Kemi Badenoch lets rip at Keir Starmer’s potential replacements for ‘caretaker PM’ as Labour record blasted
Kemi Badenoch has twice accused Sir Keir Starmer of being wrong at Prime Minister’s Questions after tearing apart Labour’s record since coming to power last July.
The Tory leader opened her penultimate set of PMQs by pointing out that some Labour MPs have already started describing him as a “caretaker Prime Minister”.
Mrs Badenoch asked: “Can the right honourable gentleman tell the house why are his own MPs describing him as a caretaker Prime Minister?”
Sir Keir replied: “We don’t need the pantomime auditions any more, please”.
However, after Sir Keir failed to answer questions on teaching numbers and energy bills, the Leader of the Opposition sparked howls of laughter by saying “wrong”.
Mrs Badenoch’s also went through all of the Labour MPs who have been touted to launch a bid to succeed Sir Keir.
The Tory leader named Ed Miliband, Wes Streeting, Shabana Mahmood and Angela Rayner.
After Sir Keir swerved questions on energy bills and teaching, Mrs Badenoch quipped: “It is the truth. I know they wouldn’t know the truth if it punched them in the face, but I’m telling them the truth.
“It is no wonder that we read this morning that the former Deputy Prime Minister has said about the Health Secretary, she’d rather stick pins in her eyes than be on his golden ticket.”
- 25 minutes ago Radical overhaul of ECHR gets green light as major shake-up set to allow Britain to deport foreign criminals
- 25 minutes agoRachel Reeves blames Keir Starmer for £26billion Budget tax raid
- about 1 hour agoLabour MP accuses Reform UK of pursuing ‘deluded’ Doge strategy
- about 1 hour agoKeir Starmer slaps down Lib Dem calls for rejoin EU’s customs union
- about 1 hour ago‘Wrong!’ Kemi Badenoch accuses PM of not knowing anything
- about 1 hour ago‘You’re blowing hot air!’ Kemi Badenoch hits out at PM over energy bills
- about 1 hour agoKemi Badench blasts Keir Starmer as ‘caretaker PM’
- about 2 hours agoPM pays tribute to British soldier who died in Ukraine
- about 2 hours agoPICTURED: Keir Starmer arrives in House of Commons with Chancellor
- about 2 hours agoRachel Reeves refuses to answer questions on rejoining EU customs union after Labour’s Brexit revolt
- about 2 hours agoREVEALED: Keir Starmer avoids Reform grilling at PMQs
- about 2 hours agoRachel Reeves refuses to rule out clobbering Britons with further taxes
- about 2 hours agoKeir Starmer sends two top allies to EU in last-ditch bid to ‘fix far-right problem’
- about 3 hours agoRachel Reeves clashes with Tory veteran over growth
- about 3 hours agoRachel Reeves claims income tax threshold freeze doesn’t break manifesto – 14 months after suggesting it would be
- about 3 hours agoChancellor provides major update to millions of pensioners
- about 3 hours agoRachel Reeves claims Treasury received ‘more information’ to avoid income tax increases
- about 3 hours agoTreasury official sets out leak probe focus
- about 3 hours ago‘I did not leak!’ Rachel Reeves claims control of No11 media briefings
- about 3 hours agoChancellor confirms security review included in Budget leak probe
- about 3 hours agoRachel Reeves expresses ‘frustration’ over Budget leak fiasco
- about 4 hours agoRachel Reeves prepares for Treasury Committee grilling
- about 5 hours agoNew poll claiming pro-Brexit majority of 2016 have DIED blasted as ‘detached from reality’
- about 5 hours agoWATCH IN FULL: Shadow Chancellor Mel Stride speaks to GB News Breakfast
- about 6 hours agoHours before Donald Trump’s attack… Keir Starmer receives special invitation to US after meeting with ambassador
- about 6 hours agoDonald Trump directly attacks Keir Starmer’s Britain at campaign rally in fresh international headache for PM
- about 6 hours agoMinisters told to accept 40,000 migrants under contentious EU mobility scheme
- about 6 hours agoBack in London… French presidential frontrunner plots alliance with Nigel Farage to end migrant crisis for good – with Royal Navy to stop the boats
Radical overhaul of ECHR gets green light as major shake-up set to allow Britain to deport foreign criminals
The Council of Europe has opened the door to major European Convention of Human Rights (ECHR) reform.
