Angela Rayner had a wordless rebuttal for the prime minister’s attempts to put down Labour during PMQs on Wednesday.
This week’s PMQs were especially tense as political pundits have been speculating how many Tory backbenchers actually want to remove Johnson from office.
As Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer hit out at the prime minister over the alleged No.10 parties, Johnson deflected in his reply by talking about Labour’s longevity.
Johnson said: “When the history of this pandemic comes to be written, and the history of the Labour Party comes to be written – and believe me, they are history and will remain history, Mr Speaker – it will show that we delivered while they dithered.
“And we vaccinated while they vacillated.”
At this, the camera flashed to Labour’s deputy Rayner who was slowly waving goodbye to the prime minister from the Opposition benches.
It’s worth noting that Labour are storming ahead of the Conservatives in the polls, with a new survey by Redfield and Wilton Strategies claiming the Tories at 13 points behind the Opposition at the moment.
Rayner’s slight did not go unnoticed on Twitter either.
This was one of my best highlights from #PMQs@AngelaRayner you're ahttps://t.co/ThW3p2ychU
— alison citrine #FBPE 3.5% #resist #JohnsonOut (@alison1928) January 19, 2022
It was just one of the key moments picked up by the general public from Wednesday’s PMQs.
Johnson’s reaction to a scornful speech from SNP’s Ian Blackford – where the prime minister’s response to partygate was dubbed “absolutely pathetic” – also caused a stir.
The PM was caught on camera checking his watch and bobbling his head as though hurrying the speech along as Blackford spoke.
It was a definite contrast to the remorseful Johnson seen during a Sky interview on Tuesday, proclaiming that “nobody” told him he was breaking lockdown rules by having parties.
Starmer also won over plenty of people online when he referenced the “suitcase full of wine” No.10 staff allegedly filled up in a local Co-op ahead of a Downing Street party.
Hitting out at partygate, he said: “I know it’s not going well, prime minister, but look on the bright side – at least the staff at No.10 know how to pack a suitcase.”
