Watch PMQs LIVE: Rishi Sunak faces MPs in final PMQs before local elections
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Labour leader Keir Starmer has accused the Government of “economic vandalism” in a fiery PMQs showdown before Thursday’s local elections.
Sir Keir said by the end of this year there would be nearly two million home owners paying the price because of the Tories had “crashed the economy last Autumn”.
The Prime Minister, in response, said while Labour had failed home owners, the Conservatives “were delivering for them”.
It comes as the shadow chancellor has accused the prime minister of playing a “political gimmick” with the investigation into Sue Gray’s switch to a senior Labour role.
Rachel Reeves told Times Radio that Mr Sunak had a “political vandetta” against Ms Gray, and he was “supposed to be moving on from the era of Boris Johnson”.
It was revealed on Tuesday that Ms Gray, the partygate investigator, chose not to take part in the Governmnent probe into her departure from a high-ranking Whitehall position to become Sir Keir Starmer’s chief of staff.
The investigation has been paused as a result, angering some Tories, but Mr Starmer has insisted that he is “confident” Ms Gray had not broken any rules.
Starmer: £9,000 house deposit increase is cost of Sunak’s ‘pool heating bill’ 12:44 , Miriam Burrell
Prime Minister’s Questions has now wrapped up.
Earlier, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said that the average house deposit for a first-time buyer is increasing by £9,000.
“Does he even know how long it would take an average saver to put that sort of money aside?” he asked Rishi Sunak.
“£9,000 would take four years… roughly the annual bill to heat his swimming pool, but for most people, four more years of scrimping is a hammer blow to their ambitions.”
The Prime Minister replied: “That’s why we’ve introduced a 95 per cent mortgage guarantee scheme, it’s why we’re helping people in social housing own their own home through our first homes and our shared home ownership schemes.”
Prime Minister urged to compesate ‘1950s women’ 12:33 , Miriam Burrell
MP Rebecca Long Bailey said the women’s pension age was increased without their knowledge in the 1950s and people gave up work without realising.
She asked the prime minister to commit to a !fair and fast payment” of compensation to 1950s women for the “injustice” they suffered.
Rishi Sunak said there is an “ongoing process” that he “can’t comment on” but the Government would respond appropiately.
Schools have become ‘fourth emergency service’, MP says 12:29 , Miriam Burrell
MP Holly Lynch said schools are having to become the fourth emergency service for families amid the cost of living crisis.
Rishi Sunak said familieswill see half of their energy bills paid by the Government, and additional funding for those on welfare.
People in particular need should talk to their local councils, he urged.
Prime Minister told of ‘decay of denistry’ 12:26 , Miriam Burrell
MP Mary Kelly said a constituent of hers discovered a tumor in their face that required 16 hours of surgery through private care.
She said a “decay of dentistry” has happened under the Government’s watch and urged the Prime Minister meets with Dental association.
Rishi Sunak said there has been a “reform” of the industry and vowed changes were coming soon.
Christmas market in Lincoln to go after 40 years 12:24 , Miriam Burrell
Rishi Sunak said he shares disappointement with MP Karl McCartney that there will no longer be a Christmas market in Lincoln, for the first time in 40 years, thanks to a decision made by the Labour-run council, behind closed doors.
The Prime Minister said constituents “deserved better” and urged them to vote Conservative in the local elections on Thursday.
PM asked to create Sudanese family visa scheme 12:20 , Miriam Burrell
The Prime Minister was asked to instate a Sudanese family visa sceheme by Brighton MP Caroline Lucas.
But Rishi Sunak said the Government’s ability to do that is “absolutely hampered” by Channel small boat crossings.
PM asked about Labour’s tuition fee pledge U-turn 12:18 , Miriam Burrell
SNP MP Stephen Flynn asked the Prime Minister about Labour scrapping its pledge to scrap tuition fees.
He said Westminster political parties “don’t offer young people any hope at all, do they?”
Rishi Sunak said: “If you’re from a disadvantaged background, you’re far more likely to go to university in England than Scotland.”
Rishi Sunak focuses on local elections 12:16 , Miriam Burrell
Rishi Sunak has used PMQs to bump the Tory image ahead of local elections on Thursday.
He urged voters to vote Conservatives.
Coronation will be ‘new chapter in our history’, Starmer says 12:14 , Miriam Burrell
300 million people are expected to tune in to the coronation, Sir Keir Starmer said, calling it a “new chapter in our history”.
The Labour leader said it will be a chance to reflect on Queen Elizabeth II’s reign.
