers were radicalised and filled with hatred towards elected officials. The dehumanisation of people who put themselves forward to serve in elected office is accelerating at an alarming pace. Kemi should be ashamed for acting as chief cheerleader.'
A spokesman for Ms Badenoch later said she would 'absolutely not' apologise for the language she used during the session. During PMQs, Ms Badenoch also described Labour ministers as 'traitors and deserters' and said backbenchers were 'cheering so loudly while there are 400 knives stuck in' the Prime Minister's back. She added 'They don't like it up 'em,' borrowing the phrase from TV sitcom Dad's Army, which is understood to be the phrase Sir Lindsay objected to.