In a communiqué issued this afternoon, a “clear starting point” to reforming the convention is specified, saying a “State Party can expel foreigners convicted of serious crimes even though they have acquired ties to their host country”.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has long advocated for reforming the ECHR, as opposed to outrightly leaving it behind, a move pushed by his political foes Kemi Badenoch and Nigel Farage.
He wants to rescue the treaty and make it “evolve and reflect the challenges of the 21st century” – warning that if it does not, “populists will win”.
Rachel Reeves blames Keir Starmer for £26billion Budget tax raid
Sir Keir Starmer was responsible for hiking taxes in Rachel Reeves’s Budget, the Chancellor has suggested.
Ms Reeves, who this morning faced a grilling at the Treasury Select Committee, revealed the decision to freeze income tax thresholds was made jointly with the Prime Minister.
There had been reports Ms Reeves was considering a manifesto-breaking increase to headline rates.
However, the Chancellor told MPs she took Sir Keir through “all of the numbers and all of the options”.
Labour MP accuses Reform UK of pursuing ‘deluded’ Doge strategy
Labour MP Jim Dickson has accused Reform UK of “pursuing” deluded strategy to cut costs at Kent County Council.
“Before May’s election, Reform in Kent promised that they would improve services and cut taxes,” Mr Dickson said.
“Instead vital services to older people and those with a mental health condition provided by great organisations are to be cut.
“Would the Prime Minister agree with me on two things, that given the additional money for the county through the fair funding review, it is beyond belief that Kent are cutting services that vulnerable people rely on, and that their so called Doge unit, which we were told would eliminate waste, actually stands for deluded, overconfident, gormless, and embarrassing?”
The Prime Minister listed off a number of scandals concerning local figures from inside Reform UK, warning they were examples of the “chaos” created by Nigel Farage’s party.
Keir Starmer slaps down Lib Dem calls for rejoin EU’s customs union
Sir Keir Starmer has slapped down Sir Ed Davey’s call for the UK to rejoin the EU’s customs union.
Speaking at Prime Minister’s Questions, the Liberal Democrat leader asked: “If we stand up to President Trump, we do need to strengthen our ties with Europe, not just on defence, but on the economy too.
“And the truth is this Government will not succeed unless it gets our economy growing strongly again, and the best way to do that is a customs union with Europe.
“The Prime Minister’s chief economic adviser knows it. The Deputy Prime Minister knows it.
“And yesterday, the Labour chair of the Trade Select Committee showed she knows it too, when she backed our bill.
“Does the Prime Minister fear that if he keeps opposing a customs union in 12 months time, he will not be standing there?”
Sir Keir replied: “We have got a closer relationship with the EU through our reset earlier this year.
“Yes, I do want a closer relationship than what we’ve got at the moment. We are moving towards that.
“We do have manifesto commitments on issues such as single market, customs union and freedom of movement, but I would gently point this out that having now done significant trade deals with other countries, including the US and India.”
‘Wrong!’ Kemi Badenoch accuses PM of not knowing anything
Keir Starmer and Kemi Badenoch clashed at PMQs
| PARLIAMENT TV
Kemi Badenoch has suggested Sir Keir Starmer does not know what is going on following a heated exchange about energy bills and education.
When the Prime Minister claimed Labour had employed more teachers, Mrs Badenoch said: “There are now 400 fewer teachers since since she came into office, she’s shaking her head. It’s on the DfE (Department for Education) website.
“I can understand that the right honourable lady is angry. We’re all angry at the mess she’s making.
“The Prime Minister doesn’t know what’s going on with energy. He doesn’t know what’s going on in education. Does he know anything about what’s going on?
“Last year, the Prime Minister promised to recruit 13,000 more police officers. How’s that going?”
Mrs Badenoch deployed a similar tactic following an exchange about policing.
She said: “Wrong again, I asked him how many police officers there are now, 1300 fewer officers than at the election.
“Mr Speaker, I don’t know if the Home Secretary wants his job, but I do read that she’s having conversations with Tony Blair because he’s already given up on the prime minister.
“Why don’t we talk about the Health Secretary? Let’s see how he’s doing. We do know he definitely wants the job. He said he’d end the doctor strikes.
“So can the Prime Minister tell the house how many appointments have been lost to strike action since last July.”
‘You’re blowing hot air!’ Kemi Badenoch hits out at PM over energy bills
Kemi Badenoch has accused Sir Keir Starmer of “blowing hot air” after he swerved a question on cutting energy bills.
Mrs Badenoch said: “Mr Speaker, I asked him about energy bills. He could power the national grid on all of that hot air, he promised to cut energy bills by 300 pounds. Energy bills have risen by £187.
