Prime Minister Burnham and Kemi Badenoch Clash During PMQs
Prime Minister Burnham defended government energy policies and Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband during a heated parliamentary session with Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch.
During Prime Minister's Questions on November 11, 2026, Prime Minister Burnham and Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch clashed over energy policy, social care, and the economy. Badenoch criticized the government's North Sea legislation and mocked the Prime Minister for hiring the Boston Consulting Group to help draft his 10-year plan for Britain.
Badenoch specifically targeted Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband, questioning his judgment due to a 2015 interview with Russell Brand, who was recently imprisoned for rape and sexual assaults. Miliband expressed regret for the appearance, stating he was unaware of the allegations at the time. Downing Street and Deputy Labour Leader Lucy Powell defended Miliband, citing the different media landscape of 2015.
Prime Minister Burnham also expressed support for a Liberal Democrat bill to add black English and Asian English as census options to combat poisonous politics. In other government business, he declined calls from Jeremy Corbyn for an inquiry into the United Kingdom's role in the Gaza conflict.
Simultaneously, Reform UK faced internal turmoil following the departure of general secretary Tom Waterhouse. This exit coincided with the charging of the party's Hampshire county council leader, George Madgwick, with 12 counts of rape and one count of distributing indecent images of a child. In Wales, Reform UK members of the Senedd boycotted a session to protest a speaking ban on member Joe Martin.
