Keir Starmer has a cunning plan to prop up Boris Johnson by asking useless questions

There can be no other explanation for the Labour leader’s feeble performance in the Commons today, writes John Rentoul

The Labour leader must be desperately trying to keep the PM in place (PA)

I can only assume that Keir Starmer has a cunning plan. Knowing that Boris Johnson is in deep trouble, the Labour leader is desperately trying to keep him in place. There can be no other explanation for such a poor performance at Prime Minister’s Questions today.

With expectations of their weekly clash higher than usual, Johnson made sure he was seen to be engaged in animated conversation with Rishi Sunak, his hostage and protector, behind the speaker’s chair before he took his place on the front bench to orchestrated Conservative cheers and spontaneous Labour laughter and boos.

Starmer decided to ask about the NHS. Everyone knows that this is what Labour leaders do when they are on the defensive. The NHS is “Labour’s issue”, the safest of safe ground for the party that founded the national religion.