Top Tory kicked out of PMQs after being savaged by Keir Starmer over defections
Richard Holden, the Shadow Transport Secretary, was ordered out of the Commons by Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle after Keir Starmer quipped he could be the next Reform defector
Tory Richard Holden was ordered to leave the Commons(Image: )
A top Tory was kicked out of PMQs after Keir Starmer brutally mocked the party over defections.
Richard Holden was ordered out of the chamber by furious Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle. Mr Holden, the Shadow Transport Secretary, had earlier warned him about his behaviour.
Sir Lindsay first told him: “As shadow secretary for transport, you’ll soon be getting the express train.” Mr Starmer then quipped that he might be a potential Reform defector, to loud cheers.
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“Those that shout loudest end up over there,” he said, gesturing to the Reform MPs. As things got animated, Sir Lindsay said: “Mr Holden, I think you need to leave. I’ve had enough.”
Keir Starmer had earlier brutally mocked Kemi Badenoch over former Tory loudmouth Robert Jenrick’s decision to jump ship. The Prime Minister swiped: “They shout on a Wednesday and defect on a Thursday.” Last week Mr Jenrick sat alongside Mrs Badenoch, enthusiastically heckling the Labour leader – but defected the following day after his plot to move to Reform was uncovered.
Speaking at PMQs, Mr Starmer said: “The loudest shouts used to be from the former Shadow Justice Secretary (Mr Jenrick). We should take the note of who’s shouting most loudly this week.”
Mrs Badenoch responded: “The Prime Minister wants to talk about defections. Let me tell him that when I had someone undermining my party, I sacked him.” And she continued: “We all know that if he sacked everyone undermining his party, his frontbench would be empty.”
Mr Starmer said: “She’s claiming strength. She read the guy’s defection letter and then at that point decided to sack him.
“What else was she going to do, correct the typos? She should have sacked him when he made disgraceful comments about faces in Birmingham.
But she smiles out says it a good thing she’s cleared, a good thing there’s fewer Tory MPs. The rest of the country agrees with her completely in relation to that.”
Mrs Badenoch sacked Mr Jenrick after uncovering his plan to defect and inflict her
