A Conservative MP was ordered to leave the House of Commons after making a jibe about Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer's defection from his previous role as Director of Public Prosecutions. The incident occurred during a debate on the government's record, with the MP accusing Starmer of being a 'serial defector' for leaving his post to enter politics.
The Speaker of the House, Sir Lindsay Hoyle, ruled the comment as unparliamentary and instructed the MP to withdraw the remark. When the MP refused, he was asked to leave the chamber for the remainder of the day's sitting.
The exchange came amid heightened tensions in Parliament following Labour's landslide election victory in July 2024, which saw Starmer become Prime Minister with a majority of 174 seats. The Conservative Party has been grappling with internal divisions and a series of by-election defeats since losing power.
Labour MPs condemned the remark as a 'desperate attack' on the Prime Minister's integrity, while Tory whips declined to comment on the incident. The MP in question later issued a statement saying he stood by his words, arguing that Starmer's career change was a legitimate topic for political debate.
