Today [10th December] saw the second last session of PMQs before the end of the year, and this week’s session was explosive, as Tory leader Kemi Badenoch hit out at both Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s leadership of the Labour party, and Labour’s record thus far in government.
In a time where Labour’s polling prospects are increasingly negative, and the prospect of a Reform government looks increasingly as if it’s on the near horizon, Badenoch’s questions about his leadership and government record must sting particularly hard for Starmer.
Starmer’s leadership
In a damning endictment of his leadership, Badenoch today branded Starmer a “caretaker Prime Minister”, whose weakness as Labour leader has led to his fellow front-bench ministers being “busy trying to replace him.”
In particular, Badenoch accused former Labour leader and current Energy Secretary Ed Miliband of aspiring to “recycle himself as leader” – reprising the ultimately ill-fated role he held from 2010 to 2015.
She also said of Health Secretary Wes Streeting “he definitely wants the job” of Prime Minister. Rumours have been circulating for months of potential leadership plots by Streeting.
Streeting has so far denied reports of any plans to challenge Starmer’s leadership.
Labour’s record in government
Badenoch also put Labour’s record so far in government under pressure, using four of her six allocated questions to unpick Labour’s manifesto promises on energy, education, policing and the NHS.
On energy, she criticised Labour’s promise to cut energy bills by £300, instead claiming that they have risen by £187. Starmer disputed this, saying that under Labour families have seen £150 taken off their energy bills, with an extra £150 off bills for the 6 million poorest families.
Badenoch attacked Labour’s pledge to recruit 6,500 extra teachers, claiming that there are now 400 fewer teachers since Labour came into office last July.
She also questioned Labour’s progress towards their commitment to recruit 13,000 additional police officers, saying that there are now 1,300 fewer police officers than at the time of the last election. Starmer countered this, claiming there will by 3,000 additional officers by the end of March 2026.
To round off her attack on Labour’s record, Badenoch criticised the government’s failure to prevent upcoming strike action by resident doctors under the British Medical Association. She claimed that under Labour, 93,000 NHS appointments have been lost to strike action.
According to Badenoch, under Labour: “Everything is getting worse.”
She also called on Starmer to “admit that Labour is not working.”
Starmer responded by repeatedly attacking the Conservative record, saying: “They should be utterly ashamed of their record in service.”
He also accused Badenoch of having “no credibility”, emphasising her association with Liz Truss’ financially calamitous premiership.
The EU question
The question of Britain rejoining the customs union with the EU was today raised by both Lib Dem leader Ed Davey and Plaid Cymru Commons leader Liz Saville Roberts.
Davey argued that re-joining the customs union with the EU would help grow the British economy, a key priority of Starmer’s government, and speculated Starmer would “not be standing there” at the dispatch box in 12 months without a customs union agreement with the EU.
On Europe, Starmer said: “Yes, I do want a closer relationship.”
But, “it is not now sensible to unravel what is the best [trade] deal with the US.”
Saville Roberts also raised the question of Britain rejoining the customs union, stating that “Wales has been hardest hit by Brexit”, and went further than Davey in calling on Starmer to “rejoin the customs union and the single market.”
Responding to Saville Roberts, Starmer again highlighted the importance of Britain’s trade deal with the US, particularly the recent deal on pharma, which he labelled “the best of its kind in the world.”
Final thoughts
Badenoch’s attack today was particularly brutal and wide-ranging – rather than sticking to one theme in her line of questioning, as she usually does, her questions covered broad strokes of the government’s agenda.
Delivery is of key concern for Starmer’s government now, with crucial elections coming up in May and the prospect of a Reform deluge across the country.
A question mark also remains hanging over his leadership, although, for now at least, Starmer is in the clear.
Featured image via House of Commons.
