The PMQs penny appears to have finally dropped for Kemi Badenoch, as she and Keir Starmer went back and forth over the government’s role in the Chinese Spy Scandal. Following on from the interrogation of the Prime Minister over his appointment of Peter Mandelson before recess, Kemi again used a developing scandal as a platform to launch her attacks.
This method proved fruitful as she forced the Labour Leader to admit that the Deputy National Security Advisor was the only official involved in the government’s failure to provide evidence to the case, despite the Prime Minister declaring in his opening speech that “national security will always be the first priority of this government.” The puzzled looks across the House reflected the sentiment in the chamber of how a deputy could be the sole proprietor of knowledge surrounding such an important case.
The details of this case are perplexing for all, but the Prime Minister promised the House that proper process would be followed. The government has been criticised, however, for being economical with the truth on this matter by the former Cabinet Secretary Lord Butler.
In spite of his admissions, Starmer once again employed his favourite tactic of shifting blame onto the previous Tory Government as he dug up multiple previous quotes from members across the floor. This included a 2024 quote from the opposition leader where she stated, “we should certainly not be describing China as a foe.” This line, and lines akin to it, are regularly used by the Labour Leader in defence of his government’s actions. Due to the peculiar nature of this topic, however, it did not hold the usual weight that it carries.
Similarly, in his opening speech he claimed that “the relevant period was when these offences took place between 2021 and 2023, under the previous government.” The opposition leader would retort later with “these spies were charged under a Conservative government and let off under Labour.”
Badenoch, who was put on the back foot by the admission on the witness statements during the opening speech, drove home the abnormalities surrounding the people in government with knowledge of the case. Citing an article in The Sunday Times, she said, “Jonathan Powell, the government’s National Security Advisor, convened a secret meeting to discuss the security consequences of the China Spy Trial. Did the meeting happen, or is The Sunday Times making it up?” The Prime Minister’s reply: “There was a meeting in September that did not involve the National Security Advisor discussing the evidence in any way.” He then dismissed the accusations as “scurrilous” and a “red herring.”
It would be fair to assume that Kemi’s PMQs struggles have been addressed by her party, as this has dominated much of the criticism around her leadership. However, the tide of hopelessness that has washed over the Conservative Party in recent months appears to be slowly turning after a positive party conference.
The decision by Labour to drop the CPS case provided an ample opportunity for her to show off her recently found PMQs vigour as she continued her interrogation. “The CPS has said, in the clearest terms, that this prosecution was dropped because this government did not provide the statement they expected. Why should we believe a man who, at the last PMQs, said he had full confidence in the best friend of a convicted paedophile? This all stinks of a cover-up.”
Starmer wrapped up proceedings on the matter, accusing the Conservatives of “slinging muck… meanwhile we are getting on with renewing our country… Labour is building a better future, they can’t even come to terms with their past.”
Among other matters, Liberal Democrat Daisy Cooper probed the use of security services to investigate the claims that Elon Musk will pay the legal fees of Tommy Robinson in his ongoing trial for breaching counterterrorism laws. “It is outrageous that someone who has so much control over what we read online every day could be funding someone who stokes far-right extremism on our streets.”
The Prime Minister addressed the issue, stating, “we do look across the board at threats to our democracy… I won’t comment on this case due to the state of legal proceedings.”
Plaid Cymru Westminster Leader Liz Saville Roberts questioned why the Labour Leader had not visited Caerphilly to campaign ahead of the by-election on 23 October. “What’s the problem, Mr Speaker? Is it his party’s decision to close ten libraries in the community, cuts to disability support, or perhaps it’s the fact that the council leader resigned from the Labour Party and is calling on people to support Plaid Cymru?”
He replied by stating that “she leaves out that we’ve provided over 21 billion pounds, the largest ever settlement for Wales,” and questioned the MP for Dwyfor Meirionnydd’s decision to vote against the settlement.
The former Minister of State for Security, Tom Tugendhat, continued the discourse around the Spy Scandal later in the session, questioning the political direction that the government may have given to officials before they went to give evidence. Keir Starmer’s reply: “Absolutely none.” He evidenced his time working for the Crown Prosecution Service, where he claimed never once being put under political pressure. “That is the tradition in this country. I uphold this as Prime Minister just as I upheld it when I was Director of Public Prosecution.”
The session concluded with James Cleverly making a point of order regarding an earlier misquote cited by the Prime Minister. Starmer had originally alleged that the MP for Braintree describing China as a threat would be “impossible, impractical and unwise.” However, Cleverly sought to correct this, stating that the original quote was in regard to describing our policy towards China rather than considering China a threat.
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