Rishi Sunak said the coronation will “be a very special moment”.
‘Just build some houses’, Starmer tells PM 12:12 , Miriam Burrell
Sir Keir Starmer said the Prime Minister needs to “just build some houses” instead of blaming other people for the housing crisis.
Hitting back, Rishi Sunak said in London the former Tory Mayor built 60,000 new homes – but Labour only managed “half of that”.
Starmer says 950,000 people paying more on their mortgage 12:10 , Miriam Burrell
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has said 930,000 people this year are paying more on their mortgage, and the average deposit is going up by £9,000.
He said it would take four years for the average saver to save that. He accused the Government of “kicking them when they’re down”.
Rishi Sunak said there have been twice the number of homeowners under the Government.
Starmer and Sunak clash over mortgage rates 12:06 , Miriam Burrell
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has asked if Rishi Sunak knew how many people are paying higher mortgage rates since the Tories “crashed the economy” last year.
He claimed it was 850,000 people, when Mr Sunak dodged the question.
The Prime Minister said last year the largest number of people bought their first home in 30 years.
Rishi Sunak sends ‘best wishes’ to King and Queen Consort 12:03 , Miriam Burrell
The Prime Minister Rishi Sunak sends “best wishes” to the King and Queen Consort ahead of the coronation on Saturday, as PMQs gets underway.
Sunak sends ‘best wishes’ to King and Queen 12:03
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has sent “best wishes” to the King and Queen Consort ahead of the coronation on Saturday, as PMQs gets underway.
Pictured: Rishi Sunak leaves No10 11:42 , Miriam Burrell
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is heading to the House of Commons ahead of PMQs at midday.
A new law that could give the Government the power to overturn the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) expansion to Greater London is to be raised in Parliament.
Plans that would allow Transport Secretary Mark Harper to veto decisions by the London Mayor Sadiq Khan will be proposed by Theresa Villiers on Wednesday.
Read more here.
The SNP has signed a contract with a new auditor more than six months after the previous company quit, it is being reported.
First Minister Humza Yousaf said AMS Accountants Group will complete the work for the publication of the party’s accounts, according to Sky News.
The party has been without auditors for its accounts since October, when the Westminster group left with just weeks to file with the Electoral Commission or risk losing £1.2 million in funding from UK Parliament to support their work.
Read more here.
A new fraud strategy announced by the Government on Wednesday will include banning cold calls on all financial products, such as those relating to insurance or sham cryptocurrency schemes.
Banks will also be allowed to delay payments from being processed for longer to allow for suspect payments to be investigated.
London Tory MP to stand down at next election 10:34 , Miriam Burrell
Matthew Offord has announced he will not fight the next general election, saying his time in office “has required great sacrifices in my personal and professional lives”.
He has been the MP for Hendon since 2010 and is the first London Tory to confirm they will step down before Britain heads to the polls again next year.
London expected to see a raft of new MPs at the next election.
The capital is due to gain two new constituencies in boundary changes and veteran Labour MPs Harriet Harman, Dame Margaret Hodge and Jon Cruddas are also due to retire.
Read more here.
Labour dropped its promise to ditch tuition fees because “the Tories have crashed the economy”, Shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves claimed on Wednesday.
She told ITV’s Good Morning Britain: “The Tories have crashed the economy, they have brought public services to their knees and that does mean that we need to look again at what we can afford and what our priorities will be if we have the privilege to form the next government.”
Read more here.
Protesters have been plotting for months to disrupt the King’s coronation, security minister Tom Tugendhat suggested on Wednesday.
He emphasised that some of the threats came from overseas.
He said that the coronation and Buckingham Palace were “safe”, as one of the biggest security operations ever seen in Britain was being put in place.
It comes after a man was arrested outside Buckingham Palace on Tuesday night after suspected shotgun cartridges were thorughn into the Palace grounds.
Read more about security plans here.
Sue Gray cooperating with ‘normal process’, Labour says 09:53 , Miriam Burrell
While Sue Gray has refused to speak to the Government about her role switch, she is fully cooperating with the “normal process”, Rachel Reeves has said.
The Advisory Committee on Business Appointments (ACOBA) is a watchdog that investigates new jobs for ex-civil servants.
The shadow chancellor told Times Radio on Wednesday there are two investigations underway.
“There is the usual one, the ACOBA process which Sue Gray is cooperating with fully, and then there is the political gimmick one set up by Government ministers to pursue this vendetta they have got against Sue Gray.”
Read more here.
