Criticism from Tory MPs used to attack Boris Johnson on floods during PMQs

Jeremy Corbyn used the words of two Yorkshire Tory MPs to hammer Boris Johnson over his response to flooding during Prime Minister's Questions.
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Shipley MP Philip Davies and Calder Valley MP Craig Whittaker have both been critical of the Government's response to flooding in Yorkshire in recent weeks.

And Mr Corbyn told Mr Johnson he was a "part-time Prime Minister" for his "silent" response.

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He asked whether Mr Johnson agreed with Mr Davies who said the Government has done “precious little” to stop the floods happening again since 2015.

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn (front) speaks during Prime Minister's Questions in the House of Commons. Photo: House of Commons/PA WireLabour leader Jeremy Corbyn (front) speaks during Prime Minister's Questions in the House of Commons. Photo: House of Commons/PA Wire
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn (front) speaks during Prime Minister's Questions in the House of Commons. Photo: House of Commons/PA Wire

And he added: "The MP for Calder Valley (Craig Whittaker), another of his colleagues, said it's not good enough.

"How can the country trust a prime minister, a part-time prime minister, last night schmoozing Tory party donors at a very expensive black-tie ball instead of getting out there and supporting the people who are suffering because of the floods?

"This Government needs to step up to the plate and invest in defences and ensure there's real insurance for people whose homes are being ruined by these floods as we speak."

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However the PM defended the Government's investment in flood defences and insisted he was "proud" of the response following recent storms.

"We convened the National Flood Response Centre on the 14th and since the flooding began there has been a constant stream of ministerial activity led by my right honourable friends the... Secretary of State for the Environment, the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government.

"And never forget that in spite of the flooding, and no-one should underestimate the anguish that flooding causes and of course it's an absolute shock to the households that are affected, but it is thanks to the measures that this Government has put in that 200,000 households have been protected from flooding.

"And we don't hear that from (Mr Corbyn)."

Mr Johnson was repeatedly heckled by Labour MPs over his no-show in flood-hit communities, with shouts of "there he is" heard when he stood up at the despatch box.

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Mr Corbyn questioned if the PM was "pretending to care" as there are "no votes on the line" at the moment before warning the Government is investing fewer than half the £5.6 billion required to improve flood defences.

He also raised concerns about 20,000 properties which are not protected by the Government's insurance scheme nor flood defences, to which Mr Johnson insisted his administration has spent recent weeks looking at "what we can do to protect households that do not have proper insurance".

Mr Johnson said the Government has been "investing massively in flood defences" and compensating those who have suffered from flooding, before listing other policies.

He then accused Labour MPs of "jabbering away", adding: "The hottest topic of debate in the Labour Party is what job should (Mr Corbyn) have in the shadow cabinet after the leadership election.

"They are engaging themselves in narcissistic debate about the Labour Party. We are getting on in delivering the people's priorities."