Kemi Badenoch took a strong jab at Sir Keir Starmer in the Commons on Wednesday, labelling the Labour leader as “weak” and implying that he could soon be replaced by a “strong woman.”
This comment followed Angela Rayner’s pointed warning to the party.
The Tory leader told MPs that Rayner had “just fired the starting gun on the race to replace him” after the former deputy prime minister delivered a sharp critique of Labour’s direction in a speech on Tuesday night.
“She and I both agree that this weak man should be replaced by a strong woman,” Badenoch stated during Prime Minister’s Questions.
In response to criticism about shadow justice secretary Nick Timothy’s controversial post on X regarding Muslims praying in Trafalgar Square, Sir Keir adopted a defensive stance.
“When I see religious events in Trafalgar Square, that shows the great strength of our diverse city and country,” he said. “I’ve never heard her party call out anything other than the Muslim events. The only conclusion is that the Tory Party has a problem with Muslims.”
Rayner’s speech the previous night warned that Labour was “running out of time” to implement meaningful change, suggesting that the party is perceived as part of “the Establishment, not working people.” She called for a fundamental reset of Labour policy, stating:
“As a party and as a movement, we cannot hide. We cannot just go through the motions in the face of decline. There’s no safe ground, and we’re running out of time.
The change that people wanted so desperately needs to be seen, it needs to be felt, and we have to show that it is a Labour government that will deliver it.”
Political observers have suggested that Rayner’s remarks may signify the initial steps towards a potential leadership bid, amid a growing perception that Starmer’s authority is weakening.
