It’s a mess inside Downing Street – and the PM didn’t cover himself in glory today
It’s a real mess inside Downing Street – and the prime minister didn’t cover himself in glory when asked about today.
That’s the view of our political editor Beth Rigby, who was at the government’s event to launch its 10-year plan for the NHS this morning.
That’s what Keir Starmer wanted to spend his first anniversary as PM talking about, but Beth says it’s been “overshadowed by what is clearly a crisis inside government”.
“It has been the most difficult and dangerous week of his premiership – he’s had to collapse his welfare reforms, it’s cost the chancellor £5bn, the markets are nervous, the chancellor’s crying in the Commons.”
Other than that, everything’s fine!
Why chancellor’s PMQs appearance mattered
The chancellor’s appearance alongside the PM today was a surprise, and clearly the pair wanted to put on a united front, says Beth.
But it did lead to the slightly bizarre spectacle of Starmer fielding question after question about her wellbeing, rather than the NHS, as she sat metres away from him not taking the questions herself.
Anyone who saw her crying during PMQs “would feel massive sympathy for her”, says Beth, but it also had a “material effect on the markets”.
“The cost of government borrowing went up because people were worried she might be on the way out,” she says – hence why it was so important for journalists to ask questions about it.
PM tried to dodge questions on welfare chaos
As for the backbench rebellion and welfare climbdown that started this crazy week of chaos, Beth describes that as a “mess”.
“I’m telling you, it is a mess” within Downing Street, she says.
The PM tried to dodge Beth’s question about that whole palava, only acknowledging what a tough week it had been at the second attempt, admitting the government had got the process of welfare reform wrong.
“People want their politicians to be straight with them,” says Beth.
“To not acknowledge the crisis…. I don’t think he covered himself in glory.”