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Watch: Zarah Sultana shut down by Deputy Speaker

Taxes are rising, inflation is climbing, sleaze is everywhere and the Tories are divided. With Labour ahead in the polls for the first time since January, can anything stop the party’s return to power? Enter Zarah Sultana, Coventry’s answer to Citizen Smith. The baby-faced bolshevik – designed in a CCHQ lab as a walking Tory recruitment advert – popped up at Commons questions today to remind us all of Labour’s less electable elements. 

Launching one of her trite attack lines, Sultana railed against the government’s ‘dodgy Transport Secretary’ and ‘dodgy Leader of the House’ before asking Jacob Rees-Mogg if he was ‘proud of this shameful record.’ Before Mogg could reply, Deputy Speaker Eleanor Laing popped up to admonish Sultana for use of the word ‘dodgy’ and asked her politely to substitute it for more parliamentary language. Sadly for Laing, the craven Corbynista claimed that ‘no other word suffices’ in repeated exchanges which culminated in Sultana claiming ‘I’m confused,’ mislabelling Laing as ‘madame Deputy Secretary’ and claiming it’s the language her constituents use.

Eventually even the Deputy Speaker began to tire as Sultana, lip aquiver, declared ‘I won’t withdraw my remarks’ – a stance which forced an exasperated Laing to move on to the next question.

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Steerpike

Steerpike is The Spectator's gossip columnist, serving up the latest tittle tattle from Westminster and beyond. Email tips to steerpike@spectator.co.uk or message @MrSteerpike

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