Labour’s cautious shift to centrist policies no match for Tory party that thrives on spectacle and provocation

She claimed the Prime Minister's welfare bill “won’t achieve anything” even as benefit spending climbs to £100 billion, delivering a sharp attack on Starmer during PMQs in the Commons.

Mrs Badenoch went so far as to say that last night was a “humiliating U-turn" for the Labour Party and the Prime Minister’s welfare reform bill, especially after he suffered his largest Commons rebellion to date.

She charged at Rachel Reeves as well – saying she "looks absolutely miserable", adding: "The Chancellor is toast".

Reeves was seen to be in tears during PMQs, after an alleged row with the Speaker earlier. The PM, however, vaguely defended the Chancellor’s position, choosing to quip back at Badenoch instead.

Starmer has been in hot water with his own MPs as well, who refused to back his biggest overhaul of the welfare benefits system. The MPs disagreeing with the bill stormed out of parliament earlier this week, and refused to vote for a bill that they and their constituents disagreed with.

Starmer’s team has long tried to position Labour as the party of moderation, responsibility, and careful, technocratic competence. They want to be seen as steady hands—pragmatic, thoughtful, and above the chaos of headline-grabbing theatrics.

That approach might work in quieter times, when voters are focused on policy details and measured progress. But today, in the heat of PMQs, that strategy looked fragile, almost out of place.

If Labour wants to win over the public and hold their confidence, it can’t rely on dry policy announcements or promises to balance the books. People want to feel seen and heard—they want a party that inspires hope and shows genuine leadership in tough moments.

That means stepping up with more than facts: it means presence, passion, and the ability to connect on a human level. And right now, that’s exactly what Labour seems to be missing.