Last night’s Question Time was not one Philip Hammond will want to remember. Up against Labour’s shadow care minister Liz Kendall, the defence secretary mistakenly adressed her as “Rachel”, confusing her with her colleague Rachel Reeves. “I know we all look the same,” quipped Kendall in response, a knowing reference to the Tories’ woman problem.
Hammond went on to compound this error by referring to her twice more as “Rachel” later on in the programme (“It’s Liz!”, an exasperated Kendall protested). But whether you’re sharing a platform with her or not, Liz Kendall is a name to remember. After impressing in her current brief, she’s a good bet for promotion in the final pre-election Labour reshuffle.