‘Not fit to lead Britain!’ Penny Mordaunt rips into Keir Starmer in furious Commons attack

Penny Mordaunt insisted Sir Keir Starmer is “not fit” to lead Britain in an impassioned Commons attack after a dramatic day over a Gaza ceasefire vote.

The Commons Leader blamed “party politics on behalf of the Labour Party” for the chaotic scenes.

Speaking in the Commons, said of the Labour leader: “He puts the interests of the Labour Party before the interests of the British people.

“It’s the Labour leader that doesn’t get Britain and the past week has shown that he is not fit to lead it.”

Ms Mordaunt defended Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle who has been left fighting for his job as she accused Sir Keir of being “happy to do what he knows to be wrong”.

LIVE UPDATES: Speaker fights for political survival as almost 60 MPs call for him to go

She said: “We have seen into the heart of Labour’s leadership. Nothing is more important than the interests of the Labour Party.

“The Labour Party before principle, the Labour Party before individual rights, the Labour Party before the reputation and honour of the decent man that sits in Speaker’s chair.

“The Labour Party before fairness, integrity and democracy.

“In Rochdale, the Labour Party before a zero tolerance policy towards antisemitism.

“Many of us knew this about the Labour leader. I saw it in his frustration of our country getting the best deal possible when we left the EU. The Labour Party before country.”

She said the public “cannot abide bullies and cheats”, adding: “They cannot abide people who trash our nation or fail to defend its interests or the institutions that protect them.”

The Commons Leader said: “We often on this side of this House rightly criticise the former leader of the Labour Party (Jeremy Corbyn) for the things he stood for being wrong on those matters.

“But I will tell you one thing about the former leader of the Labour Party, at least he thought he was right on those matters. The current leader of the Labour Party is quite happy to do what he knows to be wrong.”

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Sir Lindsay sparked uproar on Wednesday when he upended parliamentary convention by selecting Labour’s bid to amend an SNP motion calling for an immediate ceasefire.

He decided the Commons would first vote on Labour’s amendment before moving on to further votes on the SNP’s original motion, and then a Government proposal seeking an “immediate humanitarian pause”.

The Speaker disregarded warnings from the House of Commons Clerk over the unprecedented nature of the move.

Tory and SNP MPs accused him of helping Sir Keir avoid another damaging revolt over the Middle East issue.

Sir Lindsay apologised for his handing of the debate, which saw Labour’s amendment pass as Conservative and SNP politicians walked out of the debate in protest.

More than 50 MPs have signed a parliamentary motion declaring no confidence in the Speaker.