Boris Johnson came under attack from all corners of the House of Commons at PMQ’s on Wednesday - but it wasn’t entirely a solemn affair.
The under-pressure prime minister faced the music after an 18-hour period that saw scores of ministerial resignations - chiefly his chancellor Rishi Sunak and Health Secretary Sajid Javid.
Here are the best lines from a fiery PMQS:
Boris Johnson: “This morning, Mr Speaker, I have been having meetings with ministerial colleagues and I suspect I shall be having further such meetings later today.”
After beginning with grandstanding lines about tax cuts and his support for the English and Northern Irish women’s football teams, the Prime Minister addressed the elephant in the room.
Keir Starmer: “Is this the first recorded case of the sinking ships fleeing the rat?”
Keir Starmer turns the classic expression on its head after listing a number of previous controversies involving Mr Johnson. The Labour leader makes the point that it is a little late in the day for Tories to resign with integrity intact.
Keir Starmer: “Charge of the lightweight brigade” and a “Z list of nodding dogs”
After beginning with a very serious tone, Mr Starmer lightened up towards the end of his allotted questions - aiming this attack at the batch of Conservatives to have left posts. He then called those left a “Z list of nodding dogs”.
Ian Blackford: “I recently compared the Prime Minister to Monty Python’s Black Knight. In fact, he is more like the dead parrot.”
Ian Blackford, the SNP leader at Westminster, references the classic sketches - effectively saying Boris Johsnson is no longer refusing to admit defeat even with no limbs, but is definitely dead.
Tim loughton: “Are there any circumstances in which you will resign?”
The line itself doesn’t stand out at face value, but Conservative MP Tim Loughton loads his question with enough pithy venom to draw a laugh from the benches.
Peter Dowd: “The Prime Minister has said he does not like walkouts and strikes… What will he do to stop walkouts and strikes from his government?”
It is Labour’s Peter Dowd who delivers perhaps the funniest line of the session. With references to the recent rail strikes, which Mr Johnson has criticised Labour over, the MP for Bootle gets revenge of sorts on the Prime Minister.
