Starmer and Rayner labelled 'Phil and Holly of politics' at PMQs

Labour leader Keir Starmer and his deputy Angela Rayner have been labelled the "Phil and Holly of British politics," amid rumours of a rift between the ITV presenters.

Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden, taking his first PMQs as he stood in for Rishi Sunak, said the senior Labour MPs were "all lovey dovey on the surface" but "at each other’s throats" when the cameras were off.

"We all know what’s going on with her and her Leader. It’s all lovey dovey on the surface, they turn it on for the cameras, but as soon as they’re off, it’s a different story.

"They’re at each other’s throats. They are the Phil and Holly of British politics," he told Prime Minister's Questions.

The comment was reference to speculation that on-screen friends Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby, who present Dancing on Ice and This Morning together, had fallen out.

Mr Schofield has admitted the pair have had a tough "few weeks" but insisted they've stuck together "through thick and thin".

Sir Keir and his deputy have had their own public fall-outs. He sacked Ms Rayner as party chair and national campaigns coordinator in 2021 following a poor performance at that year's local elections.

And he sacked her boyfriend Sam Tarry as a shadow minister for joining a picket line against Sir Keir's orders. Not long after that Mr Tarry was deselected by his local party and as a result will not stand for Labour at the next election.

Mr Schofield released a statement recently in an attempt to put to bed rumours of a fall out.

He told the Sun newspaper: “Holly is my rock. We’re the best of friends — as always, she is an incredible support on screen, behind the scenes and on the phone.

"Holly has always been there for me, through thick and thin. And I’ve been there for her. The last few weeks haven’t been easy for either of us.”

Ms Rayner is an elected deputy prime minister and was not chosen by Sir Keir as his second in command.

Mr Dowden joked about that too as he pointed to talks of a post-election coalition between the Liberal Democrats and Labour after the leaders of both parties refused to rule out joining forces to remove the Tories from Number 10.

He said he was “surprised the Lib Dem leader isn’t taking questions today” after being welcomed to his first PMQs by Ms Rayner.

Ms Rayner told the Commons: “It’s a pleasure to welcome yet another Deputy Prime Minister to the despatch box. The third deputy that I face in three years, and you know what they say? The third time’s a charm."

She added: “I seem to remember that after the loss of 300 Conservative seats at last year’s local elections, he (Oliver Dowden) resigned, saying someone must take responsibility. After a thousand more Conservative councillors have been given the boot by voters, who does he think it is responsible now?”

The deputy PM replied: “In the spirit of her opening remarks, can I just say, it really is a pleasure to see her here today. I was, though, expecting to face the Labour Leader’s choice for the next Deputy Prime Minister if they win the election. So I’m surprised that the Lib Dem leader isn’t taking questions today."

The senior Tory, who is also a Cabinet Office minister, was appointed as Mr Sunak's second in command last month after his predecessor Dominic Raab was sacked over bullying allegations.

Wednesday will be the first time he faces Labour's deputy leader at Prime Minister's Questions but the pair have had fiesty exchanges across the Despatch Box before.

Just last week Ms Rayner was grilling him at Cabinet Office questions about the Tories' poor performance at the recent local elections and the new voter ID policy - but she could not resist joking about their shared hair colour.

Mr Rayner said: “Can I first of all offer my congratulations to the right honourable gentleman, who is proving that being ginger is no barrier to being deputy prime minister – and I hope to take his example, with me, very soon one day.”

Ms Rayner went on to ask about election losses for the Conservatives and questioned whether they were because of the “failure” of the party’s councillors or the government.

Mr Dowden replied: “The right honourable lady started off so nicely. You never know, one day the Labour party might even allow a woman to lead its party."

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It comes as Prime Minister Sunak prepares to join allies including Joe Biden and Emmanuel Macron at the G7 in Hiroshima.

Japan’s Fumio Kishida is hosting the summit in the city hit with an atomic bomb during the Second World War to highlight the dangers of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

The PM will announce a new defence and technology collaboration with Japan and host a reception of business leaders to drum up investment into the UK.

Then, he will travel on to Hiroshima to become the first British prime minister to visit the city.

During his first G7 summit as prime minister, Mr Sunak will seek to focus on economic security and support for Volodymyr Zelensky’s fight against Russia.