A prominent Conservative Party member was ejected from the Prime Minister’s Questions (PMQs) session after Keir Starmer ridiculed the party for recent defections. Richard Holden, the Shadow Transport Secretary, was asked to leave the chamber by Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle due to his behavior. Earlier, Sir Lindsay had jokingly hinted at Holden’s potential switch to another party, which was met with cheers from the crowd.
In a light-hearted exchange, Starmer mocked Kemi Badenoch over former Tory member Robert Jenrick’s decision to defect. Starmer teased that those who shout the loudest often end up defecting to another party, referring to recent events where Jenrick switched to the Reform party. The atmosphere became tense, leading Sir Lindsay to intervene and request Holden to leave the session.
During the PMQs, Starmer highlighted the irony of the situation by mentioning the actions of the former Shadow Justice Secretary, Jenrick. In response, Badenoch defended her party’s stance, emphasizing that she took swift action against those undermining the party. Starmer retorted by questioning the timing of her actions and pointed out previous controversial comments made by the defector.
The exchange continued with Badenoch justifying her decision to remove Jenrick after uncovering his defection plans. The back-and-forth banter between the political figures showcased the ongoing tensions within the party ranks.