‘When a Knight won his spurs in the stories of old, he was gentle and brave, he was gallant and bold.’ I wonder if Sir Keir Starmer ever sang the old hymn, podgy hands on crossed-legged knee when at primary school in the Stakhanovite front-lines of 1970s Surrey? Presumably not, given how ill-suited the epithets therein are to his demeanour. If there had been any doubt as to the nature of Sir Keir’s real character, today’s Prime Minister’s Questions laid them to rest.

The PM droned on about how pleased and proud he was of Labour’s record on women MPs. Next to him, the Chancellor looked sadly at her feet

It was always going to be a tricky session after yesterday’s Welfare Bill Apocalypse. Observing the government’s attempted handling of the rebellion has been like watching a fire at a circus. Stakes were also high for Mrs Badenoch; this was less an open goal and more a yawning chasm. She was being asked to take aim at a veritable Grand Canyon of incompetence.

It was a pleasure to see the Leader of the Opposition take up........

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