PMQs: “Boy, he makes it difficult to support this government”

We can safely say that Keir Starmer is thoroughly irritating the Prime Minister and the Conservative Party. Before the latest session of Prime Minister’s Questions began, Andrea Leadsom complained that Boris Johnson keeps trying to work constructively with Starmer but “has it thrown back in his face”. This tension came to a head at PMQs, in which the Labour leader took a tougher stance as promised in his Guardian interview last night.

Starmer started with a barbed comment about the Prime Minister’s silence on the police killing of George Floyd. Saying he felt “shock and anger”, the opposition leader noted: “I am surprised the Prime Minister hasn’t said anything about this yet.” He then picked up on the Telegraph story that had Tory sources proudly declaring the Prime Minister was going to take control of the crisis – as if such a development would be reassuring. The main point of contention then came as Starmer revealed that he had privately written to Johnson about schools but received no reply.

In response to the PM accusing him of not showing enough cooperation with the government, Starmer pointed out that two weeks ago he offered to help build consensus on the reopening of schools – which is a significant move, considering the firm views of education unions on the matter – yet had not received a response to date. Although Johnson hit back with the claim that Starmer had “endorsed” the government approach during a phone call, Labour believes this referred not to a one-on-one call but to a conversation with all opposition leaders. Starmer replied that he would be publishing the private correspondence, and his office did so immediately.

Over the course of PMQs, Johnson appeared to become genuinely angry. He couldn’t face his opposite number, and instead somewhat pitifully turned to his backbenchers, who are still few in number due to distancing requirements. When he protested Starmer’s “endless attacks”, the Labour leader replied that the PM had “confused scrutiny for attacks” and said: “I have tried to be constructive but boy he makes it difficult to support this government.” This just about sums up Starmer’s evolving approach: from detailed probing to disappointment at the results, and now exasperation. It is designed to chime with public opinion, and the polls suggest that views are indeed moving in the same direction.

Unfortunately for the government, Boris Johnson looks as if he has lost control. He is unable to appear in public without performing a U-turn or making a big fresh commitment that looks as if it was announced under pressure. In recent weeks, these have included the NHS bereavement scheme, the immigration health surcharge exemption, no recourse to public funds, as well as new testing targets that they have subsequently struggled to meet. Today it was proxy voting for shielding MPs and a new pledge to turn around tests in 24 hours by the end of June. No wonder there is now net disapproval of the government’s handling of the crisis – it all seems a mess, and a lot of good will among voters has been wasted.