Liz Truss mocked by Labour's Sir Keir Starmer during PMQs

During Prime Minister's Questions, the Labour leader referred to controversial comments Ms Truss made at the Conservative Political Action Conference in the United States.

Sir Keir Starmer (Image: Press Association)

South West Norfolk MP Ms Truss had said her efforts to cut taxes while in Downing Street were "sabotaged" by the "administrative state and the deep state".

Liz Truss (Image: PA)

But Sir Keir said the Tories had become the "political wing of the Flat Earth Society".

He said: "She claimed that as prime minister she was sabotaged by the deep state. She also remained silent as Tommy Robinson, that right-wing thug, was described as a hero. Why is he allowing her to stand as a Tory MP at the next election?”

Prime minister Rishi Sunak

Mr Sunak replied: "I don’t believe a single member of this House supports Tommy Robinson.

"But if he wants to talk about former leaders and predecessors, the whole country knows his record because he sat there while antisemitism ran rife in his party and, not once, but twice backed a man who called Hamas friends."

And Ms Truss hit back on X, formerly Twitter. She posted that it was "bizarre" that Sir Keir had focussed on her, rather than on "threats we face at home and abroad".

She said: "Instead of providing ideas, he wants to make the UK a hostile environment for Conservatives.

"Every attack from the intolerant left makes us more determined to stand up for our values."

Bizarre that Starmer used his PMQs on me at @CPAC, not on threats we face at home and abroad.

Instead of providing ideas, he wants to make the UK a hostile environment for conservatives.

Every attack from the intolerant left makes us more determined to stand up for our values.

— Liz Truss (@trussliz) February 28, 2024