Labour leader branded the Prime Minister as ‘too weak to lead’ and should consider his position during the Christmas break

The Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer told MPs during Prime Minister Questions (PMQs) that Boris Johnson is “too weak to lead” and should consider his position during the Christmas break.

Sir Keir pressed Johnson if he has the trust and authority to “lead Britain through the crisis” and if the public will follow his new restrictions.

Backbenchers roared and Johnson tried to claim that he “won” with “Conservative votes,” but is was Labour who helped get the votes in for the new restrictions as 100 Tories rebelled over Covid passes.

The Prime Minister’s new measures would have been defeated had Labour not backed the vote.

Sir Keir told the Commons, “The British public are looking for a Prime Minister with the trust and the authority to lead Britain through the crisis. Instead we’re burdened with the worst possible Prime Minister at the worst possible time.

“The Prime Minister is so weak that without Labour votes last night, vital public health measures wouldn’t have got through.”

Johnson said, “it’s not true,” however the Labour leader added, “He’s so socially distanced from the truth, he thinks that’s not true. I don’t know where to start.

“We can’t go on with a Prime Minister who is too weak to lead. So will the Prime Minister take time this Christmas to look in the mirror and ask himself whether he has the trust and authority to lead this country?”

Johnson told MPs, “We won that vote last night with Conservative votes.

“I respect the feelings, the anxieties colleagues have – of course I do – and legitimate anxieties that colleagues have about restrictions on their liberty and the liberty of people.

“But I believe the approach we’re taking is balanced and proportionate and right for this country.”

The Prime Minister defended his decisions he has taken and said, “They vacillate, we vaccinate. They jabber, we jab. They play party politics and we get on with the job.”

Sir Keir said, “Can I ask the Prime Minister to get his house in order so he can say the same about the members behind him?”

Johnson blasted, “Yes. If further measures are needed, as the House will understand, if further regulation is needed of course this House will have a further say.

“As for following his leadership, they wibble-wobbled over Plan B, they wibble-wobbled over quarantine, and if we listened to him, we wouldn’t have even had the vaccine rollout.”