PMQs: Boris Johnson has lost the trust and authority to lead - Sir Keir Starmer
- Published
The Labour leader says the prime minister is "weak" and had to rely on Labour votes to get Covid measures through Parliament.
Boris Johnson has lost the trust of his own MPs and the authority to lead the country through a crisis, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has said.
At the final PMQs before Christmas, Sir Keir seized on the huge rebellion by Tory MPs over the PM's Covid Plan B.
He said the prime minister was "so weak that without Labour votes last night a vital public health measure would not have got through".
Mr Johnson accused Sir Keir of indulging in "partisan trivia".
On Tuesday evening, 100 Tory MPs defied Mr Johnson's instructions and voted against the introduction of Covid passes in England over concerns it will harm personal freedoms.
This measure - along with mandatory face masks in most indoor settings and compulsory vaccines for NHS staff - became law thanks to Labour support.
Mr Johnson has not ruled out recalling Parliament during the Christmas break, if further restrictions are needed to curb the spread of the Omicron variant.
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But Sir Keir told the PM he needed to "get his house in order" to ensure Conservative MPs would back them, adding: "Labour will follow my leadership and always put the national interest first".
He added: "We can't go on with a prime minister who is too weak to lead."
Referring to the ongoing controversy over Christmas parties in Downing Street last year, the Labour leader questioned whether Mr Johnson had the "trust and authority to lead this country," accusing him of undermining public confidence.
Mr Johnson insisted the government is taking a "balanced and proportionate approach" to Covid restrictions.
And he accused Sir Keir of "pompously claiming he wants to rise about party politics - and then playing political games".
Hostage to fortune?
Keir Starmer didn't call for Boris Johnson's resignation - but he did urge the PM to fall on his sword.
The Labour leader invited him to look in the mirror and decide whether he had the authority to lead.
Sir Keir is using Boris Johnson's difficulties with his own MPs to build up his own leadership credentials - something he has struggled to do during the pandemic.
He is hoping that polling, suggesting diminishing trust in the prime minister, will also equate to greater trust in the Opposition.
But Sir Keir did not stick entirely to the image of a statesman, attacking the alleged rule breaking in Downing Street.
His cover for this was that the public may be less willing to follow rules if the PM doesn't do the same.
This allowed Boris Johnson to attack the Opposition leader for playing politics.
But in doing so, there may be a hostage to fortune when he dismissed allegations of rule breaking as "partisan trivia" when Labour believes this is of concern to target voters, and before Cabinet Secretary Simon Case, who is investigating alleged Covid breaches in Downing Street, has set out the facts.
The SNP's Westminster leader Ian Blackford said: "A prime minister who can't protect the public is no prime minister at all."
He called for more money to support businesses affected by Covid restrictions.
The prime minister insisted that his government would continue to work with the Scottish government and the other devolved authorities so that the UK "gets through together".
SDLP MP Colum Eastwood called on the prime minister to resign.
Mr Johnson replied: "No - I am going to get on with protecting the public and making sure we get through this pandemic together as one United Kingdom."