Badenoch accuses Starmer of ‘patronising’ her

It is getting rather repetitive writing that Kemi Badenoch had an uncomfortable Prime Minister’s Questions, so how about this: today’s PMQs showed that Keir Starmer does not regard the Conservative leader as any kind of political threat. He openly ridiculed her in his answers – perhaps too openly to appear statesmanlike. 

The question that invited that ridicule followed a fairly benign one on ensuring that Ukraine be at the negotiating table in talks on the country’s future. Badenoch told the Commons she would then turn to the details of the defence spending announcement, saying:

Over the weekend, I suggested to the Prime Minister that he cut the aid budget, and I am pleased that he accepted my advice. It’s the fastest response I’ve ever had from the Prime Minister. However, he announced £13.4b billion in additional defence spending yesterday. This morning his defence secretary said the uplift is only £6 billion.