Jabba the Hutt and People-Traffickers: Party Leaders Trade Insults at PMQs

British MPs are used to the rough-and-tumble of Parliamentary debate, especially at the weekly Prime Minister's Questions. But in recent years the level of debate between PM Boris Johnson and opposition leaders has reached the level of the school playground.

PM Boris Johnson and opposition leader Sir Keir Starmer have traded insults at in the House of Commons.

Starmer kicked off the weekly battle of wits at Prime Minister's Questions (PMQs) on Wednesday lunchtime by comparing Johnson to obese Star Wars villain Jabba the Hutt.

Boris Johnson "hasn't lifted a finger" to try and deal with rail strikes, says Keir Starmer

On the economy “he thinks he’s Obi-Wan Kenobi, the truth is he’s Jabba the Hut”

The PM says the Labour leader is “running the country down”

#PMQs https://t.co/G9JNU8HV3l pic.twitter.com/z2YPNuRLSA

— BBC Politics (@BBCPolitics) June 15, 2022

The PM hit back in his reply to a one of Starmer's follow-up questions, accusing his Labour Party of taking the side of human traffickers in the ongoing row over the government's policy of settling illegal immigrants who claim asylum in the African nation of Rwanda.

"They are on the side of the people traffickers," Johnson charged. "We are on the side of the people who come here safely & legally."

Prime Minister Boris Johnson says the Labour Party is on the side of 'people traffickers' #PMQs pic.twitter.com/PLKom7X8ae

— LBC (@LBC) June 15, 2022

Johnson was accused of "fat-shaming" in January for his off-the-cuff jibe in response to an attack by portly Scottish National Party (SNP) Westminster leader Ian Blackford over the 'Cakegate' affair.

"I don't know who's been eating more cake!"

Boris Johnson has been accused of "fat shaming" Ian Blackford at PMQs.#PMQs pic.twitter.com/9LpELHFeks

— TalkTV (@TalkTV) January 26, 2022