Kemi Badenoch is being urged to overhaul her approach to prime minister’s questions and bring in more experienced advisers to prepare for the weekly political joust, amid criticisms of her approach to taking on Keir Starmer.
Some MPs are complaining that their fledgling leader is raising the wrong topics and picking unconvincing lines of attack against the prime minister at PMQs, which is her most prominent opportunity to make the political weather. Others have been concerned about the level of support for her from colleagues during the exchanges.
While most MPs are sympathetic to Badenoch, who is less than four months into the job, some MPs and frontbenchers want to see her bolster her advisory team with Tory figures seasoned in the difficult task of landing political blows.
One former cabinet minister said there had been complaints among MPs that Badenoch kept avoiding obvious attacks on Starmer’s handling of the economy, instead opting for “Westminster village-orientated” topics that she persevered with for too long. “People are putting on a brave face at the moment, but the comment I’ve heard more often than any other is that she keeps picking the wrong subjects,” they said. “There are some big things going on that could really resonate – like the economy.”
An MP who shared the concerns said: “We have people who have been involved in PMQs prep for a long time and I hope she’s got some continuity there, because it’s important we get it right. It doesn’t necessarily mean she’ll be perfect, but she needs experience behind her. You need wise heads who know what they’re doing.”
The discontent surfaced after this week’s outing, in which Badenoch confronted Starmer over an attempt by a family from Gaza to use a Ukrainian resettlement scheme to come to the UK, as well as the appointment of a new borders inspector who lives in Finland.
However, Starmer responded by stating that the government was already reviewing the findings of the case of the Gazan family, while the borders inspector had been appointed by the last government – and had now been instructed to work from the UK.
Sympathetic Tory MPs said that the complaints over Badenoch’s approach were simply evidence of how hard it was to make an impression as opposition leader and pleaded for colleagues to give her time. “No one’s going to be a rock star immediately,” said one frontbencher. “It’s going to be incredibly difficult and she’s got to grow into the job. If it does seem clunky, she’s got four years to get this right. Having said that, Starmer is unbelievably crap.”
Close allies of Badenoch reject the criticisms of her approach to PMQs. They argue that with Labour enjoying a “super majority” in the Commons, she is showing she is serious about holding the government to account. They also say that her attacks on Starmer for not being on top of what his government is doing will expose the prime minister.
“Whatever the commentariat’s view, Kemi is holding Starmer to account,” one said. “This week, he misled the House of Commons [over the Gaza family’s case]. He said this court case was heard under the last government. It was not. He also refused to say whether this government would appeal the verdict. There have been previous examples. Her job is to be an effective opposition and that is what she is determined to do every week. She’s not going to be sidetracked or worried about what people are saying.”
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However, given the murmurings, Tory figures are concerned about what could happen should the Conservatives suffer a poor set of local elections in May, as expected. MPs said any discussion about replacing another leader would make them look absurd and must be avoided. Many Tories believe that Robert Jenrick, the shadow justice secretary who Badenoch defeated to become leader, continues to have leadership ambitions and is waiting in the wings.
“We’ve got the leader we’ve got,” said an MP. “People saying she’s got until after the local elections to prove herself are nuts. We cannot possibly change our leader again.”
Source: theguardian.com
