Keir Starmer SNAPS in Parliament as Angela Rayner Left Fuming and Kemi Badenoch Misses Big Moment
During Prime Minister’s Questions, the atmosphere in Parliament was tense, and the frustration among politicians and viewers alike was clear. One MP, Lorraine Beavers, made headlines with her colourful language, comparing the environment to something out of a punk rock show and speaking of “toxic stenches” causing sickness—though ironically, she wasn’t describing the state of Parliament itself, even if it might have fit. The real sickness, many would argue, was in the dodging of important questions and the lack of honesty in many of the responses.
Kemi Badenoch, one of the top Conservative figures, was expected to take a strong stand on the topic dominating public concern—immigration. With immigration being the number one issue on people’s minds in towns, cities, and online, it seemed obvious that it should’ve been the focus. Instead, she decided to talk about unemployment, which completely missed the mark. Unemployment figures do matter, but they shift constantly, and the slight rise from 4.4% to 4.5% isn’t enough to stir the public or dominate the news. People are more worried about immigration, its impact on housing, schools, and services, and yet she avoided addressing it altogether.
Why? Possibly because Labour’s recent immigration plans, revealed in their White Paper, were weak and filled with vague ideas and unconvincing promises. But the Conservatives haven’t exactly been strong on the issue either, which might explain why Badenoch chose to sidestep it. Still, a clever politician could have found a way to expose Labour’s weaknesses without falling into the same trap. Instead, she fumbled the chance and made her team look out of touch.
It took Plaid Cymru’s Liz Saville Roberts to say what many were thinking. She reminded Parliament that Starmer once spoke with compassion about migrants and believed in free movement, but now he talks about Britain becoming an “island of strangers.” She challenged him, accusing him of shifting his beliefs based on what’s popular in focus groups rather than standing for anything real. When she asked if there was any belief he truly held onto for more than a week, Starmer lost his cool. He fired back sharply, saying: “Yes, the belief that she talks rubbish.”
His tone shocked many. It came off as rude and dismissive, and for some, especially women in the chamber, it had a condescending edge. Rachel Reeves laughed loudly, but Angela Rayner, sitting nearby, didn’t smile. Her expression stayed cold and serious—she seemed to recognise the old-fashioned sexism in the moment, and it clearly didn’t sit well with her.
Meanwhile, the Labour side kept pushing their own narrative, with one MP boasting that “when Labour negotiates, workers win.” Starmer himself talked up a deal with the US, claiming it had reduced car export taxes. But what he didn’t mention was that the new tax rate is 10%—and it was only 2.5% before. So it wasn’t really a win at all, just a smoke-and-mirrors statement meant to sound impressive.
This is becoming a pattern with Labour: they highlight small achievements but quietly ignore the setbacks. They act like they’ve earned power, but many still feel they haven’t earned true public trust. Even after recent election victories, critics argue they don’t have a strong mandate from the people—they just happen to be the ones in charge now because the alternatives were too weak.
All in all, it was another day in Parliament filled with dodged questions, shallow answers, and rising tension, while the public keeps waiting for real leadership on the issues that actually matter.
