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The Conservative Party, suddenly, matters. After months of internal squabbling and spasms of inscrutable chicanery, Toryism has finally dispensed of the dud who delivered its July cataclysm. In his wake, surrounded by the ashes of the party he flamed, a new leader rises.
The latest Tory tribute, Keir Starmer’s fourth in four years, is Kemi Badenoch. Addressing the press gallery’s annual reception on Tuesday evening, Starmer confessed he has to “kick the habit” of calling his opposite number “prime minister”.
Of course, the highest office Badenoch ever assumed in government was that of business and trade secretary. But in this post, the now-Tory chief acquired a reputation for snappish combativeness. Badenoch’s spiky despatch box demeanour was evinced regularly last parliament — including, on some occasions, at her own MPs’ expense.
Badenoch’s reputation preceded her inaugural prime minister’s questions performance this afternoon. Indeed, the Conservative leader emerged as the chosen candidate of both MPs and activists, in part, because of her professed ability to maul Starmer into submission. Rishi Sunak roundly failed to penetrate the prime minister’s defences in their post-election bouts, despite ample opportunity. Badenoch’s punchy politics, Tory activists anticipate, will succeed where Sunak failed — both as PM and opposition leader.
But Badenoch, today, failed to live up to the hopes of her parliamentary and activist advocates.
The new Conservative leader began her line of questioning with reference to an even more recent political victor, US president-elect Donald Trump. Badenoch asked whether the foreign secretary, David Lammy, apologised for once making “derogatory” remarks about Trump when they met in September. She added: “If he [Lammy] did not apologise, will the prime minister do so now on his behalf?”
The prime minister insisted that his, Lammy and Trump’s discussion over dinner was a “very constructive exercise”. But Badenoch continued to pursue her presidential theme, even mocking the “north London Labour activists” who travelled to the US to campaign for Kamala Harris.
The former business secretary went on: “Given that most of his cabinet signed a motion to ban president Trump from addressing parliament, will the prime minister show that he and his government can be more than student politicians by asking the Speaker to extend an invitation to president Trump to address parliament on his next visit?”
Starmer, having attentively fielded Badenoch’s first PMQ, struck back with a potent riposte: “The leader of the opposition is giving a masterclass on student politics.”
Segueing to the budget, the Conservative leader blasted the government’s “high spending, high borrowing, high inflation approach”. The full programme, she clamoured, is a “copy and paste of Bidenomics”. She also claimed, erroneously, that the budget contained no reference to defence.
Badenoch added: “May I suggest he now urge [the chancellor] to change course or is he determined to be a one-term leader?”
An exasperated Starmer hit back: “One thing I learnt as leader of the opposition is it’s a good idea to listen to what the government is actually saying”.
Defence had been “clear and central” to the budget, he insisted. (Let the record show Rachel Reeves did mention defence spending in her autumn budget — as commons leader Lucy Powell pointed out once PMQs ended.)
One weapon Starmer has in his arsenal this parliament is the wall of Labour MPs behind him. And staring down Badenoch opposite, they were certainly in full voice today. Their chunters ensured the Conservative leader stumbled on several occasions.
Badenoch also complained, while glancing at notes in front of her, that Starmer was rehearsing scripted answers. The point, one presumes, was to introduce Badenoch to the nation as spontaneous and assured. But the PM dismissed the suggestion with the evidence of his eyes: “If she’s going to complain about scripted answers, it’s probably best not to read that from a script.”
During the leadership contest, of course, Badenoch’s pugnaciousness was placed front and centre of her campaign. Based on today’s performance, her combativeness was by no means overstated — but perhaps her despatch box ability was. The spiky substance of Badenoch’s questions was belied by the tangible, if understandable, quiver in her voice.
Three months in, and Labour’s difficulties have inspired a nascent confidence in Conservative ranks. The prevalent risk is that Tory MPs delude themselves about their party’s prospects for recovery and let political hubris cloud their judgements. Badenoch, if today’s showing is anything to go by, will not be able to berate her way into 10 Downing Street.
Indeed, perhaps her PMQs performance — characterised by a disprovable claim and futile pugnaciousness — will begin the process of puncturing the Tory bubble of overconfidence.
At the very least, Badenoch’s Conservative colleagues will hope their new leader grows into her sessions with Starmer. Tory MPs, naturally, are restless for signs the party is making inroads.
Josh Self is Editor of Politics.co.uk, follow him on X/Twitter here.
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