“But let’s look at someone else who’s making a mess. Let’s look at the education secretary.
“Oh, there she is. Labour pledge to recruit 6500 more teachers. So can the prime minister tell the House how many extra teachers are there since she became Education Secretary?”
Sir Keir replied: “They left our schools in a mess. They left our economy absolutely broken. They should be utterly ashamed of their record in service.”
Kemi Badench blasts Keir Starmer as ‘caretaker PM’
Kemi Badenoch has asked Sir Keir Starmer about Labour MPs reportedly calling him a “caretaker Prime Minister”.
The Leader of the Opposition said: “Let me answer the question for the prime minister. He’s being called a caretaker, because everyone can see that he’s lost control of his party. They’re all so busy trying to replace him.
“Let’s start with the Energy Secretary, who wants to recycle himself as leader.
“He said he cut families energy bills by £300. Can the Prime Minister tell the house how much have energy bills fallen by since the election?”
Sir Keir replied: “We don’t need the pantomime auditions any more, please”.
PM pays tribute to British soldier who died in Ukraine
Sir Keir Starmer paid tribute to Lance Corporal George Hooley of the Parachute Regiment.
Speaking at Prime Minister’s Questions Sir Keir said: “Lance Corporal Hooley was injured in a tragic accident away from the front lines while observing Ukrainian forces testing a new defensive capability.
“His life was full of courage and determination. He served our country with honour and distinction around the world in the cause of freedom and democracy, including as part of the small number of British personnel in Ukraine.”
Lance Corporal Hooley was killed during an accident in the ex-Soviet state yesterday.
PICTURED: Keir Starmer arrives in House of Commons with Chancellor
Keir Starmer arrives in House of Commons with Chancellor
| PARLIAMENT TV
Rachel Reeves refuses to answer questions on rejoining EU customs union after Labour’s Brexit revolt
Rachel Reeves has refused to answer a question on whether the UK should rejoin the EU’s customs union.
Speaking to the Treasury Committee just hours after 13 Labour MPs backed the move, the Chancellor said: “Good try. I think the OBR is sticking to their numbers of a four per cent hit, which is still very material.”
“It’s why we’ve got this reset with the EU we are at the moment negotiating around a new food and farming agreement, energy trading, Erasmus, and a new youth mobility acheme, because we recognise that making it hard to trade with your nearest neighbors and trading partners is not exactly good for businesses.”
REVEALED: Keir Starmer avoids Reform grilling at PMQs
Sir Keir Starmer will not face a grilling from a Reform UK MP at Prime Minister’s Questions.
In the penultimate Commons showdown of 2025, the Prime Minister will field questions from eight Labour MPs – Rachael Maskell, Andrew Cooper, Sojan Joseph, Josh Dean, Jim Dickson, Kirsteen Sullivan, Chris Murray and Jenny Riddell-Carpenter.
Four Tory MPs – Saqib Bhatti, Luke Evans, Blake Stephenson and Sarah Bool – will also ask questions, alongside Liberal Democrat MPs Sarah Olney and Wera Hobhouse.
Rachel Reeves refuses to rule out clobbering Britons with further taxes
Rachel Reeves refuses to rule out clobbering Britons with further taxes
| PARLIAMENT TV
Rachel Reeves has refused to rule out further tax raids on assets such as dividends and property.
Ms Reeves said: “What I did in the Budget was to increase by two percentage points, the basic rates on dividend, savings and property income, and made some changes to the additional and higher rates as well.
“I think that is the right thing to do. A two percentage point increase is quite a big increase in the tax rate on any form of income, but I think we got the balance right in the Budget on that.”
The Chancellor added: “Well, obviously, if you go out to work, you pay national insurance, and you don’t pay national insurance on other forms of income, but we have taken action in this budget to narrow the gap between those different forms of income.”
Keir Starmer sends two top allies to EU in last-ditch bid to ‘fix far-right problem’
Sir Keir Starmer is sending two of his closest allies to the heart of the EU today in a desperate bid to “fix the problem” of the “far-right”.
David Lammy and Lord Hermer, the Attorney General, have been dispatched to Strasbourg for urgent talks on reforming the highly controversial European Convention on Human Rights.
The PM is pushing to rescue the treaty and make it “evolve to reflect the challenges of the 21st century” – warning that if it does not, “populists will win”.
His poll-topping rivals Reform UK and his Tory opposition have both pledged to leave the Convention entirely, arguing it is being misused to fuel Britain’s migrant crisis.
