Keir Starmer handed expiry date by top Tory after dodging sleaze probe: 'He's on the ropes!'

Georgia Pearce
Wed, 29 Apr 2026 11:35:17 +0000

Sir Keir Starmer is "on the ropes" and could be gone "within a couple of weeks", Kevin Hollinrake has claimed.

Speaking to GB News, the Conservative Party Chairman hit out at the Prime Minister after dodging a sleaze probe into his handling of the Lord Peter Mandelson scandal.

Reflecting on Tuesday's vote in Parliament, which Sir Keir won with 335 votes against the investigation, Mr Hollinrake said that the Government "used their majority to the best effect".

He told GB News: "Despite the fact 15 Labour MPs voted against the Prime Minister's position on this, the reality is he escaped the scrutiny of the Privileges Committee, which we think this matter needed to be referred to, because these are very, very serious allegations.

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"Misleading Parliament, sacking one of your top officials in the process, these people are instrumental to the good governance for this country."

Mr Hollinrake cast doubt over the Prime Minister remaining in office for the rest of Labour's reign in Parliament, declaring he is "on the ropes".

He stated: "This shows a Prime Minister that's on the ropes and his time is nearly up. We're not sure when he'll go, but he'll go. I think in the coming weeks."

The Tory Chairman was then quizzed by host Ellie Costello on what he would say to concerned Britons who are "struggling to put food on the table" and believe the vote was a "waste of Parliamentary time".

Mr Hollinrake responded: "Well, listen, I understand those issues, the cost of living is definitely the biggest issue that people have on the plate right now, and we've offered the Prime Minister the opportunity to to work with us in terms of our cheap power plan that could cut people's energy bills by 20 per cent, get drilling in the North Sea and cancel the scheduled rising fuel duty this autumn.

"But the Prime Minister keeps blanking us completely, he won't work with us on those kind of things. We believe we need a new Prime Minister, and we are just holding the Prime Minister to the same standard he yielded the other prime ministers to."

He criticised the Labour whips for blocking "Government business from going through", declaring it "complete nonsense".

He said: "The reality is, for weeks on end for the last year, we've seen day after day of Parliament that we've had one line whips, which mean there's no Government business going through.

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"To say somehow we're wasting parliamentary time on this is complete nonsense. We simply want to see a parliament, a Prime Minister that's subject to decent scrutiny.

"That's what the opposite leader of the opposition should be doing, and that's exactly what Kemi Badenoch is doing, holding this awful Prime Minister to account."

Asked for his thoughts on the possibility of Angela Rayner being offered a Cabinet role by Sir Keir, Mr Hollinrake questioned the "price" the Labour Government will pay in exchange for Ms Rayner's return.

He told GB News: "Clearly Angela Rayner was was caught in very difficult circumstances, having dodged her tax and lied about it.

"Whether Keir Starmer feels it'ss the right time to bring her back because he's in crisis, his own Government is in crisis, we'll see.

"One thing we do not want to see is the price of that, which it's been rumoured is to get rid of their Home Secretary, Shabana Mahmood.

"She's come up with some decent plans to reduce illegal migration and to extend what's called the indefinite leave to remain, which is making it more difficult for people to get permanent residents to the country when they come to the UK."

He continued: "We agree with those plans. We've offered to work with the Government on those plans on a collaborative basis in the interests of the country.

"Again, that's something that Keir Starmer has thrown back in our face. I wonder what the price of Angela Rayner coming back into the cabinet will be, and we think that'll be a price. That price is far too high and would be against the interest of the country."