This is Keir Starmer’s worst week in politics since last week. With the Chagos deal eliciting criticism in cabinet, the PM is now under pressure over claims he potentially broke lockdown rules. Expectations were therefore low at today’s Prime Minister’s Questions. But with his back against the wall, Starmer produced a performance that left the Opposition benches frustrated and despairing.
Kemi Badenoch started her six questions by asking about Chagos. Was it true, she asked, that the costs of this ‘immoral’ handover have now risen to £18bn? ‘When Labour negotiates’, she jibed, ‘our country loses.’ It was a decent opener – but Starmer had his answers ready. In a lengthy reply, he slowly explained how, ‘without legal certainty, the base cannot operate in practical terms as it should. That is bad for national security, and is a gift to our adversaries.’ He then spoke in cryptic terms. ‘Some within the party opposite know exactly what I am talking about’, he said. If Badenoch is ‘properly briefed’ on the national security aspects, she too will know the answers.
Crucially, he did not deny the £18bn figure. And yet that was that from the Leader of the Opposition, who chose to switch in her second question to asking about oil and gas. There was no follow-up by Badenoch on the price of the deal – nor why the Mauritian parliament was informed yesterday while Brits are being kept at the dark. That failure clearly delighted Starmer, who was able to take a second jibe at Badenoch, by suggesting again she had not asked for a briefing. Her lack of response left some MPs with the impression that she had simply not done the homework.
National security issues are always a tricky one for the Leader of the Opposition. Under Privy Council terms, they can receive confidential briefings – such as that which Tony Blair gave Iain Duncan Smith prior to the Iraq invasion of 2003. Yet even without breaching protocol, Badenoch could have asked why the Mauritians are offered a running commentary while the Chagossians are conspicuously not. She, as leader, might be entitled to access privileged information: but does the Prime Minister think the public have no right to know the rationale?
Undaunted, another MP was waiting in the chamber to have another shot at Starmer. Nigel Farage – the self-appointed ‘real Leader of the Opposition’ – stood up to have a crack over Chagos. Yet the Reform leader took far too long to deliver his question. In echoes of Simon Hughes’ infamous barracking of 1997, Farage tried waiting for silence – only to discover the Labour benches were disinclined to offer it. ‘I want to ask the Prime Minister for some advice…’, he began. ‘RESIGN!’ came the obvious punchline from screaming government MPs.
After Farage eventually got his question out, it was Starmer’s turn to respond. The Reform MP asked him what he should tell those constituents worried about their bills about the government’s rationale for the Chagos deal. The Prime Minister shot back his reply: that what Farage’s constituents should actually be worried about is Reform’s plans for the NHS. It proved to be something of a theme in this session, with backbencher John Slinger rising to ask an obvious planted question on that same theme. After all, talk of Tory plans to ‘sell off our NHS’ have been a staple part of Labour rhetoric since 1948. Why not try the same attack on their new insurgent rivals?
Indeed, that focus on Reform might prove to be the most lasting legacy of today’s PMQs. A search of Hansard suggests that this Wednesday was the first time that Starmer has ever mentioned ‘Reform’ by name in the chamber – and then he did it twice in one session. The Labour benches seemed to appreciate their leader’s belligerence, giving him loud cheers and barracking opponents without hesitation. The only potential difficulty came when Tory MP Gagan Mohindra rose to ask Starmer about his voice coach. Would he confirm, from the despatch box, that he and his staff had followed rules at all times?
Funnily enough, no Starmer wouldn’t. What followed was the standard rendition of Labour’s Covid-era hits, with the PM fulminating about Tory lockdown breaches. It was an impressive flourish after an unimpressive week, reminding skeptics that Starmer can perform under pressure too. If Badenoch is to best him regularly, she will need to keep him pinned on the ropes. Once the Tories mocked Starmer as ‘forensic’ – now some wish that their leader starts adopting his approach.
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