Kevin Hollinrake has joined in on Kemi Badenoch’s brutal barb against Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson at PMQs, which earned the Tory leader a telling off from Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle.
Speaking to GB News, the Conservative Party Chairman agreed that Labour education reforms were “spiteful” and “class warfare”.
In stinging attacks yesterday, Mrs Badenoch branded Ms Phillipson a “spiteful class warrior” over policies such as gutting exemptions from independent schools.
Her remarks prompted Sir Lindsay to advise parliamentarians to maintain respect for each other and not to encourage abuse of MPs outside the chamber.
“Kemi tells it like it is,” Mr Hollinrake began when questioned on the fallout.
“She and I and many other people see what Bridget Phillipson has done in terms of basically that assault on independent education.
“This has led to the closure of 100 schools and 30,000 children moving from the independent sector into the state sector.
“Zero per cent of school teachers think Bridget Phillipson is doing a good job,” the top Tory added.
Kevin Hollinrake has backed Kemi Badenoch’s attacks on Bridget Phillipson at PMQs
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GB NEWS
Addressing Mrs Badenoch’s comments directly, Mr Hollinrake confirmed: “I agree with her language.
“I think it is class warfare. I think it is spiteful.
“There are other policies that come from this Labour government that have also been spiteful, and class warfare.”
He listed the “family farm tax and the family business tax” as examples of this apparent motivation.
The Tory leader branded Ms Phillipson a ‘spiteful class warrior’ over her polices as Education Secretary
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GB NEWS
“Kemi will always tell it like it is,” Mr Hollinrake reaffirmed.
Despite his and Mrs Badenoch’s remarks, the top Tory told GB News that their party would still be willing to work with Labour in the national interest.
Mr Hollinrake confirmed that the Conservatives would support Andy Burnham, should he succeed Sir Keir Starmer as Prime Minister, on key issues.
“We’re willing to work with Andy Burnham to do what needs to be done, reforming welfare and cutting the cost of doing government.
Mrs Badenoch’s barbs prompted an intervnetion from Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle
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GB NEWS
“Crucially, making sure that the Defence Investment Plan and our defence readiness are prioritised. That’s what we’re willing to do.
“We want the country to succeed. It would be the right thing to do for the country.”
Sir Lindsay Hoyle’s dressing down of Mrs Badenoch over the PMQs row prompted a furious reaction from GB News’s Tom Harwood, who ranted about the intervention live on air.