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But Zia Yusuf suggested she should have chosen a different topic for her PMQs debut, writing on social media: "I do think it's dumb for a party to ask the PM if they would do something the party itself wouldn't do".

During PMQs, Pochin asked: "Given the prime minister's desire to strengthen strategic alignment with our European neighbours, will he - in the interests of public safety - follow the lead of France, Denmark, Belgium and others, and ban the burqa?"

Some members of the team preparing Badenoch for PMQs have been urging her to change her approach, advising her to deploy more jokes in an effort to break through in what is typically her highest-profile event of the week.

"She feels PMQs should be a proper exchange of arguments and views."

An oddity of PMQs at present is that, given Reform's surge, Starmer often uses Badenoch's questions to jab at Reform, who have a tiny Commons presence.