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Starmer says Reform UK should launch investigation into other potential pro-Russia links after jailing of Nathan GillStarmer is responding to Badenoch.He says it is important that the Commons stays united on Ukraine. He thanks Badenoch for her support, and acknowledges the work done by the previous government.On Russia joining the G7, he says any decision about that is a long way off. The priority now is getting a lasting peace settlement.He says he wants to support what Badenoch said about Reform UK. (See 12.56pm.) He goes on
It is shocking, that a senior official, the leader in Wales, has been jailed for over ten years for pro-Russia bribes. That is extraordinary.
And that is why I say the Reform leadership should have the courage to launch an investigation. How on earth did that happen? And what other links are there?
Reform, with the pro-Putin approach, would have absolutely no role in bringing allies together on important issues.
ShareKey eventsShow key events onlyPlease turn on JavaScript to use this featureStarmer says asking Ukraine to give up territory it current holds ‘obviously unacceptable’ and not a serious ideaEdward Leigh, the Conservative father of the house, asked Starmer if he agreed it would be totally unacceptable for Ukraine to be asked to give up territory it currently holds.This was one of the proposals in the original, leaked 28-point peace plan.Starmer said he agreed. The idea that Ukraine should have to give up land it now holds was “so obviously unacceptable it shouldn’t be seen as a serious proposition”, he said.ShareStarmer sidesteps Lib Dem call for wider probe into Russian interference in democracy in light of Gill’s bribery convictionDaisy Cooper, the deputy Lib Dem leader, said many people were worried that President Trump will betray Ukraine. She said the leaked plan read like a “Russian wishlist”.She also backed Starmer in saying Reform UK should conduct an inquiry into pro-Russian bribes. But she said the government should also launch its own inquiry into Russian interference in British democracy.And, on the G20, she said Starmer did not mention China in his statement, even though he met the Chinese premier, Li Qiang, at the summit.In response, Starmer said foreign intererence in British democracy was a matter of “deep concern”. But he did not promise inquiry.As for meeting Li at the summit, Starmer said they shook hands when they saw each other in the leaders’ lounge. It would have been discourteous not to, he said. But they did not have a substantive discussion, he said.ShareStarmer says Reform UK should launch investigation into other potential pro-Russia links after jailing of Nathan GillStarmer is responding to Badenoch.He says it is important that the Commons stays united on Ukraine. He thanks Badenoch for her support, and acknowledges the work done by the previous government.On Russia joining the G7, he says any decision about that is a long way off. The priority now is getting a lasting peace settlement.He says he wants to support what Badenoch said about Reform UK. (See 12.56pm.) He goes on
It is shocking, that a senior official, the leader in Wales, has been jailed for over ten years for pro-Russia bribes. That is extraordinary.
And that is why I say the Reform leadership should have the courage to launch an investigation. How on earth did that happen? And what other links are there?
Reform, with the pro-Putin approach, would have absolutely no role in bringing allies together on important issues.
ShareKemi Badenoch is responding to Starmer.Commenting on Russia, she asked the PM to rule out readmitting Russia to the G7.She agrees with Starmer that elements of the 28-point plan were unacceptable.She asks if Starmer would support the hand over of some Ukrainian territory to Russia.She urges the government to work closely with the US – and criticises parties like the Lib Dems and the Greens for urging Britain to dissociate itself from the US, which would undermine British security, she says.And she says it is a “disgrace” that Reform UK is still blaming Nato for Russian aggression. But it is no surprise, given the conviction of Nathan Gill, she says.ShareStarmer confirms UK will hold presidency of G20 in 2027Referring to the G20 summit, Starmer sums up some of the deals that were confirmed when he was there.And he says it has been confirmed that the UK will hold the presidency of the G20 in 2027, for the first time since 2009.ShareStarmer says parts of leaked 28-point US peace plan for Ukraine ‘not acceptable’, but other elements ‘essential’Keir Starmer is now making his Commons statement about the G20 summit.He starts by talking about Ukraine.He says he has spoken to other leaders recently. He wants a “just and lasting peace”, he says. And he says both words – just and lasting – are important.He says the 28-point plan, drawn up by the US and Russia and leaked last week, contained elements that were “not acceptable”.But it also contained elements that will be “essential”, he says.He says he is clear about some fundamental principles. “Ukraine’s sovereignty must be maintained and that Ukraine should be able to defend itself in the future,” he says. He says Ukraine’s voice must be heard. And a solution will need the consent of Nato, and of Nato, he says.He says he will be speaking to other “Coalition of the Willing” partners later today.Starmer says Russia is an ongoing threat to British security. He says two Russian ships have been intercepted in British waters in recent weeks.He says last night he celebrated his daughter’s 15 birthday. Later that night he saw TV footage of a girl about the same age “being pulled from the rubble of a building in Ukraine where her mother had just been killed”.He goes on:
It’s abhorrent beyond belief that Ukraine lives the same story every night in their cities and every day on the front line where so many Ukrainians are killed fighting for their freedom.
We should not forget that Putin’s aggression, his illegal actions and his total disregard for human life has taken a huge toll on his own people. Thousands of Russian soldiers are killed every single day – 100,000 have been killed attacking Donetsk.
In total, more than one million Russians have been killed or injured because of the depraved ambition of one man.
So we say again, this country will never falter in our support for the Ukrainian people.
ShareReeves says Motability scheme will no longer pay for luxury cars, and says half its vehicles should be British-built by 2035Rachel Reeves, the chancellor, has announced that luxury cars will no longer be available under the Motablity scheme, a government programme that allows some people claiming disability benefits to access a subsidised vehicle if they have difficulty using public transport.She has also said that, by 2035, half of all cars leased under the scheme should be British built.In a statement released by Motability Operations, the organisation that runs the scheme, Reeves says:
Backing British car manufacturing will support thousands of well paid, skilled jobs and is exactly the long-term investment our Modern Industrial Strategy delivers.
We are growing the economy to bring down debt, cut NHS waiting lists and cut the cost of living.
People will no longer be able to use the scheme to get cars like Mercedes Benz and BMWShareThe Treasury has announced more details of the plan to extend the sugar levy to milk-based drinks. (See 12.24pm.)ShareStreeting confirms sugar tax being extended to cover milkshakes and other milk drinksIn the Commons Wes Streeting has just confirmed that the soft drinks industry levy (aka the sugar tax – see 9.44am) is being expanded to cover “bottles and cartons of milkshakes, flavoured milk and milk substitute drinks”.He said the government was also reducing the threshold to 4.5g of sugar per 100ml.ShareMinister says use of private money to fund new health centres will be ‘fundamentally different’ from flawed PFI schemesKarin Smyth, the secondary care minister, has rejected suggestions that the use of private finance to fund some of the proposed new neighbourhood health centres.During health questions, Luke Evans, a Conservative health spokesperson, raised concerns that the use of private money to fund some of the centres announced today could lead to a repeat of past PFI (private finance initiative) mistakes. (See 10.12am.) Evans said that, under Labour, the government used PFI to secure investment in hospitals worth £13bn, at an ultimate cost to the public sector of £80bn. He asked for a “cast-iron guarantee” that would not happen again.Smyth claimed that, unlike the last Tory government, Labour had learned the lessons from those mistakes. She said the new schemes would “fundamentally different”. The new health centres would be publicly owned, she said.ShareUpdated at 12.19 GMT
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