A Tory minister was left squirming by a Question Time audience member after he tried to attack Keir Starmer.
David TC Davies claimed yesterday’s announcement by the Labour leader that his government would follow five “national missions” if he wins the next election was his 11th relaunch since taking over from Jeremy Corbyn.
But a woman in the audience reminded him that the Conservatives are now on their third prime minister of the last six months after Boris Johnson and Liz Truss were both booted out of office by their own MPs.
Davies, who is the Welsh secretary, said: “I think we should congratulate Keir on his 11th relaunch, his second this year already.
“What we got from him was a load of unfunded spending commitments which would lead to higher taxes and borrowing.
“And of course we already know what Labour’s attitude is towards the economy and towards growth because we’ve got a Labour government right here in Wales and their latest announcement last week was that they’re not going to build any more roads.”
But the audience member hit back: “I think it’s bizarre to hear the Conservative minister complain that we’ve had 11 relaunches under Labour when we’ve had three Conservative prime ministers in just the last six months.
“Labour may have had 11 relaunches, but Keir Starmer’s been a much longer term leader who frankly appears a lot more trustworthy and stable.”
Rishi Sunak became prime minister last October after taking over from Truss, who lasted just 49 days in the job before being ejected by her party after she crashed the economy.
Truss had actually defeated Sunak in a Tory leadership election last summer which was sparked by Johnson had to resign after dozens of his ministers quit over his handling of the Chris Pincher affair, which came hard on the heels of the partygate scandal.