Kemi Badenoch blasts Keir Starmer as a 'COWARD' in furious PMQs clash

Starmer was quick to criticise the Tory leader and fired back that the party opposite "left a £22billion black hole" and Labour "took the right decisions to fill it."

During the tense clash, Badenoch fumed: "He loves talking about Liz Truss.

"Why? Because he wants to hide from his own economic record. He's a coward.

"He's a coward every time he stands up there and talks about Liz Truss. It's because he is scared about talking about his record and what is happening to the economy out there."

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She then went on to criticise the governments recent U-turn on one of its first major policies announced earlier this week.

On Monday, Chancellor Rachel Reeves confirmed that more people would qualify for the Winter Fuel allowance this winter.

Badenoch said: "One minute they said it was right to take the Winter Fuel Payment away, but there might be a run on the pound.

"The next minute they said it was right to give it back. This is laughable. He stands there or puffed up and self-righteous. Why can't the Prime Minister just admit that he made a mistake?"

The Prime Minister furiously responded: "They left a £22billion black hole that we had to fill, and that's why we took the right decisions.

"We've stabilised the economy, that's why we've seen four interest rate cuts.

He added: "Three weeks ago I said I wanted more pensioners to be eligible for winter fuel. I'm really pleased we set out the threshold of the certainty that is needed.

"She says, I don't want to talk about my record. What about free trade deals, record investment, free school meals, breakfast clubs, social and affordable housing?

"We could go on all morning but the Chancellor is going to set even more in a minute.

"Mr. Speaker, I think she at the weekend said that she said that she would be getting better in the role.

"She could start with apologising for the Liz Truss budget. That would be better."