Chris Philp, once known as Liz Truss’s chief ally, had a rough time during Prime Minister’s Questions (PMQs). Both Labour leader Keir Starmer and Speaker Lindsay Hoyle chastised him, leaving Philp embarrassed in front of the entire Commons.
Heckling Goes Wrong
Philp, serving as Shadow Home Secretary, decided to heckle the Prime Minister while seated next to Tory leader Kemi Badenoch. As Keir Starmer began to speak, Philp kept shouting across the aisle. He soon received two reprimands in quick succession:
- Speaker Lindsay Hoyle stopped the proceedings. He told Philp, “I expect better from the front bench,” and warned him to behave more appropriately.
- Keir Starmer then delivered a cutting remark, calling Philp “Liz Truss’s right-hand man.” That quip drew laughter from MPs, including some Tories.
A Painful Reminder
Starmer’s jab wasn’t random. Last year, Philp served as Chief Secretary to the Treasury under Liz Truss and Kwasi Kwarteng. Their ill-fated mini-budget spooked the markets, caused the pound to plummet, and ended Truss’s time in Number 10 within weeks. Neither Philp nor Truss managed to outlast the infamous lettuce that symbolised her brief tenure.
Damage Done
After the twin reproaches—one from Hoyle and one from Starmer—Philp quietened down. He seemed visibly flustered, and the rest of his PMQs appearance was, at best, uneventful. However, the humiliation will likely linger, especially as social media quickly seized on the moment.
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