A lot can happen during Prime Minister’s Questions (PMQs).
The half-hour weekly session in the House of Commons is a key opportunity for MPs to grill the prime minister on the government’s actions and policies.
Over the years, PMQs has involved everything from name-calling to politicians defecting to the opposition. This week, all eyes were on an emotional chancellor, who appeared to be in tears next to the prime minister.
Here, we look back at other memorable moments that have happened during PMQs.
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‘In the name of God, go’
On 20 January 2022, PMQs opened with Christian Wakeford, MP for Bury South, defecting to the Labour Party.
It was the first blow of an extraordinary session that also saw former Conservative cabinet minister David Davis telling then prime minister Boris Johnson to step down after it emerged he attended a Downing Street party during the COVID lockdown, which became known as partygate.
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“I expect my leaders to shoulder the responsibility for the actions they take,” Mr Davis began to tell the Commons.
He then added: “So I’ll remind him [Johnson] of a quotation altogether too familiar to him of Leo Amery to Neville Chamberlain: ‘You have sat there for too long, for all the good you have done. In the name of God, go.'”
Mr Johnson resigned as prime minister in September 2022, following a mass revolt by ministers over his leadership, sparked by scandals including partygate.
‘My mother would say do up your tie’
During a 2016 session when David Cameron was prime minister, the former Tory leader jibed at then leader of the opposition Jeremy Corbyn’s dress sense, telling him to “put on a proper suit” and “do up your tie”.
At the time, Lord Cameron said his comments were in response to being heckled about his mother by a Labour MP.
“Ask my mother? I think I know what my mother would say. I think she would look across the despatch box and she would say ‘Put on a proper suit, do up your tie and sing the national anthem’,” Lord Cameron said.
Theresa May’s out-of-control laughter
Theresa May throwing her head back and laughing after being challenged by Jeremy Corbyn went viral on social media in March 2017.
The altercation started after Mr Corbyn suggested the government had cut a “special deal” with Surrey County Council over council tax, but the politics of the day played second fiddle to the former leader’s cackle.
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‘I lead my party, he follows his’
In 1995 – as opposition leader – Tony Blair used PMQs to accuse the Conservative prime minister John Major of weak leadership, tapping into party divisions emerging at the time.
Responding to a jibe by Mr Major over disagreements between Labour MPs, Mr Blair quickly responded: “There’s one very big difference. Oh no, there’s one very big difference. I lead my party. He follows his.”
Brown claims to have ‘saved the world’
Gaffes are easily made during PMQs, and in 2008 Gordon Brown made one that was met with loud jeers and shouts from Tory MPs on the opposition.
Instead of saying ministers in his government had “saved the banks and led the world”, he claimed the Labour Party had “saved the world”.
‘Calm down dear’
In 2011 former prime minister David Cameron was forced to apologise after telling Labour MP Angela Eagle to “calm down, dear” after she interrupted him during PMQs.
The phrase was taken from a 2003 car insurance advert which starred British filmmaker and writer Michael Winner, but it garnered criticism from opposition Labour MPs when it was used in the House of Commons.
Lord Cameron later told The Sunday Times: “If I offended anyone, I am hugely sorry. That is not what I wanted to do. It was a light-hearted reference.”
The sneaky ‘dab’
PMQs is not the first place where you would expect dancing, but in February 2017, former Labour deputy leader Tom Watson was caught “dabbing” after Jeremy Corbyn blasted Theresa May over the state of the NHS.
Mr Watson lifted his arm and performed the move behind the leader of the opposition before folding his arms and turning to his fellow frontbenchers.
The viral dance move, which originated in the US, exploded in popularity after being used by celebrities and sports stars to celebrate their achievements, but no one expected it in the House of Commons.
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‘Pinocchio prime minister’
In April 2022, SNP MP Richard Thomson labelled Boris Johnson a “Pinocchio prime minister” during PMQs.
The comments were made as Mr Thomson called for the former prime minister to “pack his bags and go” over the COVID partygate scandal.
He was later told by Speaker of the House Sir Lindsey Hoyle to withdraw his use of “Pinocchio”, which was met by cheers and groans from the chamber.
