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Starmer rules out joining customs union with EU, saying it would not be sensible to ‘unravel’ trade deal with USEd Davey, the Lib Dem leader, says the new US national security strategy is deeply concerning. He asks Starmer to tell Trump that any US interference in European democracy would be totally unacceptable.Starmer says Europe is strong, based on its values of freedom and democracy.Davey says he did not hear Starmer says he would stand up to Trump.Turning to the customs union, he says he if keeps opposing the UK joining a customs union with the EU he will not be standing there in a year’s time.Starmer says Labour has manifesto commitments on the customs union and the single market (to not join – though he does not say that).Referring to the customs union plan in particular, he says the UK now has trade deal. It has a better deal with the US than any other country. And it would not be sensible to unravel that by joining an EU customs union, he says.ShareUpdated at 12.49 GMTKey eventsShow key events onlyPlease turn on JavaScript to use this featurePMQs – snap verdictKemi Badenoch revealed earlier this year that, after struggling for a while with how to strategise PMQs, she decided that it was best to treat it as a panto. Today is the best example to date of how that has turned out to be her best decision yet. She opted for the gameshow skit from the panto experience, taunted Keir Starmer with a string of public sector performance questions, then mocked him mercilessly over his answers.Of course, she was cherrypicking. You can’t measure how an organisation like the NHS, or the Department for Education, is performing with a single statistic. But in this setting, on this occasion, it didn’t matter. She sounded confident and right, and Starmer came across as floundering.For most of this year Starmer has been able to see off Badenoch’s attacks at PMQs by referring to the Conservative party’s record in government (the worst in post-war history, according to the experts). And he has hit back by attacking Badenoch personally, as he did today, linking her with Liz Truss.
She’s obviously spent the morning rehearsing for The Liz Truss Show, she’s probably going to be the guest star next week, both of them talking about how Liz Truss was 100% right.
But what Liz Truss said was the Conservatives need to take responsibility for their 14 years of failure. That was Liz Truss, their former leader, so perhaps she’ll heed that, get up and say sorry.
But increasingly, at PMQs at least, these defence mechanisms are no longer working.Why? Partly because Badenoch is getting sharper (a bit) and more confident (a lot). Partly it is because, as time goes on, attacks on the record of a government led by Rishi Sunak (remember him?) are losing resonance. But largely because of the prevailing political context; Badenoch has her own difficulties, but they are not as severe as Starmer. When someone is on the back foot already, it is easier to push them over.Of course, you are entitled to ask whether Badenoch deserves credit for treating PMQs as a panto. One of Starmer’s virtues as a human being is that is fairy contemptuous of a lot of the flippant, performative guff that surrounds Westminster politics. (It is a feature of politics everywhere, but it is particularly prevalent here.) Badenoch, on the other hand, is increasingly comfortable operating in this medium. For her, today was a notable success.ShareKarl Turner (Lab) says, if the plan to reduce access to jury trials is about clearing he courts backlog, there should be a sunset clause added to the plan.Starmer says the Tories left a huge courts backlog. He says he knows Turner feels strongly about this. He can assure him that juries will continue to be an important part of the system.ShareSarah Bool (Con) asks if it is fair to increase the benefits bill, to introduce a costly ID scheme, or to put up taxes when Labour promised it would not. Will Labour reverse the family farm tax?Starmer says welfare ballooned under the Tories. When Mel Stride, the shadow chancellor, was work and pensions secretary, it went up by more than £30bn, he says.ShareUpdated at 12.32 GMTChris Murray (Lab) asks about workers being fired from Rockstar in his Edinburgh constituency. He asks if the PM agrees every worker has the right to join a union.Starmer says what is happening at Rockstar is concerning.ShareLuke Evans (Con) says it must be hard for Starmer, because wherever he goes people compain about higher taxes. Is that why the PM spends so much time out of the country.