Prime minister’s questions: a shouty, jeery, very occasionally useful advert for British politics. Here’s what you need to know from the latest session in POLITICO’s weekly run-through.
What they sparred about: The economy, yet again. Kemi Badenoch avoided the monumental Afghanistan leak in the final PMQs before summer recess and instead focused on the fall budget. Even before the Tory leader asked her first question, Keir Starmer pre-empted any questions on Afghanistan and decried the “failings that we inherited” from the Conservatives, saying ex-ministers had “serious questions to answer” about how the leak occurred.
For the news avoiders: Information about more than 18,000 Afghans applying for resettlement in the U.K. — following the Taliban’s takeover of the country in 2021 — was inadvertently leaked by a government official in February 2022. The previous Tory government requested an injunction banning reporting of the data breach in August 2023, which was only lifted on Tuesday. Around 4,500 extra Afghans used a secret replacement scheme that’s now ended.
Back to the questions: Badenoch, perhaps aware that the PM would throw the incident right in her face, instead treaded on familiar ground by probing Starmer on raising taxes. Starmer’s answers could have been written by ChatGPT as he slammed the Tories’ economic mismanagement and talked up Labour’s record on economic growth. Great originality, guys.
Far too modest: Desperate to get *any* newsline, Badenoch said Starmer “didn’t get it” and inquired what the PM thought a “modest income” was, given ministers previously promised that working people wouldn’t see tax hikes. Starmer, what do you know, just spoke of working people who “don’t get back what they deserve.” The failure to wholly rule out tax rises will come as little comfort to those very people.
Rolling up her sleeves: The Tory leader batted away accusations of being unpatriotic, declaring: “I’m not talking the country down, I’m talking him down.” Next in her scattergun line of fire: will the self-employed feel the pinch? Starmer turned the tables by saying that, actually, self-employed people “suffered under their watch” during Covid-19 and claimed “the employment rate is up and inactivity is down.” So that’s all fine, then.
Help the aged: Following her unmitigated success (editors: please check) in getting clarity from the PM, Badenoch speculated about possible changes to taxing pension contributions, which could give Chancellor Rachel Reeves some extra dosh. “It’s all right for the prime minister,” the Tory leader teased. “He has his own special law to stop his personal pension from being taxed.” Starmer, no prizes for guessing, only stated the government wouldn’t write a budget now. Get those headlines written.
Fleeing for the beaches: There was, at times, a subdued energy in the chamber as MPs were desperate to escape Westminster. The Tory leader warned the “worst is yet to come” after Labour’s first year in power, while the PM got some cheers from his backbenchers about the party’s achievements. “We’re only just getting started,” he rounded off. Brace for impact!
Helpful backbench intervention of the week: Burton and Uttoxeter MP Jacob Collier welcomed Labour’s Warm Homes Discount and gave the PM the privilege of explaining just how this will help families. Starmer couldn’t have had a bigger smile on his face as he did just that. Collier’s climb up the ministerial ladder continues in earnest.
Totally unscientific scores on the doors: Starmer 8/10. Badenoch 5/10. The Tory leader’s refusal to mention the Afghan data leak — the big story of the week — was jarring given how many unanswered questions remain. Fearful Starmer would make the data disaster political, she opted for domestic topics — but failed to get anywhere or escape her party’s record in power. Numerous economic challenges for the PM remain, yet he deftly shook off Badenoch’s tirade and grabbed the final PMQs gold medal of this term.
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