Flynn’s PMQs quip sparks laughter from Sunak
RISHI Sunak was among the MPs to burst into laughter at PMQs after Stephen Flynn’s first question took aim at both the Tories and Labour.
The SNP Westminster group leader used his opening contribution to needle the Prime Minister about reported backbench plans to replace him, as well as Labour Party frontbenchers after several of them sang the praises of Margaret Thatcher.
Flynn asked Sunak: “With his backbenchers looking for a unity candidate to replace him, which of the now numerous, born-again Thacherites on the Labour frontbench does he believe best fits the bill?”
Responding, Sunak said it had been “surprising” to hear talk from Labour MPs including shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves about the UK in the 1970s.
However, Flynn insisted there was a “serious point to be made”.
He said: “The IFS [Institute for Fiscal Studies] have warned of the ‘conspiracy of silence’ which exists between the Labour Party and the Conservative Party when it comes to £18 billion of looming public sector cuts.
“Just last night the [the IFS] actually outlined that the fiscal rules of the Labour Party and the Conservative Party are ‘in effect, identical’.
“So with such continuity on offer, the public are right to be anti-Westminster, aren’t they?”
Responding, Sunak said he was “surprised to hear him quoting the IFS,” pointing out that the think tank had also described the Scottish Government Budget as “misleading”.
The IFS had said the Scottish Government’s Budget did not increase health spending year-onyear as was claimed, when in-year top-ups were included.