In a lively session at the Commons on Wednesday, a senior Tory confidently stated that their party was growing stronger, despite facing yet another defection to the Reform UK party. The atmosphere turned jovial as MPs struggled to contain their amusement during the PMQs when Andrew Griffith, the shadow business secretary, proclaimed the Conservatives were progressing from strength to strength.
This assertion came right after David Lammy, standing in for the PM during his visit to China, criticized the Tories following Suella Braverman’s recent move to Nigel Farage’s group. Drawing a football analogy, Lammy likened Tory defectors to Sol Campbell, who famously switched from White Hart Lane to Arsenal on a free transfer.
During the session, Lammy humorously highlighted Liz Truss’s failed mini-budget and mocked a top Tory for endorsing Truss’s plan. Earlier, Kemi Badenoch launched a scathing attack on former Tories who abandoned the party for Reform UK, accusing them of using political tantrums as a guise. Badenoch specifically targeted Nadhim Zahawi, Robert Jenrick, Andrew Rosindell, and Suella Braverman for their defection this month.
In a subtle jab at Jenrick, who was previously Shadow Justice Secretary until dismissed by Badenoch, she expressed regret that he did not win the Tory leadership contest. Badenoch also apologized to Zahawi for not securing a place in the House of Lords and extended apologies to others who missed out on positions in the shadow cabinet, indirectly referencing Braverman and Rosindell.
