Keir Starmer congratulates Tories for ‘edging past Count Binface’ in Makerfield

"At this rate it will take them 500 years to get back to power!"

In his first Prime Minister’s Questions since announcing his resignation as Labour leader, Starmer had a couple of zingers ready to go in response to Badenoch’s attacks.

One of the Tory leader’s first questions saw her congratulate the prime minister on being the “other party leader who won a by-election last week,” in reference to Labour’s win in Makerfield and the Tories’ win in Aberdeen South.

But Badenoch then quipped that she reckoned she was happier with her new MP than Starmer was with his.

It was of course Andy Burnham who claimed victory in Makerfield, a result that effectively caused Starmer’s resignation announcement.

After Badenoch went on to ask a question about defence spending, Starmer pointed out to her that the performance of the Conservative Party in the last two by-elections in England wasn’t much to write home about.

He said: “In Gorton and Denton, the Tories got 1.9% of the vote. Can I congratulate her because in Makerfield they got 2.2% of the vote, just edging past Count Binface!

“She says they’re winning everywhere, at that rate it will take them 500 years to get back into power!”

Also at PMQs, Badenoch got on the wrong side of the Speaker, who gave the Tory leader a reminder about the language she was using.

After Badenoch labelled some Labour MPs ‘traitors’, the Speaker called for more “decorum and respect.”

You can read more about that here.