Chancellor Rachel Reeves sat at Sir Keir Starmer’s side, visibly moved, as the prime minister took part in his final Prime Minister’s Questions. Labour MP Carolyn Harris, too, was overcome with emotion, telling colleagues that ‘every day we see his decency and his courage shine through.’
Sir Keir is set to hand over to Andy Burnham on Monday, after Burnham is formally confirmed as Labour leader at a special conference on Friday. While the session had the light touch often reserved for a departing prime minister, it included tributes, jokes and an unusually gentle tone across the House.
Opposition voices were mostly respectful. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch declined to launch a broad attack on Starmer’s record, instead praising his work on Ukraine and his personal friendship with President Volodymyr Zelensky. She did, however, take aim at some Labour figures and at the incoming leader, who was absent from the session as he has been since returning to Parliament last month. Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey described Starmer as a ‘true patriot’ and highlighted his willingness to work across the Commons.
Guests who had met the prime minister during his time in Downing Street watched from the gallery. Addressing them directly, Sir Keir said those whose lives had been changed or improved by government action — and those who feel unheard — were the reason he entered politics. His arrival in the chamber was met with cheers from Labour benches, even though he was forced out by his own MPs just two years after a landslide election victory.
The session opened on a sombre note with a tribute to former MP Ann Widdecombe. Sir Keir called it ‘chilling’ that during his time in Parliament three serving or former MPs have been killed; Badenoch paid tribute to Widdecombe as a person of principle with a sharp sense of humour.
Eight hours before England’s World Cup semi-final with Argentina, football featured heavily in the chamber. Conservative MP Graham Stuart quipped that Starmer had been shown a ‘red card’ by ‘400 dodgy referees.’ Liberal Democrat Will Forster asked whether the prime minister’s last act would be to declare a bank holiday if England won. Starmer smiled and said he did not want to ‘tempt fate’ and suggested Forster ask him again after the match.
There were also repeated references to the by-election in Clacton, triggered by the resignation of Reform UK leader Nigel Farage. With the main parties boycotting what they called a stunt, the ballot is dominated by independents and novelty candidates. Sir Keir jokingly urged voters to ‘put your vote in the bin,’ prompting Lib Dem leader Sir Ed to say he could not back ‘joke figures with ridiculous policies’ and to declare his support for Count Binface. Reform MP Danny Kruger defended the field, arguing a comedian in a dustbin could be a suitable alternative to mainstream parties.
In private farewells, Cabinet ministers contributed to a leaving gift organised by deputy prime minister David Lammy: a vintage silver carriage clock from the 1920s, made by the firm that built Big Ben. Presented at Sir Keir’s final cabinet meeting, the clock bears a plaque reading, ‘Change promised, change fought for, change delivered. Thank you Keir – The Cabinet.’