The government’s terrible week continues. Though Liz Kendall’s flagship welfare bill did eventually pass through the Commons (335 votes for, 260 against), this was not a victory for Keir Starmer. Derision at PMQs this afternoon was to be expected.
It was a difficult watch. Starmer was flanked to his left by Rachel Reeves, who was visibly distressed throughout the proceedings. She periodically wiped back tears and her bottom lip trembled. It is easy to speculate (as some MPs already have) that the events of the past week may have something to do with her emotions, though the Treasury subsequently said she was dealing with a “personal matter”. Reeves was seen being comforted by her sister, Ellie Reeves, the chair of the Labour Party, as the pair exited the Commons. Yet rumours have already been swirling that Reeves’s position is in danger, and Starmer’s performance at PMQs did nothing to quell them.
Kemi Badenoch, newly galvanised by yesterday’s veiled defeat, was buoyant. She kicked off by speculating that Starmer had not actually watched what unfolded in the Commons yesterday. “His bill was absolutely gutted,” she jeered. “This is the first prime minister in history to propose a bill which saves money, who ended up with a bill which actually cost money.” Starmer’s retorts felt hollow. The Prime Minister told MPs, more than once, that Badenoch’s contributions always cheer him up because of how nonsensical her answers are (you obviously can’t say the same for Rachel Reeves). He also repeatedly made the, now year-old adage, that it was the Conservatives who left the country in a mess, and his Labour government is here to fix it. He led the backbenches in chants of “Who broke it? They did.” In response to this Badenoch joked, “The whips can’t get them in the lobbies, but they can get them to cheer in the right places.”
In her attacks on Starmer, Badenoch turned her attention to the Chancellor, who at one point was pointing and tearily heckling the leader of the opposition (it was a sorry sight). “Mr Speaker, she is pointing at me. She looks absolutely miserable,” Badenoch said. “Labour MPs are going on the record saying the Chancellor is toast.” At one point, it seemed as though the Tory leader might be about to offer something like sympathy to Reeves. (There was certainly some compassion for the Chancellor coming from the opposition benches.) Badenoch pointed out, as my colleague Will Dunn has in today’s excellent New Statesman cover story, that Reeves is going to have to put up taxes. “She is a human shield for his incompetence,” Badenoch added.
The crunch moment came when Starmer was asked directly by Badenoch whether the Chancellor would still be in post at the next Budget. The Prime Minister, with Reeves sat silently crying behind him, did not directly rule that out. Instead, he used his answer to accuse the Conservatives once again of wrecking the economy: “They left a £22bn black hole in the economy and we’re clearing it up.” Badenoch shot back, “How awful for the Chancellor that he couldn’t confirm she would stay in place.” Though senior government officials told assembled lobby journalists afterwards that the Chancellor is “going nowhere”.
And so, this crisis goes on. The welfare bill re-enters the Commons on Wednesday next week for its third reading – if it is passed, it will go to the Lords. Though another rebellion does not look likely after yesterday’s concessions, the fall-out of this sorry saga will haunt the government for some time to come. Heads may yet have to roll. Let’s just hope someone offered Rachel Reeves a tissue.
[See also: Andrew Marr: The meaning of the Chancellor’s tears]
Content from our partners
Related