Rachel Reeves clashes with Tory veteran over growth
Chancellor Rachel Reeves has clashed with a veteran Tory MP over her plan to deliver growth.
Dame Harriett Baldwin, a former chairwoman of the Treasury Committee, said the Chancellor “chose not to put any new growth measures in this Budget”.
Ms Reeves replied: “I did not say in the answer to my question, as you suggested, that there were no growth measures in this Budget. Far from it.”
The Chancellor also mocked Dame Harriet over the Tory Party’s economic record, adding that she was “not surprised” she did not want to discuss it.
Rachel Reeves claims income tax threshold freeze doesn’t break manifesto – 14 months after suggesting it would be
Rachel Reeves has claimed her decision to freeze income tax thresholds does not break of Labour’s 2024 manifesto.
She told MPs: “I was very clear that everyone would have to make a contribution and you saw that in the Budget on November 26.
“We froze for an additional three years the tax thresholds, national insurance and income tax, that the previous Government had frozen for seven years.
“We extended that for a further three years. It’s not a breach of the manifesto.”
However, during her first Budget last year, Ms Reeves said: “I’m keeping every single promise on tax that I made in our manifesto, so there will be no extension of the freeze in income tax and national insurance thresholds beyond the decisions by the previous Government.”
Chancellor provides major update to millions of pensioners
Rachel Reeves appearing at the Treasury Select Committee
| PARLIAMENT TV
The Chancellor has also confirmed the triple lock is here to stay.
When asked by Tory MP Dame Harriet Baldwin about ruling out “capital gains on primary residences” or reducing the state pension triple lock to a “single lock”, Rachel Reeves simply replied: “Yes.”
Rachel Reeves claims Treasury received ‘more information’ to avoid income tax increases
Rachel Reeves has suggested the Treasury received “more information” from the Office for Budget Responsibility to avoid increasing income tax rates.
She told MPs: “The OBR do costings of all the changes that we’re making as well as there being interactions between the tax measures and other economic variables, whether that be GDP, consumption, inflation and so all of this is changing.”
Ms Reeves added: “It was a big Budget, I think we’d all agree that, and every measure both has its own impact, but also a cumulative impact. So there was a lot more information between those sets.”
Treasury official sets out leak probe focus
James Bowler, who serves as permanent secretary in the Treasury, confirmed to MPs that an inquiry into leaks ahead of the Budget will look into the actions of officials, political advisers and ministers.
Mr Bowler stopped short of confirming whether the Treasury Committee would receive the inquiry’s findings in full.
However, the top mandarin insisted the committee would see his response to the probe.
‘I did not leak!’ Rachel Reeves claims control of No11 media briefings
Rachel Reeves has claimed control of media briefings from the Treasury but admitted there had been leaks ahead of her Budget.
She told MPs: “Yes, and myself and the team are very clear about the Macpherson Principles.
“Of course, as I said, yesterday in Parliament, I did not disclose confidential information. But as I’ve also been clear, there have been leaks.
“That’s why we’ve set up a leak inquiry. And that is why we are doing this work. So that investigation is happening at the moment to ensure future budget security.”
Chancellor confirms security review included in Budget leak probe
Rachel Reeves has confirmed the Treasury will conduct a security review it conducts an investigation into leaks made in the build-up to the Chancellor’s tax-hiking Budget.
She said: “I want to stay on the record how frustrated I am, and have been, by these incidents and the volume of speculation and leaks.
“The budget had too much speculation. There were too many leaks. And much of that leaks and speculation was inaccurate.”
Rachel Reeves expresses ‘frustration’ over Budget leak fiasco
Rachel Reeves facing a grilling at the Treasury Select Committee
| PARLIAMENT TV
Rachel Reeves has expressed her “frustration” after key details about her Budget were leaked before November 26.
Speaking to the Treasury Committee, the Chancellor said: “Leaks are unacceptable, the Budget had too much speculation, there were too many leaks… very damaging.”
Ms Reeves added: “I want to say on the record how frustrated I am… a leak inquiry is underway… we are also conducting a review of Treasury security processes.”
The Chancellor was also flanked by senior civil servants from No11.
The committee of MPs will examine the tax and spending plans in the Budget, and their implications for “the economy, public services and government debt”.
Rachel Reeves prepares for Treasury Committee grilling
Rachel Reeves is preparing for a grilling before the Treasury Committee just weeks after her Budget was leaked online.
The Chancellor will sit down in front of the committee at 10am.
The committee, which is chaired by a Labour MP, includes a number of high-profile Tory MPs.
