Keir Starmer had a brutal dig at the Tories after three former MPs defected to Reform this week – while also saying Kemi Badenoch was ‘losing the plot’
Five things you need to know after Keir Starmer faced PMQs
- Keir Starmer announced plans to help parents save money on baby formula ahead of a long-awaited child poverty strategy this week. Supermarkets and retailers will be ordered to allow products to be bought using gift cards, vouchers, loyalty points, and coupons. Ministers are considering further support on enforcement on how these products are marketed.
- The PM accused Kemi Badenoch of “completely losing the plot” after the Tory leader suggested Rachel Reeves “might even have been prosecuted for market abuse” over her handling of the Budget process. Mr Starmer also said Ms Badenoch had misrepresented the reasons for the head of the OBR resigning.
- After Tory George Freeman said he had been the victim of a deepfake video claiming he had joined Reform, Mr Starmer said: “I had, I’m afraid, missed his alleged defection to Reform. I wouldn’t have believed it if I had, but I have to say there’s a lot of them going – three ex-Tory MPs have gone, I think this week, and they talk about leaks.”
- The PM rejected a call by Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey to rejoin a European customs union. He said: “We are getting closer relationships with the EU on a number of fronts, including trade and the economy, because that is good for businesses across our country. It will continue down that path. But we do have clear red lines in relation to the single market and the customs union, so within those constraints, we will move closer.”
- Following Russian tyrant Vladimir Putin’s extraordinary claim that he is ready for war with NATO, Mr Starmer said: “We all know that Putin is dragging his feet, not wanting to come to the table, not wanting to reach an agreement. We have to continue to put pressure on, in every conceivable way that is, in supporting Ukraine with capability and resource, but also ensuring that our sanctions are, acting with allies, doing as much, damage to the economy in Russia as we can.”
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READ MORE: Parents to save money on baby formula in new crackdown, Keir Starmer announces