Badenoch Taunts Labour MPs Over Reluctance to Remove Starmer Amid Election Fears
Tory leader Kemi Badenoch has openly mocked Labour MPs, accusing them of being 'too scared' to oust Sir Keir Starmer as Prime Minister due to fears that triggering a general election could cost them their parliamentary seats. During a visit to a McDonald's restaurant in Ruislip, north-west London, Badenoch delivered a stark warning to Starmer, asserting that he remains 'in a very dangerous place' politically, despite having narrowly survived an immediate leadership coup attempt.
Labour's Internal Crisis Deepens Over Mandelson Scandal
Sir Keir Starmer is currently enduring the most severe crisis of his premiership, stemming from the controversy surrounding Peter Mandelson's appointment as US ambassador, which has been clouded by Mandelson's past associations with convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein. Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar has been vocal in calling for Starmer's resignation, yet the Prime Minister received a temporary reprieve yesterday when Labour ministers publicly pledged their support instead of joining Sarwar's demands.
Speaking to reporters after preparing a sausage McMuffin and hash brown in the McDonald's kitchen, Badenoch elaborated on her criticism. 'I've got a lot of questions to ask him, but he is in a very dangerous place,' she stated. 'The Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar said the quiet bit out loud. Labour MPs and the Labour Party have lost confidence in their leader. But the MPs are too scared of losing their jobs, so they're not going to call an election, and they've given him a stay of execution. The sad thing is that the country is suffering from not being governed at all.'
Demands for Transparency in Mandelson Appointment Documents
Badenoch intensified her attack by demanding the immediate release of files detailing how Lord Mandelson was appointed to the ambassadorial role by Starmer. She highlighted the government's failure to disclose promised documents, suggesting a deliberate cover-up. 'Tomorrow at Prime Minister's Questions, the Prime Minister will need to explain why the documents he promised to release last week have not turned up yet,' she declared. 'What are they covering up? The Cabinet Office has told ministers not to release their text messages like Health Secretary Wes Streeting did. I think that there's something they're trying to hide and I'm going to get to the bottom of it.'
Nostalgic Return to McDonald's Kitchen After Three Decades
During her kitchen stint, Badenoch wore a personalised name badge bearing her 'Leader of the Opposition' title, marking a nostalgic return to the fast-food chain where she worked as a teenager thirty years ago. Staff members humorously warned her that she was 'too slow' in her food preparation tasks. Reflecting on the experience, Badenoch shared, 'I did have a sausage and egg McMuffin. It's been 30 years since I last worked at McDonald's but there are lots of good memories.' She has previously claimed that her time at McDonald's as a 16-year-old helped her 'become working class,' adding a personal dimension to her visit.
The event underscored the ongoing political turmoil within Labour, with Badenoch leveraging the moment to criticise Starmer's leadership and the party's internal divisions. Her comments emphasise the precarious nature of Starmer's position, as he navigates both external opposition and internal dissent while facing calls for greater transparency over controversial appointments.