Dame Harriett Baldwin and John Glen appear likely to challenge the Chancellor directly.
New poll claiming pro-Brexit majority of 2016 have DIED blasted as ‘detached from reality’
A new Brexit poll suggesting 62 per cent of Britons would vote to rejoin the European Union has been blasted as “detached from reality”.
The survey, shared by former YouGov president Peter Kellner, found 19.8 million people would now chose to rejoin the EU, up from 16.1 million Remain voters in 2016.
Meanwhile, just 11.7 million voters would still back Brexit, down from 17.4 million nearly a decade ago.
The analysis, which was shared with the fanatically pro-EU magazine New World, showed 3.2 million Brexit voters have died since the referendum was held nine years ago.
An additional 1.8 million Remain voters have also died since 2016.
The research also found 4.1 million Brexit voters have changed their minds, compared to just 1.1 million 2016 Remain supporters.
Younger voters were also identified as a key reason behind the shift, with three million new voters breaking for rejoin by a margin of five-to-one.
However, ex-Brexit Minister David Jones warned the survey is missing the “elephant in the room”.
WATCH IN FULL: Shadow Chancellor Mel Stride speaks to GB News Breakfast
Hours before Donald Trump’s attack… Keir Starmer receives special invitation to US after meeting with ambassador
A few hours before Donald Trump launched an attack on Labour’s policies at a campaign rally, Sir Keir Starmer met with the US ambassador, Warren Stephens.
Mr Stephens said the duo met to “resume our ongoing diplomatic conversation about ways to maximize the US-UK partnership to advance our shared interests”.
In a slight repreive for the PM after the President’s recent attacks on “decaying” European countries, the ambassador said the White House was committed to America’s international partnerships.
“We discussed a full range of Donald Trump’s priorities, particularly, the Trump administration’s commitment to Aukus, the desire to finalise the trade agreements signed at President Trump’s historic second State Visit, our appreciation for the UK’s contribution to the Gaza peace plan, and our continued support for Ukraine,” he said.
“In looking forward to 2026, I invited the Prime Minister to join our year-long celebration of the 250th anniversary of America’s independence.”
Donald Trump directly attacks Keir Starmer’s Britain at campaign rally in fresh international headache for PM
Donald Trump directly attacked Sir Keir Starmer’s energy and migration policies last night at a rally in Pennsylvania.
The President told frenzied crowds: “Look at Norway, they have a section of the North Sea… It’s a very rich country. They have a tremendous worth because of the North Sea.
“But the UK… If they don’t go back to oil, I think a lot of bad things are happening to the UK.
“You know that their immigration policies are so bad. It’s so bad. Destroying our beautiful Europe.”
Ministers told to accept 40,000 migrants under contentious EU mobility scheme
Britain would be able to let in more than 40,000 EU migrants under the EU’s “youth mobility scheme”, new research has revealed.
A study by the UK Trade and Business Commission has found that 44,000 more young Britons left the UK as part of similar schemes with “Canzuk” allies Australia, New Zealand and Canada.
That has left the Home Office with visa “headroom” – which could be filled by European youths without smashing Labour’s pledge to curb net migration.
But the EU is said not to want a cap whatsoever.
“We do not see the need for setting a quota or cap,” one Brussels diplomat told The Times.
“What is wrong with our young Europeans? We do not have a problem with young Brits.”
A UK Government spokesman instead said the scheme should be “balanced, time-limited and capped”.
Back in London… French presidential frontrunner plots alliance with Nigel Farage to end migrant crisis for good – with Royal Navy to stop the boats
Mr Bardella pledged to change France’s border policy to support Britain in tackling the Channel small boats crisis | X/J_BARDELLAFrance’s presidential frontrunner Jordan Bardella is moving to forge an alliance with Reform UK leader Nigel Farage to “restore Europe’s borders” after the pair held talks in London on Tuesday.
Mr Bardella, the leader of the National Rally party, pledged to change France’s border policy to support Britain in tackling the Channel small boats crisis should he secure victory in next year’s elections.
Speaking to The Telegraph, the 30-year-old said he would support joint patrols with Britain and give the UK Border Force the green light to carry out “pushbacks” in the Channel.
He met Mr Farage on Tuesday, labelling him a “pioneer” who fought for Britain’s independence from the EU.
The National Rally leader described the talks as preparations for governing.
And over lunch, according to The Spectator, Mr Farage told him he would instruct the Royal Navy to turn back small boats in the Channel – one of Reform’s longest-held campaign promises…
