The Conservative leader branded the PM as a “weak man” in a Commons clash
Kemi Badenoch blasted “weak” Sir Keir Starmer over Angela Rayner’s apparent challenge to his leadership at PMQs today. The Tory leader said the former deputy prime minister had “just fired the starting gun on the race to replace him” after she issued a warning to Labour in a speech last night.
Mrs Badenoch told the Commons: “The Prime Minister wants to talk about my leadership, I’m shocked, because his former deputy has just fired the starting gun on the race to replace him. And I’ll tell him one thing. She and I are both agree that this weak man should be replaced by a strong woman.”
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer (Image: BBC)
The moment came after the Prime Minister called for shadow justice secretary Nick Timothy to be sacked for a post on X where he described Muslims praying at an event in Trafalgar Square as “an act of domination”.
Sir Keir replied: “She asks about leadership, when I see religious events in Trafalgar Square, that shows the great strength of our diverse city and country.
“I’ve never heard her party call out anything other than the Muslim events. The only conclusion is the Tory Party has got a problem with Muslims.”
It comes after Ms Rayner used a speech last night to warn Labour is “running out of time” to deliver change and cannot “go through the motions in the face of decline”.
The former deputy prime minister said the party had come to be seen to represent “the Establishment, not working people”.
She said “As a party, and as a movement, we cannot hide, we cannot just go through the motions in the face of decline.
“There’s no safe ground and we’re running out of time.
“The change that people wanted so desperately needs to be seen, it needs to be felt, and we have to show that it is a Labour government that will deliver it.”