Dominic Raab hit back at Angela Rayner over her previous Tory “scum” jibe moments after Prime Minister’s Questions opened.
Sir Keir Starmer’s deputy referred to the Government’s anti-social behaviour crackdown and bullying allegations against the deputy Prime Minister, which he denies, in her first question during the midday Commons session.
But Mr Raab sparked huge cheers from the Tory benches when he reminded Ms Rayner of the row sparked by her description of the Conservatives as “scum” at Labour’s conference in September 2021.
Ms Rayner said: “This week the Government announced their so-called anti-social behaviour policy.
“It’s only taken 13 years and look I’ll give him some credit the deputy Prime Minister knows first-hand the misery caused by thugs and their intimidating behaviour.
“Working with menace, exploding with fits of rage, creating a culture of fear and maybe even throwing things.
“So can I ask him, under his new anti-social behaviour does he think more bullies will be brought to justice?”
Mr Raab replied: “I can reassure the House I’ve never called anyone scum.”
After huge cheers erupted on the Tory benches, he continued: “But if the Right Honorable Lady is serious about standing up for communities and people who suffer the scourge of anti-social behaviour, she’d back our plan to deal more swiftly with these issues to make sure we ban drugs beyond the convention ones, give police the powers they need.
“And if they really want to protect the public they will back our plans for parole reform to make sure the murderers, the terrorists, the child killers are not allowed out free for them to threaten other people and reintroduce the ministerial veto that side took away.”
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