Tory MP quotes Shakespeare to mock Emily Thornberry's St George's flag tweet Rising from the backbenches during PMQs, Mr Zahawi said: "When I see a white van, Mr Speaker, I think of the small business owner who works long hours to put food on the family table. When I see the cross of St George I think of the words of my constituent William Shakespeare: 'This blessed plot, this earth, this realm. This England! Does my right honourable friend agree with me that we shouldn't sneer at people who work hard, who are patriotic and who love their country? The comments were greeted with glee from fellow Tory MPs, who hollered "more" when Mr Zahawi returned to his seat and patted him on the back enthusiastically. The quotes comes from Shakespeare's The Tragedy of King Richard the Second. The Prime Minister responded: "I agree with every word my honourable friend has said." In fact I was wondering why the Labour benches were so quiet, and now I realise, of course, the shadow attorney general who normally makes so much noise presumably isn't here today. Probably out taking pictures of people's homes I suspect. Jamie Reed, a Labour MP, attempted to return fire later by telling the Chamber: "When I see a white van, I wonder whether it's my father or my brother who is driving." His interjection was met with furious gesturing from Tory MPs urging Mr Reed to cross the floor and switch parties amid calls that he "join the White Van Conservatives." The exchanges come exactly one week on after Ms Thornberry sent her now infamous tweet and subsequently stepped down from Labour's front bench. She was not present for PMQs.