Starmer’s Cabinet branded ‘bunch of turkeys’ in final PMQs before Christmas

Kemi Badenoch branded Sir Keir Starmer’s Cabinet “a bunch of turkeys”, as she hit out at the Prime Minister over his “list of broken promises”.

The Conservative leader also called Sir Keir the “undertaker Prime Minister” as they traded blows in the final session of Prime Minister’s Questions before Christmas.

Sir Keir hit back, saying the leader of the Opposition is going to be left home alone, following the number of Tory defections to Reform UK.

Nigel Farage’s party was also singled out by the Prime Minister, as he told them: “If mysterious men from the East appear bearing gifts, this time report it to the police.”

He later added that Reform’s Sarah Pochin (Runcorn and Helsby) is “dreaming of a White Christmas”.

In the Commons, Mrs Badenoch criticised Sir Keir over tax, unemployment rates, and the resident doctors strikes which began on Wednesday.

She said: “The Prime Minister promised economic growth, but the only thing that’s grown is his list of broken promises.”

The Prime Minister retorted by claiming the shadow cabinet is full of “non-entities”.

Mrs Badenoch then said: “The Prime Minister is talking about non-entities. Has he looked at his Cabinet? A bunch of turkeys, they could fit right in at a Bernard Matthews factory.

“He is one to talk, last week his MPs were calling him a caretaker Prime Minister. After what he’s done to the economy, they should be calling him the undertaker Prime Minister.

“Let’s look at what else he promised. The Prime Minister gave his word that he would help pubs, yet they face a 15% rise in business rates because of his Budget. Will the Prime Minister be honest and admit his taxes are forcing pubs to close?”

Sir Keir replied: “She knows very well that the temporary relief that was put in place during Covid has come to an end. That was the scheme they put in place. We supported it, but it was always a temporary scheme coming to an end. We’ve now put in place a £4 billion transitional relief.

“We’ve also taken other measures, creating hospitality zones, greater licencing freedoms and tackling late payments. We’re also bearing down on the cost of living, so more people can enjoy a drink or a meal out. Freezing rail fares, freezing prescription charges, £150 off energy bills, driving wages up.”

The Tory leader went on to say: “What pubs has he been speaking to you? They’ve been barred from all of them. Let’s look at at another broken promise. I don’t know why they’re shaking their heads, it’s not my fault they’ve got nowhere to drown their sorrows.”

Mrs Badenoch pressed Sir Keir to ban strikes by doctors, before later adding “he doesn’t have the baubles” to do so.

She continued: “The trade unions didn’t just buy him for Christmas, they bought him for life, and this matters for all those people out there facing a difficult new year.

“The Prime Minister has lost control. It’s not the levers that don’t work, it’s him. He’s breaking every promise he has made.

“He promised to bring down unemployment, it’s up. He promised he wouldn’t increase taxes, they’re up. He promised to end the doctors’ strike, they’re on strike again.

“He said his main mission was economic growth, but the economy is shrinking. With a year like that, is it any surprise that all his MPs want for Christmas is a new leader?”

The Prime Minister replied: “We’ve got the Muppets Christmas Carol here. The defections are happening so fast that at Christmas, the leader of the Opposition is going to be left home alone, and the member for Runcorn (and Helsby, Ms Pochin) is clearly dreaming of a White Christmas.”

Later in the session, SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn suggested Sir Keir will be spending his final Christmas in Downing Street this year.

He said: “It is indeed the season of goodwill, so with that in mind, I don’t intend on asking the Prime Minister about his broken promises on energy bills, the thousand jobs being lost in the North Sea, the fact that Peter Mandelson is still a member of the House of Lords.

“I won’t even ask him about the chaos that is engulfing the Labour Party, his Budget and indeed his own leadership.

“No. I simply want to wish the Prime Minister ‘happy Christmas’. How does he intend on spending his final one in Downing Street?”

Referring to a £120 million Government investment north of the border, to secure the future of Britain’s last ethylene plant at Grangemouth, Sir Keir replied: “He’s clearly not interested in Grangemouth.”