‘More positions in 14 years than Kama Sutra’: Starmer ridicules Tory record; MPs erupt — watch

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer sparked laughter and uproar in the Commons on Wednesday after delivering a withering rebuke of the Conservatives during Prime Minister’s Questions, telling MPs they had “more positions in 14 years than the Kama Sutra”.The remark came as Starmer defended his government against accusations of repeated U-turns, following Labour’s decision to drop plans to make a digital ID card mandatory for working in Britain. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch seized on the reversal, branding the proposal a “rubbish policy” and accusing the Prime Minister of inconsistency.

Starmer responded by turning the charge back on the Tories, listing what he called their record of chaos in government.

“Five prime ministers, six chancellors, eight home secretaries, 16 housing ministers,” he told the Commons. “They had more positions in 14 years than the Kama Sutra. No wonder they’re knackered. And they left the country screwed.”The jibe left MPs on both sides of the House audibly reacting, briefly cutting through an otherwise combative session dominated by rows over policy reversals.At the centre of the clash was Labour’s climbdown on digital ID.

Ministers had proposed introducing a free digital ID to prove the right to work, as part of efforts to curb illegal migration. However, following public backlash and political opposition, officials confirmed the ID would no longer be mandatory for employment.Despite the shift, Starmer insisted the government had not softened its stance. “I’m determined to make it harder for people to work illegally in this country,” he said.

“There will be checks. They will be digital, and they will be mandatory.”Chancellor Rachel Reeves echoed that position, saying the right to work would still depend on digital verification, whether through an e-passport, e-visa or another approved format. “We’re pretty relaxed about what form that takes,” she said.Critics, including Reform UK leader Nigel Farage, claimed the reversal was a victory for individual liberty, with Farage calling the original plan “authoritarian” and vowing to scrap digital ID entirely if his party wins power.Badenoch broadened her attack by pointing to other Labour reversals, including changes to inheritance tax on farmland and welfare policies. Starmer, however, defended his government’s direction, arguing the economy was “turning a corner” and dismissing Conservative attacks as lacking credibility.