BBC Question Time audience erupts in applause after Labour MP's savage response
One Labour MP's savage reply saw the BBC Question Time audience erupt in applause as she blasted a Tory over his party's history of "misbehaving" MPs.
Lucy Powell, when confronted with criticism over Labour's recent handling of anti-Semitic comments from prospective MPs, said: "You know what Graham, I honestly won't take lectures from you.
The Shadow Leader of the House of Commons and MP for Manchester Central continued: "Because we've had many by-elections over these past few years as a result of your MPs, going around misbehaving, going around taking money and asking questions in parliament, going around exposing themselves to their staff, going around creating mayhem, Chris Pincher, pincher by name, pincher by nature ... when your party stood by those people at every stage I will not take any lectures from you on party discipline."
In response, the Tory MP present, Graham Stuart, the Minister for Energy Security and Net Zero, pointed out that the prime minister in charge was not just the one before Rishi Sunak but Boris Johnson, the one before that. He perhaps unwittingly touched upon the massive instability within the Tory party in recent years that has seen the party cycle through three leaders and crash the economy.
Labour MP Lucy Powell on Question Time this evening (BBC)Some viewers took to social media at the expense of Tory MP Graham Stuart. One wrote: "Lucy Powell shredding Graham Stuart. Rips him a new one after he’s tried to take the moral high ground with her Fiona Bruce even mentioned the Tory mayor was suspended today for antisemitism. Taxi for a busted Tory".
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Another said: "Go Lucy! Don't take any prisoners" and a third added: "go girl!". Another viewer said: "Lucy Powell on great form & getting audience applause. She’s taking no lectures from Tory rep Graham Stewart, who was flattened! #bbcqt",
The question emerged after Labour's Rochdale candidate Azhar Ali made anti-Semitic comments, leaning into horrific stereotypes as he lashed out at "people in the media from certain Jewish quarters".
Labour confirmed last night it had withdrawn it's backing for Mr Ali "following new information about further comments". It came shortly before the Daily Mail released a recording of remarks the prospective MP had made, which also accused Israel of a "land grab".
Mr Ali had been selected to stand following to death of Labour stalwart Sir Tony Lloyd. Originally, Labour stood by him after he apologised for claiming Israel let Hamas carry out the October 7 attacks as a pretext for war.
A new recording obtained by Daily Mail showed Mr Ali saying Labour MP Andy McDonald "shouldn't have been suspended" for using the phrase "from the river to the sea". He went on to tell a meeting of the Lancashire Labour Party: "The media – and some of the people in the media from certain Jewish quarters – were giving crap about what he said."
He added that Israel planned to "get rid" of Palestinians from Gaza, describing it as a "land grab". According to The Mail, he also boasted about preventing Israeli flags being flown from public buildings.
Labour leader Keir Starmer said: "I took decisive action it is a huge thing to withdraw support for a Labour candidate during the course of a by-election, it's a tough decision but a necessary decision."
In response, Ms Powell pointed out the Tory's long history of issues with its own candidates. This included, perhaps infamously Chris Pincher, the deputy chief whip for Boris Johnson who was accused of groping two men at a private members' club. Pincher tried to fight actions brought against him and the row posed difficult for Johnson, who initially denied any prior knowledge of complaints - before being forced to admit that was a lie.
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