“What a load off nonsense,” says Starmer. He says we are at a critical moment for the future of Ukraine.ShareJim Dickson (Lab) asks about the record of the Reform UK-led Kent council.Starmer says people in Kent have been let down by Reform UK. He says Nigel Farage is under pressure to apologise for what he said at school, and he mentions two Reform UK council figures also accused of racism.ShareSaqib Bhatti (Con) asks the PM to review the decision to put VAT on church repairs. He says this is putting the future of churches at risk.Starmer says he supports churches, and is hosting a reception for them in Downing Street today.ShareLiz Saville Roberts, the Plaid Cymru leader at Westminster, also asks Starmer to join a customs union with the EU.Starmer repeats the point about not wanting to do that because it would mean having to “unravel” the trade agreement with the US. He recalls visiting a car factory to announce that because that deal saved jobs.ShareStarmer rules out joining customs union with EU, saying it would not be sensible to ‘unravel’ trade deal with USEd Davey, the Lib Dem leader, says the new US national security strategy is deeply concerning. He asks Starmer to tell Trump that any US interference in European democracy would be totally unacceptable.Starmer says Europe is strong, based on its values of freedom and democracy.Davey says he did not hear Starmer says he would stand up to Trump.Turning to the customs union, he says he if keeps opposing the UK joining a customs union with the EU he will not be standing there in a year’s time.Starmer says Labour has manifesto commitments on the customs union and the single market (to not join – though he does not say that).Referring to the customs union plan in particular, he says the UK now has trade deal. It has a better deal with the US than any other country. And it would not be sensible to unravel that by joining an EU customs union, he says.ShareUpdated at 12.49 GMTBadenoch quotes the figure for the number of appointments lost to strikes.She says ministers are not doing their jobs because they want Starmer’s job. Except Rachel Reeves who is struggling to keep her own job.Starmer defends his record, and say the Tories are not offering an alternative.ShareBadenoch says that is wrong too. There are 1,300 fewer police officers.She asks how many appointments have been lost to strike action in the NHS.Starmer says there have been five million extra appointments in the NHS.ShareUpdated at 12.16 GMT“Wrong,” says Badenoch. She says the DfE website says there are 400 fewer teachers.She says Labour promised more police officers. How many more have been hired?Starmer says there will be more next March. He says Badenoch seems to be rehearsing for Liz Truss’s new show. She praised the mini budget, he says.ShareBadenoch says energy bills have gone up by £187. She says Bridget Phillipson promised to hire more teachers. How many more has she hired?More than when the Tories left office, says Starmer.ShareBadenoch says everyone can see Starmer has lost control of his party. His ministers are so busy trying to replace him that they have taken their eyes off the ball.She’s says Ed Miliband wants to recycle himself as leader. He said he would cut energy bills by £300. How much have they been cut for?Starmer says the government has taken £150 off energy bills, in addition to the £150 taken off them last year.Three ex Tory MPs have gone to Reform recently, and 21 in total. The real question is how is next. Robert Jenrick is “twitching” after his come and get me plea from Nigel Farage.ShareKemi Badenoch asks why Labour MPs are calling him a caretake PM.Starmer says his MPs are proud they have passed a budget that will protect services. There will be no return to austerity. He says Badenoch is trying to save her job.ShareRachael Maskell (Lab) says tackling child poverty is a critical mission for the government. So will the government raise pregnant women and children out of poverty?Starmer says he is particularly concerned by the quality of maternity services. The government wants to improve these services.He says Badenoch thinks maternity pay is excessive. That would push thousands of children into poverty.ShareStarmer reveals British soldier killed in accident in Ukraine while observing soldiers testing equipment away from frontlineKeir Starmer starts by saying all MPs will want to send their condolences to the family of a soldier killed in Ukraine. He was injured in an accident away from the frontline while observe ring Ukrainian soldiers testing a new capacity. He was one of a small number of personnel in Ukraine.Share
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