The Prime Minister has been “mugged by reality”, a Conservative frontbencher has said, as he claimed Labour is becoming more similar to the Conservative Party every day.
Shadow Commons leader Jesse Norman detailed Labour’s record since it came to power last year, from settling pay disputes to having to increase defence spending in response to the changing policy by the United States on Ukraine.
Addressing Cabinet minister Lucy Powell at the despatch box during Business Questions he paraphrased writer Irving Kristol, who said a “conservative is a socialist who’s been mugged by reality,” with Mr Norman giving Sir Keir Starmer as an example.
Leader of the House of Commons Ms Powell said his speech was “another diatribe that took us through various myths and misinformation”.
Mr Norman said: “The Government’s brand of socialism started well from its point of view, if disastrously for the country. We had the union payoffs, the rapid settlement of pay disputes in the public sector for zero apparent efficiency benefits and a heavily tax and spend budget.
“The Chancellor was even so bold as to announce to the CBI (Confederation of British Industry) that she would not be raising taxes or increasing debt over the course of the Government.”
Mr Norman added: “Next week we will have hasty and almost certainly ill thought through cuts to welfare.
“Labour were red under Jeremy Corbyn. They became a gentle cerise for voters at the time of the general election. Now the reality is setting in, they are a pleasing shade of purple, with more and more patches of blue.
“The Prime Minister and the Government are becoming more Conservative by the day.”
He then criticised Labour over its rural stance, and policies on farming.
“The Labour message is clear, don’t be a farmer, don’t feed the country, don’t give us food security, don’t work every hour god sends, whatever the weather. We don’t care,” he said.
In response, Ms Powell said: “He will know that this Government had to take some very difficult decisions when we were coming in to deal with an economy that no government wants to deal with, high debt and rising, stagnant growth, low productivity, low wages and public services on their knees.”
Ms Powell rejected his criticism of the increase in employers’ national insurance contributions, as he was in the Treasury under the previous Conservative government when it raised the tax for workers and employers.
On farming she said the Government had increased the farming budget to £5 billion over two years. “This Government absolutely backs British farmers,” she said.
Lucy Powell said Mr Norman’s speech was ‘another diatribe that took us through various myths and misinformation’ (PA/Lucy North)
Ms Powell said Tuesday marked 100 sitting days in Parliament since the election, and 10 bills had been passed by MPs in that time. She said ministers had also made 115 statements to the House.
“What a contrast to the last Conservative government, they had to be dragged here to make a statement,” she said.
“Their last King’s speech was threadbare. The pinnacle of their ambition was to ban pedicabs in London, and they’re not doing much better now are they?
“Hardly any of them turning up in debates, they’re barely here for PMQs, I don’t really blame them, because they were a zombie government, and isn’t it the truth, they’re a zombie opposition now.”
Ms Powell outlined parliamentary business for the next fortnight.
MPs will debate the remaining stages of the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill’s remaining stages on Monday March 17 and Tuesday 18, followed by Lords amendments to the National Insurance Contributions (Secondary Class 1 Contributions) Bill on Wednesday 19, with general debates on coastal communities and knife crime among children and young people on Thursday 20.
On March 24 the Planning and Infrastructure Bill will come to the Commons, March 25 will hear a debate on Lords amendments to the Great British Energy Bill, followed by the Terrorism (Protection of Businesses) Bill, and the motion to approve the draft National Minimum Wage (Amendment) regulations.
The Chancellor Rachel Reeves will give her spring statement on March 26, which will be followed by the remaining stages of the Tobacco and Vapes Bill. On March 27 there will be general debates on St Patrick’s Day and Northern Irish affairs, as well as one on the 10th anniversary of the Modern Slavery Act 2015.
Private members’ bills will be discussed on March 28.