Keir Starmer accused of 'paralysing' Labour in scathing blow by Tory frontbencher: 'Only worried about keeping the keys to No10!'

As pressure continues to mount on the Prime Minister to resign, Mr Vickers argued that the "problems don't stop with Keir Starmer", but they do stop with the "Labour Party in Parliament".

He said: "They're not serious about reforming welfare. Since Labour arrived in office, it had giveaways for the unions, it had giveaways for people on welfare, and the end result is that we're all picking up the tab.

"We've now got a Government paralysing itself. This morning when he woke up, Keir Starmer was worried about how he keeps the keys to No10, that's all he's been worried about for six months.

"The rest of his Cabinet are working out how they get the keys to No10."

Taking further aim at the Labour Government, the Tory MP suggested that they are "more interested in their own psychodrama" than the cost of living or Britons losing their jobs.

He said: "They're not bothered about the things that people at home are bothered about, the cost of living, the challenges facing crime and anti-social behaviour on our streets across the country.

"They're not bothered about the fact that all these people are losing their jobs, anybody who creates a business is finding it completely impossible. There are high streets are being boarded up by the day, they're not worried about that."

Mr Vickers told GB News: "They're worried about their own psychodrama and who gets to run the show, that is no Government.

"They arrived in office with no plan for what they were going to do, other than paying back their union paymasters.

"It is a disaster, and it's not going to get better anytime soon, and it's certainly not going to get any better with Wes Streeting or Andy Burnham at the helm."

Questioned by Ellie Costello on the upcoming Makerfield by-election, Mr Vickers was pressed on whether the Tories would "step aside" for Reform UK and not stand a candidate.

Mr Vickers responded: "I think Kemi's been really clear, there will be no deals, there will be no stitch ups. The electorate in Makerfield will get the right to make that decision.

"If they want to vote for a party that's serious about reducing the welfare, bringing back that two child cap, scrapping stamp duty and about axing business rates for small businesses across the country, that choice is going to be on the ballot paper."

He made clear: "That choice is the Conservative Party and people will have the opportunity to have their say on it.

"We've also got that other incredibly important by election coming up in Scotland, where the conservatives were just about 1,000 votes behind the SNP.

"Then people will also have the chance to vote Conservative up there and make that real difference."

Challenging Mr Vickers's remarks, host Alex Armstrong argued that it would be a "two-horse race" between Reform and Labour at that by-election, meaning the Tories could step aside.

Mr Vickers remained certain that the Tories will be fighting for a Makerfield victory.

He concluded: "We've said we are going to make it, and we're putting forward our pitch to the British people. We continue to do so with real informed plans.

"The more I speak to people out there, the more they're impressed with Kemi Badenoch.

"People out there deserve the right to vote for Kemi Badenoch and the Conservative Party with its considered plans for our economy, and what we'll do to make sure that this country works for the people who work hard and do the right thing, not just those people who don't work."