PMQs sketch: Sir Keir Starmer is finally angry, as well as disappointed

One day on from finally sharing a contrary opinion to the Government, the gloves are off for Sir Keir Starmer.

Labour leader Keir Starmer tore into the PM during a heated PMQs

The Labour leader has a new approach, referencing the scientific advice before repeatedly hitting the Government over the head with it. Gone were the soft whispers, the polite inquiries, and grinning albeit tactical promises to support the Government. Today Labour’s quiet man finally turned up the volume.

Instead of the usual slow and drawn out criticism with an apology attached, Sir Keir went from disappointed parent to angry older brother, raising his voice and showing levels of contempt that would make his predecessor proud.

He blasted the PM for being “behind the curve again” over rejecting his experts calls for a “circuit breaker”, and suggested Mr Johnson had “abandoned” the science and even ever so slightly raised his voice.

The PM pulled out his greatest hits, insisting the UK was testing more people than anywhere else, questioned whether Sir Keir would “speak to his friends” to help, and accused Labour of making a series of U-turn’s. At last a subject his Government is an authority on. He also tore into the Labour leader for both “voting to do nothing”, and also failing to turn up to vote.It was all too much for Sir Keir, who responded with the cattiness his left-wing Morrissey haircut suggests. He hissed:“I know that for someone who has been an opportunist all his life this is difficult to understand, but having read and considered the Sage advice I have genuinely concluded that a circuit-break is in the national interest - genuinely concluded."The comment suggested the former head of the CPS had suddenly realised he was a politician now, and should be speaking for a 6 o’clock news soundbite, not trying to debate a man who as ever appeared not to have done the reading.

It made for fun viewing, with Mr Johnson appearing to relish Sir Keir’s new found personality. He almost purred listing Labour’s changing views on restrictions, adding: "Opportunism is the name of the game for the party opposite". As Mr Johnson turned to his MPs repeatedly for cheers, it was clear personality is a clash he knows he can win.

It was a novel change from the recent rhythm of PMQs, where for weeks it has been like watching someone construct an argument with strokes of a brush only for his opponent to reply with a bucket of paint. This new tact may mean we get less detail, and will almost certainly suit the PM, but it might at least make PMQs watchable.