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BORIS JOHNSON’S debut Prime Minister’s questions (PMQs) moved between farce and attrition yesterday as he resorted to childish jibes while also being labelled “racist.”
The PM was called on by Labour MP Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi to apologise for his infamous Telegraph column from 2018, which described women who wear the burqa as looking like “letterboxes” and “bank robbers.”
MPs gave a rare round of applause in the chamber as Mr Dhesi said: “For those of us who from a young age have had to endure and face up to being called ‘towel head’ or ‘Taliban’ or coming from ‘bongo-bongo land,’ we can appreciate full well the hurt and pain felt by already vulnerable Muslim women when they are described as looking like ‘bank robbers’ and ‘letterboxes’.”
Mr Johnson responded by claiming that his column had been a “strong, liberal defence … of everybody’s right to wear whatever they want in this country.”
Meanwhile, he was called out by Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn for being “absolutely desperate to avoid scrutiny” over Brexit.
This came after Mr Johnson sacked 21 Tory MPs — including former chancellor Philip Hammond and Father of the House Ken Clarke — for voting on a motion that allowed the Commons last night to debate blocking a no-deal Brexit.
As the Star went to press, the government had lost a first vote on the no-deal Bill by a majority of 29. Former Tory Party chairman Caroline Spelman rebelled against the government in that vote after backing it the day before.
MPs then proceeded to subsequent votes on amendments to the Bill.
During PMQs earlier yesterday, Mr Corbyn took Mr Johnson to task over his decision to prorogue Parliament.
In response, the PM threw up his arms and appeared to say: “Call an election, you great big girl’s blouse.”
He also labelled Mr Corbyn a “chlorinated chicken” — the chemically treated meat that could be sold to Britain under a US trade deal — for backing what he called a “surrender Bill” blocking a no-deal Brexit.
Mr Johnson also claimed Labour’s economic policy was “shit” and “bust.”
None of his insults were deemed unparliamentary by Commons Speaker John Bercow, though he pulled up the PM for referring to Mr Corbyn by name.
During the Spending Review debate, which followed PMQs, shadow chancellor John McDonnell aimed a stinging jibe at Mr Johnson over a well-publicised argument at the flat he shared with partner Carrie Symonds.
As he responded to Chancellor Sajid Javid’s statement, Mr McDonnell said: “Mr Speaker I believe the honourable member for Uxbridge [Mr Johnson] is shouting at me.
“Last time he was shouting at someone, they had to call the police.”
