David Lammy had to be handed a poppy halfway through PMQs after failing to wear one. The Deputy Prime Minister was not wearing the symbol of remembrance when he began taking questions in the House of Commons at midday.

He borrowed a badge from another Labour MP which he attached to his jacket around 15 minutes into the session. The Justice Secretary, who stood in for Sir Keir Starmer as the Prime Minister attends the Cop30 summit in Brazil, came under fire from the Tories and Reform UK.

Former Tory minister Kevin Hollinrake said: “A disgrace that David Lammy, the Deputy Prime Minister of this nation and standing in for the Prime Minister at PMQs, is not wearing a poppy.”

Reform UK deputy leader Richard Tice said: “Deputy Prime Minister fails to wear poppy whilst remembering our brave veterans and the fallen.”

Conservative MP Saqib Bhatti added: “Lammy isn’t wearing a poppy how disrespectful.”

Labour backbencher Calvin Bailey handed over his poppy, which Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson passed to Mr Lammy.

Mr Lammy had opened Prime Minister’s Questions by paying tribute to those who had fought “to defend our freedom”.

He told the Commons: “This weekend is Remembrance Sunday. We will never forget those who fought to defend our freedom. It’s been one of the greatest honours of my career to meet our troops around the world, whether in Cyprus, the Gulf or Australia.

“This week, the Government announced the biggest renewal of armed forces housing in more than 50 years, kickstarting one of Britain’s most ambitious building programmes in decades.”

He later blamed his lack of poppy on wearing a new suit to PMQs.

The Cabinet minister said: “I bought a new suit this morning because my godmother said she would be watching.

“I’m very grateful to the honourable member for Sunderland South for ensuring that despite wearing a new suit, I’ve managed to put my poppy on.

“We wear a poppy to remember all those who fought and died for this country. They represented every walk of life, every race and every religion.”