MPs roared with laughter in the Commons after at a Tory MP's attack on Angela Rayner backfired during a fiery Deputy Prime Minister's Questions.
Alex Burghart - a Shadow Cabinet Office minister - stepped in for Tory leader Kemi Badenoch as he faced off with the Deputy PM Ms Rayner for the first time.
The Tory attempted to criticise Labour after inflation rose to 2.3% in October. But Ms Rayner quickly pointed out that Mr Burghart was "minister for growth" under Liz Truss, who crashed the economy. Under her administration, growth flatlined and inflation soared to 11.1%. "So we're doing much better than he did," Ms Rayner shot back at him.
MPs erupted in laughter and cheers in response as Mr Burghart was left struggling to get his attacks back on track. He accused Labour of "stoking inflation" and said economists have predicted inflation will rise to 3% next year due to the government's decisions. Ms Rayner hit back: "I'll ask the right honourable gentleman, 11.1% or 3%?"
The Deputy PM is standing in for Keir Starmer as he jets back from the G20 in Brazil - a major summit that was overshadowed by Vladimir Putin's nuclear threats. Mr Burghart stands in for Ms Badenoch, who was elected a fortnight ago to lead the divided and broken Conservative Party.
The pair also clashed on the farmers' protests in Westminster yesterday amid a row over the Labour government's shake-up of inheritance tax at the Budget.
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Angela Rayner insists the government has 'not declared war on farmers'
One Tory MP asks the Deputy PM why the government has "declared war on farmers" with a shake-up of inheritance tax.
Ms Rayner replies: “This government has not declared war on farmers”
Anglea Rayner says 'the faces may change - but it's the same old Tory party'
Ending her head-to-head with shadow Tory minister Alex Burghart, the Deputy PM Angela Rayner says the "faces may change - but it's the same old Tory party".
She says every week the party jumps on a "new bandwagon" (this week it's farmers' protests over inheritance tax) but offer "no word on what they'll do differently".
The Deputy PM says they want all the benefits of the Chancellor's Budget last month but will not set out how they would pay for it.
Rayner says vast majority of farmers will be 'totally unaffected' by inheritance tax shake-up
Shadow Tory minister Alex Burghart asks the government to commit to no further hikes to inheritance tax in this Parliament after a row over farmers.
Ms Rayner says the vast majority of farmers will be "totally unaffected" and see "no change" on land passed on under the value of £1million.
Burghart describes it as "another part of the Budget unravelling" after thousands of farmers descended on Westminster on Tuesday.
Angela Rayner mocks 'minister for growth' Alex Burghart under Liz Truss
Shadow Tory minister Alex Burghart asks the Deputy PM Angela Rayner what the government is doing to bring down inflation.
Mocking him in reply, Ms Rayner says many people won't be aware he was the "minister for growth" under 49-day PM Liz Truss who tanked the economy.
It comes after official figures showed today UK inflation climbed above the Bank of England target once again.
Inflation rose to 2.3% in the 12 months to October 2024, its first increase in three months, and up from the 1.7% that was recorded in September.
The latest inflation figure is slightly worse than the 2.2% that had been expected by the majority of economists. It marks the sharpest month-on-month increase in the rate of inflation for two years.
Angela Rayner kicks off PMQs saying the UK will stand with Ukraine
Deputy PM Angela Rayner kicks off Ukraine saying the UK will stand by Kyiv for "as long as it takes" as Putin's bloody invasion passed the 1,00th day mark.
Vladimir Putin sent warning by Keir Starmer
Keir Starmer has lashed out at "irresponsible rhetoric" from Russia when asked if Brits should prepare for nuclear war.
The PM said he will not back down in the face of Vladimir Putin's threats. Speaking at a press conference at the G20 summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Mr Starmer said: "There's irresponsible rhetoric coming from Russia and that is not going to deter our support for Ukraine."
Tech minister Peter Kyle doesn't rule out ditching Elon Musk's X
A Cabinet Minister has not ruled out ditching tech billionaire Elon Musk's social media platform X, saying: "I don't know what the future holds".
The Science and Technology Secretary Peter Kyle suggested it had become less enjoyable and said he no longer scrolls through the site - formerly known as Twitter. It comes amid a flurry of MPs leaving X and joining Bluesky, an alternative platform, which now has more than 20 million users.
Inflation rises above Bank of England target again - what it means for your money
UK inflation has climbed above the Bank of England target once again, official figures released today show.
Inflation rose to 2.3% in the 12 months to October 2024, its first increase in three months, and up from the 1.7% that was recorded in September. The latest inflation figure is slightly worse than the 2.2% that had been expected by the majority of economists. It marks the sharpest month-on-month increase in the rate of inflation for two years.
Who is Alex Burghart?
New Tory leader Kemi Badenoch appointed Alex Burghart as Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster around a fortnight ago when she was elected as Rishi Sunak's successor.
The MP for Brentwood and Ongar since 2017 previously served under ex-PM Liz Truss and Mr Sunak in government until the Tories were booted out of office at the election.
The former school teacher also served as a special adviser to former PM Theresa May.
Ms Badenoch, who was crowned as Conservative leader on November 2, has not appointed a deputy to stand in for her at PMQs when Keir Starmer is out of the country.
Instead, she reportedly plans to rotate senior members of her Shadow Cabinet to go head-to-head with the Deputy PM Ms Rayner.
Angela Rayner to stand in for Keir Starmer at PMQs
Angela Rayner will today come head-to-head with one of Tory leader Kemi Badenoch's new shadow ministers at PMQs.
The Deputy PM will stand in for Keir Starmer as he jets back from the G20 summit in Brazil that was overshadowed by Vladimir Putin's nuclear threats.
Alex Burghart - a Shadow Cabinet Office minister - will also stand in for Ms Badenoch, who was elected a fornight ago to lead the divide and broken Conservative Party.
The pair are likely to clash on the farmers' protests in Westminster yesterday amid a row over the Labour government's shake-up of inheritance tax at the Budget.