A top Tory caused uproar at PMQs this lunchtime after heckling Keir Starmer as a “liar” amid a furious clash about education spending.
Keir Starmer slammed the Tories, attacking them for “pretending to care about state education when they left them without the teachers they needed.”
Uproar erupted after he sat down, however shadow Environment Secretary Victoria Atkins was heard shouting over the din: “That is a lie!”
Accusing someone of lying in the Commons is strictly against the rules.
Amid fury and shouts of “apologise!” from Labour MPs, Speaker Lindsay Hoyle rose to his feet to demand she withdraw the charge.
Victoria Atkins was hear accusing Keir Starmer of being a liar (Image: Getty)
Sir Lindsay said: “I presume something was said that shouldn’t have been said. I’m sure the member would like to withdraw what was said?”
Ms Atkins was heard saying “withdrawn”, before the Speaker resumed PMQs.
The moment marked the most emotional moment between the Tories and Labour at PMQs after a cool-headed, cross-party set of questions between Keir Starmer and Kemi Badenoch.
The Conservative leader asked a number of supportive questions about security and Ukraine, commending the Prime Minister for his work over the past week.
Ms Badenoch told MPs: “I know the Prime Minister is not able to comment on specific intelligence matters, and I certainly am not asking him to do that.”
Lindsay Hoyle demanded the accusation be withdrawn (Image: Parliament Live)
“However there are concerning reports that the United States has instructed Britain to suspend intelligence sharing with Ukraine, and other reports that Five Eyes itself may be at risk.”
“We need to make sure that America does not disengage. There are some in this house who argue Europe should go it alone.
“But does he agree with me that without this country’s greatest ally, any peace agreement would place a terrible burden on Britain and our taxpayers?”
Sir Keir said he agreed with Ms Badenoch wholeheartedly, and he has always been clear that the US, UK, Europe and Ukraine are working together “but we must not choose between the US and Europe. We never have historically and we’re not going to do so now.”
