Labour MPs have criticised Kemi Badenoch after a fractious prime minister’s questions on Wednesday, in which she accused the education secretary of being a “spiteful class warrior”.
In an unusual move, Badenoch was chastised by the speaker, Lindsay Hoyle, in the chamber of your home of Commons after she took the personal swipe at Bridget Phillipson before saying that Keir Starmer had been betrayed and had “400 knives stuck in his back”.
“Let us consider the language we use,” stated Hoyle. “Since when we leave this chamber, do not be amazed when constituents feel they can utilize the very same language. Let us reveal a little bit more decorum and respect.”
Phillipson shook her head as the Conservative leader– describing the Labour policy of applying 20% VAT to private school costs from the start of 2025– said she had actually “taxed private schools to pay for more teachers, however the variety of instructors has actually decreased” and had actually let Starmer down with “her incompetence”. Badenoch included: “It turns out designating a spiteful class warrior as education secretary was a disaster.”
Starmer reacted that Phillipson, who experienced youth hardship growing up in the north-east of England, was an “incredible story of social movement and success” and included: “I am so proud … It drives every priority and value that she has.
“I would have thought the party reverse would acknowledge and understand some of that, but they’ve fallen so low, they do not.”
Badenoch then turned on cheering Labour MPs, implicating them of “cheering so loudly with their 400 knives stuck in [Starmer’s] back”. When MPs reacted madly, she said: “They do not like it up them, but they know what I’m saying.”
After PMQs, sources reported a row broke out between Badenoch and Phillipson as MPs left the chamber. Labour sources said the technology secretary, Liz Kendall, stated to Badenoch as they were leaving: “What you stated was definitely outrageous,” at which Badenoch turned to Phillipson and said: “You are spiteful. I will keep speaking about how spiteful you are.”
An ally of Phillipson said Labour whips were referring the occurrence to the speaker, while the Labour MP Tulip Siddiq stated she would make a point of order, a procedure used to accentuate a potential violation of parliamentary rules.
“Badenoch has yet again disgraced herself,” said an ally of Phillipson. “She’s picked to assault the only working-class woman from the north-east of England in the cabinet, due to the fact that the Tories hate working-class individuals who do well. If defending the 94% of kids in state schools makes Bridget a ‘spiteful class warrior’, then she’ll use it with pride.”
Conservative sources disputed this variation of events and stated Phillipson had “intended a barb” at Badenoch as they were leaving the chamber, to which the leader of the opposition said: “I’ll battle you all the way. You’re ruining children’s lives.”
skip past newsletter promotionFree newsletter|Every weekday
Register to First Edition
Our morning email breaks down the essential stories of the day, informing you what’s taking place and why it matters
after newsletter promotion
Asked by the Guardian if Badenoch would apologise for remarks made in the chamber following the rebuke, the Tory leader’s spokesperson said “never”. A Conservative source stated: “The truth is that the vindictive and class war tax hike on independent schools has actually required the closure of numerous of them, interfering with children’s lives, forcing them into state schools in the middle of their studies, putting further pressure on the state school sector, and we are absolutely figured out to oppose all of it the method.”
Badenoch later on published on social networks: “‘I grew up on a council estate’ is not an excuse for failure. You are sacrificing the future of generations of kids on the altar of your class envy– reversing even Labour’s academy reforms.”
Following the run-in, senior Labour figures safeguarded the education secretary. David Lammy said the attack laid bare “something much deeper about the direction of their politics”. The deputy prime minister stated: “I’m happy that this Labour federal government has the most state-schooled cabinet in the postwar period– people who didn’t mature with opportunity, but made their location through hard work.”
The Scotland secretary, Douglas Alexander, stated Badenoch’s words “stated a lot more about her than Bridget”. He included: “Like Bridget, I’m proudly state-schooled: we’re the most state-schooled cabinet in the postwar age. We’re not motivated by spite but by dealing with hardship and extending opportunity.”