‘Isn’t the truth that whoever is in charge, the real problem is the Labour Party?’: Kemi Badenoch

Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch used Prime Minister’s Questions (PMQs) on Wednesday (24 June) to criticised the governing Labour Party, two days after Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced his resignation following mounting political pressure and declining support within his party.

Labour is now preparing to elect a new leader, with Andy Burnham widely regarded as the frontrunner ahead of nominations next month.

Referring to Starmer’s departure, Badenoch said: “He is the one who is resigning because of his MPs.” She argued that while the Prime Minister had “made many mistakes”, he had also “been let down” by members of his own government and parliamentary party.

She accused the Energy Secretary of “killing industry”, the Chancellor of “killing jobs”, and claimed Labour backbench MPs had failed to support difficult decisions. Badenoch also criticised what she described as repeated efforts by Starmer to “appease” his MPs, before asking: “Isn’t the truth that whoever is in charge, the real problem is the Labour Party?”

The exchange came amid heightened uncertainty over Labour’s future leadership and policy direction. Starmer has said he intends to oversee an orderly transition, while attention has turned to the leadership contest and whether a new prime minister will maintain or reshape the government’s economic and domestic agenda.

ℹ️ UK Parliament