Starmer's ‘farcical’ PMQs as Rayner starts leadership race
The Daily T
The Telegraph
4.1 • 705 Ratings
🗓️ 18 March 2026
⏱️ 56 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Is it really a Prime Minister’s Questions if the Prime Minister refuses to answer any questions? That was the frustration in the Commons this lunchtime, with Kemi Badenoch attempting to pin Sir Keir Starmer down on Peter Mandelson's appointment, but to no avail.
Camilla and Tim assess a fractious and chaotic PMQs.
Elsewhere, they speak to Sir Geoffrey Cox, the Conservative MP and former attorney general, after a barnstorming parliamentary speech in which he excoriated David Lammy’s plans to limit trials by jury – a feature of our justice system which Sir Geoffrey tells The Daily T is “intrinsic to the English character”.
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | The Telegraph. |
| 0:05.0 | Is it still Prime Minister's questions if the Prime Minister refuses to answer any questions? |
| 0:16.0 | We unpack a rowdy and sometimes chaotic PMQs where |
| 0:20.0 | Kemi Badenock went on the attack about |
| 0:22.3 | Peter Mandelson at the same time as Angela Rainer is on manoeuvres. |
| 0:26.7 | And David Lammy wants to scrap jury trials. We speak to Geoffrey Cox, the barrister and MP |
| 0:32.3 | who set the Commons alight with a barnstorming speech defending British liberties. |
| 0:37.9 | Welcome to The Daily Tea with me, Camilla Tomini. |
| 0:40.1 | And me, Tim Stanley. |
| 0:41.4 | Tim, you've had an Angela Rainer-style glow up. |
| 0:55.0 | What's gone on here? |
| 0:57.6 | For those who are only listening to the Daily Tea today, |
| 1:02.7 | Tim has had a haircut, and it's taken 10 years off you, if I may say. |
| 1:04.6 | It always does, and tomorrow I plan on shaving. |
| 1:06.0 | That'll be a further five years. |
| 1:07.5 | It'll be like I'm here with an adolescent. |
| 1:11.3 | As we discussed the very... People were worried because my hair was getting bigger and my stubble was getting longer. |
| 1:15.3 | And I think people thought I might be living in my car again. |
| 1:18.5 | I love how you've caveated that with again. |
| 1:21.0 | Let's not go back to those dark days, Tim. |
| 1:23.6 | Is that back when you were a socialist? |
| 1:25.5 | Things weren't working out for you. |
... |
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