Outgoing Prime Ministers are easy prey. They are especially vulnerable at Prime Minister’s Questions after being knifed by the MPs sitting behind them in the Commons.
Labour MPs cheered when Sir Keir Starmer arrived in the Chamber. But they were cheers for a condemned man who had fallen on his sword rather than be pushed.
Tory leader Kemi Badenoch did not appear to want to waste too much of her gunpowder on the man who will be gone from the Labour frontbenches within weeks.
But PMQ habits are hard to give up and she took several swipes at Sir Keir as he is heading for the exit door.
“They have abandoned him and what for? A pair of eyelashes and a black T-shirt,” she swiped.
“Is it the truth that whoever is in charge the real problem is the Labour Party.”
Earlier, Mrs Badenoch’s first Cabinet minister target was Rachel Reeves who she accused of plunging the Starmer government into deeper crisis by refusing to open the purse strings to adequately boost defence funding.
“She was the first female Chancellor. She lives next door to him, but wouldn't even come out to stand by him during his resignation speech,” the Tory leader jibed.
“She was too busy, she was too busy getting ready for a selfie with the new leader. Does the Prime Minister feel let down by his Chancellor?”
Sir Keir hit back: “This is the Chancellor who ended austerity inflicted on our country for 14 long years. This is the Chancellor who got the economy growing.”
But with Net Zero Secretary Ed Miliband being touted as a possible replacement for Ms Reeves at the Treasury in a Burnham government, Mrs Badenoch then doubled down on her attacks.
Referring to Mr Miliband defeating his brother David for the Labour leadership in 2010, the Tory leader risked: “It's not the first time he's betrayed someone close to him, is it?
“But does the Prime Minister think that this treachery should be rewarded by being appointed Chancellor?”
Getting into his stride, Sir Keir retorted: “The Chancellor and I picked up our party six years ago from the worst defeat since 1935.
“We turned it around and we made it face the country, and we won a landslide general election, giving them the biggest drubbing in their history.”
He added: “The test for every Prime Minister is handing over the country in better shape than you found it.
“I know I can do that, which is more than can be said for her predecessor, her predecessor's predecessor, and her predecessor's predecessor's predecessor.”
Mrs Badenoch then opened fire on Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson, with a poll showing few teachers believes she is doing a good job.
“It turns out appointing a spiteful class warrior as Education Secretary was a disaster,” she said, to Tory cheers.
This attack clearly riled Sir Keir.
“The Education Secretary grew up in poverty,” he replied.
“Her story is an incredible story of social mobility and success.
“She knows that for poor children, education is absolutely vital, and that is why it drives every single priority and value that she has.
“I would have thought the party opposite would recognize and understand some of that, but they've fallen so low they don't,” he concluded with dignity and passion.
