What a piece of work is the Prime Minister. His world is collapsing around him. He is despised by the electorate and two-thirds of his party. His “first female Chancellor” has crashed the economy. His net zero policy is a weapon of war given to our mortal enemies. His “adults-in-the-room” Government is behaving like spastic children on a sugar rush – and yet he is not only on his feet, he is cheerful, confident and at PMQs, still giving better than he gets.
This is all very hard to set down. But there is worse. Ed Davey’ measured contributions are those befitting a senior governmental presence – “We will reserve judgement on that,” he dares to say out loud. His sturdy anti-genocide stance plays well with at least half the anti-genocide public. His intent listening face conveys the belief that what he has said deserves to be heard. He is clearly pitching for deputy prime minister in a Lab-Lib coalition.
Starmer was repeatedly needled by a punchy Badenoch at PMQs over the Chagos Surrender and its £30.3 billion price tag. He repeated the line that the base on Diego Garcia was “at risk” due to court cases that do not exist and said an untruth about the deal’s supporters:
“We have secured the long term basis for the base, that has been welcomed by the US, NATO, Australia, New Zealand, India – they are our allies. It has been opposed by our adversaries – Russia, China, and Iran. And into that column we have reform presumably following Putin and the Tories following Reform.”
As Guido revealed last week China has praised the surrender and supplied “massive congratulations” to Mauritius for achieving the sellout and accompanying billions in payments from the UK taxpayer. There is no evidence for China’s opposition to the deal – it has so far only been supportive. Misleading the House…
UPDATE: Shadow defence secretary James Cartlidge is on Politics Live to say that when Starmer repeated the false claim that China opposed the surrender deal he was “misleading Parliament”.
This is going to be a painful piece to produce, even given the laxative effect of its subject.
While summoning the courage to address Ed Davey’s modus operandi, it can be noted that Yvette is imploding – her face seems in danger of being sucked down her throat. It hasn’t escaped her that her leader’s Euro-reset is opening her borders to four million war-trauma’d migrants to settle in Red Wall constituencies.
Kemi Badenoch at the 1922-ConHome bash last night:
“I did praise [Burnham] for his stamina, it was amazing. All I had to do was sit back and lie there. I didn’t have to do anything at all…”