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Keir Starmer took the stand at his first-ever prime minister’s questions as PM this afternoon, in a seismic political role reversal.
The new PM and new leader of the opposition have clashed several times over the despatch box since Rishi Sunak’s accession in 2022. But today, the still-Conservative leader was reduced to a mere inquisitor, afforded six questions by House rules. After all, it was Sir Keir’s turn to grip the government despatch box and do the answering.
For the most part, Starmer struck a different tone today than his previous PMQs showings. The question-and-answer sessions that preceded the general election’s announcement in May were politically fierce and unrelenting. The now-PM had gotten into the habit of brandishing a new Labour defector each session, savagely taunting Sunak with tangible evidence of his crumbling party. The then-PM’s increasingly irascible responses, meanwhile, belied his usual composed outer exterior: the burden of his office and the weight of Conservative expectation, over time, turned him tetchy.
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But not today. Rishi Sunak began his PMQs debut as opposition chief by reflecting on just how things had changed since his and Starmer’s last Wednesday noon exchange. Echoing the prime minister’s words of acclamation for Team GB, he joked that British Olympians probably will not want his advice on “how to win”.
The response from the commons was telling, with any initial laughter quickly replaced by sympathetic, resounding “awww” noises. One wonders if Conservative MPs — especially past but also present — are beginning to tire of Sunak’s self-deprecation as opposition leader.
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That said, Sunak’s tenure as interim Tory chief has so far been gracious and apparently productive. His smile looks significantly less forced, awkward or uneven. His job swap with Keir Starmer — in the most simple terms — appears to have lightened both men’s moods.
This held true today as Sunak questioned his opposite number over the UK’s commitment to supporting Ukraine in its war against Russian aggression — a point of utter consensus in the last parliament and, as today proved, its successor.
Sunak began by urging the PM to listen to Ukrainian requests and offering his support for the government on the subject. Starmer thanked his predecessor for the manner in which he phrased the question and noted Sunak’s commitment to “maintain unity” in the commons over the conflict. “I will continue to try to do that in the way he did which is to reach out across the House”, the prime minister added.
Sunak turned next to possible NATO membership for Ukraine, asking if the PM agreed that Russia’s “fatuous” territorial claims should not act as a block. “I wholeheartedly agree”, Starmer replied.
The opposition leader then appealed to the prime minister to look at tougher sanctions; and, you guessed it, the PM agreed — revealing the chancellor is already having those discussions.
All this said, there may have been a subtle political undertone to Sunak’s line of questioning today — which may form more clearly over the coming weeks. Last night, the commons voted down the Conservative Party’s amendment to the King’s Speech, which called on the government to increase defence spending to 2.5 per cent of GDP. Security looks set to emerge as Sunak’s chosen subject in opposition.
But there’s little disguising it really: this was an ostensibly barb-less exchange. Starmer thanked Sunak for his contributions, and Sunak welcomed Starmer’s responses — one question at a time for six questions.
Earlier this week, it was confirmed that Sunak will remain opposition leader until his successor is appointed on Saturday 2 November. If today’s frontbench exchange is anything to go by, the standard commons theatre could be parked for some time yet
Another novelty this afternoon was the prominence of Sir Ed Davey, the leader of the Liberal Democrats.
Fans of the firebrand approach of SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn, whose contribution to commons theatre often carried PMQs with LOTO Starmer and PM Sunak, will need to fast adapt to Davey’s more measured style. In his first question, Davey told the story of a constituent who has been hit with a £4,000 bill from the Department of Work and Pensions, asking Starmer if he would meet him to try to resolve the issue.
But Davey’s patient probing actually served as the trigger for the most substantively political exchange of the session.
Starmer responded that there is a “more severe crisis” than he initially thought, and insisted his government will “review the challenges” it faces as it goes “through the books”. Conservative MPs jeered back — stressing their view that Starmer’s “books” appraisal is simply code for surprise tax cuts. Starmer turned from Davey to the opposition benches, telling roused Tories there is a “reason the electorate rejected them profoundly”.
It’s another instance of Starmer seeking to remind the country of the Conservative Party’s record, on his terms, over the past fourteen years. And it’s a task made easier by the Tories’ relative disarray. With no lead individual able to provide the counter-argument — perhaps for many months given the long leadership election timetable — Starmer plans to shape popular memory of the last government’s woes.
In this regard, Starmer’s condemnation of Conservatives’ record is not merely politically viable, but wholly necessary in forging popular consent for the actions he plans to take over the coming months and years.
Stephen Flynn did get a question in the end, which he used to criticise the government for depriving seven MPs of the Labour whip yesterday. This move followed their decision to vote for an SNP amendment to the King’s Speech, calling on the government to “immediately abolish” the two-child benefit cap.
Starmer continued to be robust in his response to criticism of the government’s child poverty strategy. After the SNP Westminster leader pointed out that senior Labour figures have called for the cap to be scrapped, the PM hit back: “I am glad he mentioned Gordon Brown because the last Labour government lifted millions of children out of poverty, something we are very, very proud of and this government will approach the question with the same vigour with our new task force.”
He added: “Already we have taken steps — breakfast clubs, abolishing no fault evictions, decent homes standard… and a plan to make work pay. But I would just say this. Before he lectures everyone else, he should explain why since the SNP came to power there are 30,000 more children in poverty in Scotland.”
Lunchtime briefing
Priti Patel would end Conservative infighting as leader, says MP supporter
Lunchtime soundbite
‘As the two major parties fail to defend the bold changes this country desperately needs, we will be there to offer a real alternative – and to defend a society that cares for each other and cares for all.’
— Jeremy Corbyn and four other independent MPs have written to the seven Labour MPs who lost the party whip for voting in support of scrapping the two-child benefit cap.
Now try this…
‘UK government to prevent MPs taking on lobbying jobs’
The Guardian reports
‘Farage in diversity stand-off with Commons bosses’
Via The Spectator. (Paywall)
‘Tom Tugendhat has a “clear plan” to “win back the trust” of British voters’
Former Tory chairman Sir Jake Berry has endorsed Tugendhat to replace Rishi Sunak as Conservative leader. Via the Express.
On this day in 2023:
Priti Patel would end Conservative infighting as leader, says MP supporter
