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Politics

Theresa May's Sick Burn

May tried to mock the shadow education secretary for not being at PMQs, not realising she was in fact undergoing medical treatment.
Simon Childs
London, GB
Mood

There’s really nothing Theresa May can do without completely embarrassing herself.

In a PMQs dominated by the NHS crisis today, the PM wound up to take a shot at Labour’s economic competence. Last week, shadow education secretary Angela Rayner described Labour’s high-risk "shit-or-bust strategy" in an interview in the Spectator. In the Commons, May got ready to use that against her opposition. She namedropped Rayner before smugly pointing and saying, "who I see is not in her place on the front bench today…"

When it was pointed out that Rayner is herself undergoing medical treatment, May had to offer a cringing apology. "I do apologise… I didn’t realise. Mr Speaker, I didn’t realise she was herself undergoing medical treatment. I apologise unreservedly for that comment." Ouch.

Since the election, Theresa May has resembled Sideshow Bob, stepping on a rake every time she tries a reshuffle, a re-launch or a conference speech. If she keeps attempting to make jokes, look forward to living with a Prime Minister who resembles David Brent more and more every day.

@SimonChilds13