Keir Starmer claims Boris Johnson is 'delusional' after he defends record as Prime Minister

Keir Starmer claimed that the “delusion is never ending” after Boris Johnson defended his record as Prime Minister.

The outgoing Conservative Party leader addressed the House of Commons in what could be his final speech to Parliament as he opened a debate on a confidence motion in his government on Monday.

Johnson has been urged to leave No 10 immediately, despite plans to stay in office until September when a new leader is named.

MP’s supported a confidence motion in Boris Johnson’s Government by 349 votes to 238.

In opening the debate, the Prime Minister said that he had “no idea” why Starmer had “insisted” on a confidence motion.

Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle intervened on Johnson to inform him that it was his own Government that had submitted the motion.

Defending his time in office, Johnson hailed his party’s 2019 electoral success as well as his record on Brexit.

And he also pointed to his Government’s efforts in responding to the coronavirus pandemic.

“This Government has fought some of the hardest yards in modern political history, we’ve had to take some of the bleakest decisions since the war and I believe we got the big calls right,” Johnson told MPs.

“And at the end of three years this country is visibly using its new-found independence to turbocharge our natural advantages as the best place in the world not just to live and to invest, but to bring up a family.

“And with a new and incontrovertible spirit of global leadership, I believe we can look to the future with a rock-solid confidence not just in what this Government has done, but in what it will do and will continue to do.”

Responding to Johnson’s remarks, Labour leader Starmer said that every year the Conservatives seek to “switch out a failed prime minister”.

“The delusion is never ending. What a relief for the country that they finally got round to sacking him,” he said.

“And in many ways the chaos of the last fortnight is familiar. The third Tory leadership contest in six years.

“The latest bumper summer for graphic designers and brand managers. The latest parade of pretenders promising unfunded tax cuts.

“The latest set of ministerial jobs handed out on a wink and a shake in return for a nomination. And TV debates so embarrassing that even the contestants are pulling out.

“Every other year they switch out a failed prime minister.”

Starmer also took aim at those Conservative MPs who have supported the Prime Minister.

“Members opposite need to face up to what they have done, what they have put this country through,” said Starmer.

“Despite knowing exactly who he is, despite knowing that he always puts himself before anyone else, despite knowing that he had been fired from job after job for lying, they elected him to lead their party.

“He behaved exactly as everyone feared when he got into Downing Street. He lurched from one scandal to the next, he demeaned his office and he started to drag everyone and everything down with him.”