𝓤𝓷𝓲𝓽𝓮𝓭 𝓝𝓮𝔀𝓼

You know when it’s the last day of term as behaviour, standards and dress codes all start to slip. That was very much the case as the final Prime Minister’s Questions of this parliamentary session staggered to a close. It says it all when the gag of the day belongs to Sir Keir Starmer – something about Lib Dem leader Ed Davey wearing a wetsuit. Yes, we have stooped that low.

The Prime Minister, so often the butt of jokes, pulled out the one-liner when he was challenged by the smarmy Lib Dem leader over some awkward remarks by Peter Mandelson’s replacement as US ambassador.

Christian Turner had told a bunch of schoolkids that he thought the Labour leader’s position was “touch and go” and that his party could “remove” him after next week’s local elections.

Davey remarked that Sir Keir has had to fire one US ambassador for lying, adding: “Does he fear he’ll now have to fire a second one for telling the truth?”

The PM responded that the stunt-loving politician was the “least of my problems”, adding that he was wrong to expect anything better than “from the man in the wetsuit.”

The self-righteous one then attempted a joke of his own, saying he had his “dry suit on today” but the moment had gone.

Starmer vs Smarmer aside, PMQs was a bit chaotic.

Tory leader Kemi Badenoch attempted to tease the Prime Minister into confirming that Rachel Reeves is safe in her job.

She also described Starmer’s premiership as being “like a bad episode of Game Of Thrones” where his own people had turned against him while he’s “wetting himself” about a visit from Andy Burnham.

There was some sad news too when Stephen Flynn, the SNP’s leader in Westminster, announced it could be his last ever appearance at PMQs.

The Tartan gunslinger, who could move north of the border if he wins in next week’s Holyrood elections, is one of the great orators of this generation of MPs.

A smiling Flynn couldn’t resist one more swipe at the Prime Minister, adding: “I suppose, Mr Speaker, the same is perhaps true for the Prime Minister as well.”