Policy
Speaker reprimands Badenoch over attack on Education Secretary at PMQs
Published June 24, 2026
Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch was formally reprimanded by Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle during Prime Minister's Questions following a personal attack on Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson. Badenoch described Phillipson as a "spiteful class warrior" before claiming Sir Keir Starmer had "400 knives stuck in his back", prompting the Speaker to intervene in a rare display of chamber discipline.
The incident has drawn criticism from Labour MPs who have raised concerns about the tone of political discourse at Westminster. While exchanges at PMQs are traditionally robust, the Speaker's decision to chastise Badenoch publicly highlights ongoing tensions regarding parliamentary standards and the boundaries of political debate when discussing education policy and ministerial conduct.
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