Keir Starmer has MPs in stitches after brutal joke mocking Ed Davey
Keir Starmer had MPs in stitches at Prime Minister’s Questions after brutally slapping down Liberal Democrat Leader Sir Ed Davey in a fiery exchange in the Commons
Keir Starmer had MPs in stitches at Prime Minister’s Questions after brutally slapping down the Liberal Democrat Leader in a fiery exchange.
The PM told Sir Ed Davey he was wrong to expect better from the “man in the wetsuit” – mocking Sir Ed’s enthusiasm for water sports stunts. The Commons chamber erupted in laughter, leaving Sir Ed waiting awkwardly until it quietened before he could speak again.
During the exchange, Sir Ed grilled Mr Starmer on leaked comments from US ambassador Sir Christian Turner who suggested the only special relationship America has is with Israel. Mr Turner also reportedly claimed the scandal over his predecessor Peter Mandelson almost ended Mr Starmer’s tenure as Prime Minister.
The PM said Sir Christian’s comments are “the least of my problems” as he attacked Sir Ed for joining in a Tory bid to refer him to a parliamentary sleaze inquiry over the Mandelson scandal.
READ MORE: UK ambassador Christian Turner’s comments leaked during King Charles’ US state visit
Sir Ed told him: “Yesterday we heard Christian Turner, Peter Mandelson’s replacement as US ambassador, say that the only country Trump has a special relationship with is Israel, that the Prime Minister’s job is in danger after next week’s elections, and that in the US Jeffrey Epstein ’s associates have evaded responsibility for their actions.
“The Prime Minister has had to fire one US ambassador for lying. Does he fear he’ll now have to fire a second one for telling the truth?” Mr Starmer replied: “Given what I’ve had thrown at me in the last two weeks by all the opposition parties, that’s the least of my problems. But, I know he likes stunts, but I was surprised he joined in the one yesterday because his own business spokesman said last week, satisfied I had not misled the House.
“He of course, his opening position was it was inconceivable that officials will give clearance to Mandelson and not tell ministers it was against the UKSV recommendation. That’s what he said, and it didn’t happen.
“I expect frivolous accusations from the leader of the Opposition ( Kemi Badenoch ). Clearly, I was wrong to expect anything better than from the man in the wetsuit.”
According to the Financial Times, Sir Christian said he disliked the phrase “special relationship” to describe UK-US ties. He said the term was “quite nostalgic, it’s quite backwards-looking, and it has a lot of baggage about it”.
He added: “I think there is probably one country that has a special relationship with the United States — and that is probably Israel.” But according to the recording he added of the UK-US bond: “There is a deep history and affinity between us. Particularly on defence and security, we are intertwined.”
The remarks have been made public with US-UK relations already at rock bottom over the Iran war fallout and at a particularly sensitive time with King Charles on the second day of historic state visit to America.
