Labour whips launched an audacious bid to cancel next week’s session of Prime Minister’s Questions to shield Sir Keir Starmer from another bruising clash with Kemi Badenoch after the Commons Speaker publicly rebuked him for dodging questions.
Desperate Attempt to Avoid Scrutiny
Parliamentary sources revealed Labour tried to end the Commons session early next week so the Prime Minister would not have to face the Leader of the Opposition again. Commons Leader Sir Alan Campbell announced that debates and votes beyond Tuesday would only take place “if necessary”, while peers were pressed to drop objections to government bills before prorogation on 29 April.
A House of Lords source told the Daily Mail: “There was a lot of pressure to push everything through by next Tuesday so that Starmer wouldn’t have to do another PMQs. But people are not having it.”
Starmer’s Furious Reaction to Speaker
The attempt follows Wednesday’s explosive PMQs when Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle was forced to intervene and tell Starmer: “Prime Minister, this is Prime Minister’s Questions. We’ve got to concentrate.” Starmer reacted furiously, confronting the Speaker as he left the chamber. One witness said the Prime Minister was “fuming with Lindsay”.
This was the third recent occasion Sir Lindsay has had to remind the Prime Minister to answer questions rather than dodge them or attack Kemi Badenoch.
Opposition Demands Apology
Shadow Commons Leader Jesse Norman raised the incident in the House, pointing out that in 24 recent responses to Mrs Badenoch, 23 had ignored the question and changed the subject. He demanded Starmer write to the Speaker and apologise to the House. The Speaker’s office later confirmed he has reminded No10 officials “on several occasions recently” about the rules of engagement.
- Labour tried to cancel next week’s PMQs to avoid Badenoch clash
- Speaker Hoyle forced to intervene for third time recently
- Starmer confronted Speaker in chamber after rebuke
- Opposition accuses PM of misleading and dodging scrutiny
- Peers rejected early end to session
Reform UK: Starmer’s Desperation Exposed
Reform UK has condemned the move as further evidence of a Government in panic. The party says Starmer’s repeated evasion on defence spending, the economy, immigration and the Mandelson vetting scandal shows he is unable to face proper scrutiny. Reform leader Nigel Farage and colleagues have repeatedly highlighted how Labour avoids tough questions while pushing through controversial legislation using Henry VIII powers and backdoor EU alignment.
What This Means for Britain
This extraordinary bid to cancel PMQs reveals the depth of Labour’s discomfort. With local elections just weeks away, Starmer is clearly rattled by Kemi Badenoch’s effective attacks and the growing list of scandals engulfing his Government — from the Mandelson vetting failure to defence spending chaos and the fake asylum industry exposed by the BBC.
Instead of facing legitimate questions from the Opposition, Labour tried to shut down parliamentary scrutiny. The Speaker’s repeated interventions and the Lords’ refusal to play along show that even some within the system are losing patience with the Prime Minister’s dodging.
Reform UK stands for straight answers and real accountability. While Labour tries to cancel PMQs and hide from scrutiny, Reform continues to expose the failures on defence, borders, taxes and net zero. Voters are watching closely — and they are tired of evasion and excuses.
Share if you believe the Prime Minister should face proper scrutiny at PMQs instead of trying to cancel it.
This article is a factual summary of reporting by the Daily Mail. Full original story available on their website. All quotes directly attributed.
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