Sir Keir Starmer clashed with Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch in the House of Commons on February 5, 2025.
The Prime Minister criticized Badenoch’s lack of interest in national security and accused her of being “unfit to be prime minister.”
The row erupted over Starmer’s handling of the UK’s decision to cede the Chagos Islands to Mauritius.
Starmer defended his approach, asserting that the issue was crucial to national security, especially concerning the US-UK military base on Diego Garcia.
He suggested Badenoch had not requested a national security briefing on the matter, accusing her of being more focused on party politics.
Badenoch, however, strongly disagreed.
She called Starmer’s actions an “immoral surrender” and questioned how anyone could believe the Prime Minister was defending the UK’s interests.
She argued that Starmer was “bending the knee to anyone who asks him.”
The Prime Minister responded, stating that if Badenoch were properly briefed on the national security implications of the Chagos Islands issue, she would understand the need for legal certainty regarding the military base.
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Starmer said that if she wasn’t briefed, it meant she wasn’t doing her job and wasn’t fit for office.
Badenoch also turned the spotlight on Starmer’s stance on North Sea oil and gas. She accused Starmer of failing to approve new oil and gas fields to safeguard jobs and energy security.
The Prime Minister defended the government’s position on oil and gas, emphasizing the transition to renewable energy while maintaining energy security and economic stability.
The exchange heated up when Badenoch accused the government of wasting resources on the GB Energy project, while critical jobs in the oil and gas industry hung in the balance.
She argued that Starmer’s leadership was creating economic decline, while he continued to “freeze pensioners” and “shovel money to Mauritius.”
Starmer defended GB Energy, insisting it would help drive the UK’s transition to renewable energy, creating numerous jobs in the process.
Badenoch continued to press Starmer, demanding he take action on oil field licenses to protect British jobs and reduce energy bills.
Starmer shot back, suggesting the Tories had no policies beyond cutting pensions.
