Kemi Badenoch will not apologise for her language during a fiery Prime Minister's Questions session in which she called Labour MPs “traitors and deserters” and branded the education secretary a “spiteful class warrior” – an exchange that saw the Commons Speaker intervene to demand “a little bit more decorum and respect”.
During Wednesday's PMQs – the first since Sir Keir Starmer announced his resignation as Labour leader – Badenoch turned on cheering Labour MPs, accusing them of “cheering so loudly with their 400 knives stuck in [Starmer's] back”. She also suggested many had “abandoned” him for “a pair of eyelashes and a black t‑shirt”, a jibe at leadership frontrunner Andy Burnham. Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle told the chamber to “think about the language we use” and warned that “when we leave this chamber, don't be surprised when constituents feel they can use the same language”.
“Kemi Badenoch refuses to apologise after being reprimanded by the Speaker for calling Labour MPs 'traitors' and 'deserters'.”
Badenoch then attacked Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson directly, calling her a “spiteful class warrior” over her handling of private school VAT. After PMQs, the pair clashed in the division lobbies. Labour sources said Technology Secretary Liz Kendall told Badenoch “what you said was absolutely outrageous”. Badenoch then turned to Phillipson and said: “You are spiteful, I will keep talking about how spiteful you are.” Phillipson is said to have replied: “The public are going to find out who you really are.”
A Conservative source claimed the Speaker’s intervention was triggered when Badenoch said Labour MPs “don’t like it up them” – a reference to the sitcom Dad’s Army. But Labour sources blamed her criticism of Phillipson. A Conservative source also said Badenoch told Phillipson: “I will fight you all the way, you’re destroying children’s lives” – though a source close to Phillipson denied that. Posting on social media, Phillipson said Badenoch “lost her head at PMQs – and afterwards too”, and claimed the Tory leader had previously compared her “to a Gestapo officer”.
The heated Commons session came days after Starmer announced he would resign as Labour leader, paving the way for a new prime minister. Burnham, the new MP for Makerfield and overwhelming favourite to succeed him, has already begun assembling his team: James Purnell – a former cabinet colleague from the Blair years – is expected to be appointed as his Downing Street chief of staff. The contest could see Burnham installed by mid‑July if he remains unopposed.
Labour whips are now referring the post‑PMQs incident to the speaker, while Labour MP Tulip Siddiq said she would make a point of order. Asked if she would apologise, a spokesman for Badenoch said “absolutely not”.