While Badenoch retreated to her PMQs script, the real opposition leader was at a Washington hearing on free speech

Mrs Badenoch urged Sir Keir Starmer to show 'backbone' and sack his deputy at the start of Prime Minister's Questions. But she used the rest of her questions on the economy.

Leader of the Opposition made a fleeting reference to Deputy PM’s tax evasion but failed to dig in – like everyone else at PMQs

While Badenoch retreated to her PMQs script, the real opposition leader was at a Washington hearing on free speech

Mrs Badenoch urged Sir Keir Starmer to show 'backbone' and sack his deputy at the start of the exchanges, but used the rest of her questions to tackle the PM over the economy.

Northerner whose emotional openness was an electoral asset eventually had to follow advice she had given to Tory rivals and quit