Starmer's Resilient PMQs Performance Amid Labour Turmoil
Keir Starmer entered Prime Minister's Questions under immense pressure, with Labour reeling from a series of crises involving peers linked to a child sex offender. The opposition leader was braced for a brutal half-hour, evident in his anxious glances toward the benches and the forced cheers from his MPs. Yet, against expectations, the session proved less damaging than feared, with Starmer emerging relatively unscathed and even landing blows on his Tory counterpart.
A Week of Labour Woes
The past seven days have been tumultuous for Starmer, marked by scandals surrounding Labour peers Peter Mandelson and Matthew Doyle, whose associations with a convicted offender have sparked outrage. Additional crises involving figures like Morgan McSweeney and Tim Allan compounded the turmoil, creating what many dubbed a "week from hell" for the Labour leader. With such a backdrop, PMQs loomed as a potential disaster.
Badenoch's Overconfident Assault
Kemi Badenoch, the Tory leader, approached the session with a sense of delusion, believing she had orchestrated the recent No 10 crises. Her questions often rehashed old news, such as Mandelson's links to Jeffrey Epstein, which had been public for over a year. Despite her efforts to embellish her attacks, they fell flat, failing to rattle Starmer as intended. Her backbenchers' disappointment was palpable, hoping for a more decisive takedown.
Starmer's Counterattacks
Starmer, though on the back foot at times, showed resilience. He turned Badenoch's queries on their head, highlighting his acceptance of responsibility in sacking advisers and touting Labour's electoral successes. When Badenoch pressed on Doyle's peerage, Starmer shifted focus to Tory sleaze and ineffective governments, framing it as a competition of failures. His MPs responded positively, relieved the feared dismantling did not materialise.
The Real Keir Emerges
Supporters have long promised "the real Keir" would emerge post-crisis, and PMQs offered a glimpse. Described as passionate and bold by allies like Ed Miliband, Starmer displayed anger and defiance, refusing to apologise and instead giving as good as he got. This feisty side caught Badenoch off guard, accustomed to being the aggressor, and left her struggling for replies.
Lighter Moments and Lingering Tensions
The session ended with humour as Birmingham MP Ayoub Khan joked about rubbish behind the Reform cohort, drawing laughter from many, though Nigel Farage remained stony-faced. Despite the levity, Starmer's challenges persist, with Ed Davey landing more effective blows on the Doyle issue by sounding reasonable. However, Starmer's combative stance suggests he won't back down easily, setting the stage for future clashes as recess approaches.
