Starmer defends record as he faces Badenoch in first PMQs since resignation – UK politics live
From32m agoStarmer claims he is handing over country in 'better shape' than he found it, unlike his Tory predecessorsBadenochasks whyLabourMPs are cheering; if it is going so well, why is the PM resigning. She. . .
From32m agoStarmer claims he is handing over country in 'better shape' than he found it, unlike his Tory predecessorsBadenochasks whyLabourMPs are cheering; if it is going so well, why is the PM resigning. She asks about Miliband, saying that Starmer gave him a cabinet job, but Miliband has now jumped into bed with Burnham. It is not the first time he has betrayed someone close to him, she says. Does the PM think Miliband should be chancellor?Starmerdefends his record. He says he and Reeves turned their party around. He says the test for every PM is handing over the country in better shape than you found it. He says he knows he can do that. His Tory predecessors did not, he says. Key events32m agoStarmer claims he is handing over country in 'better shape' than he found it, unlike his Tory predecessors53m agoMore than 500 mothers and babies died or were harmed at ‘toxic’ Nottingham NHS trust, report finds1h agoFarage tells conference for social conservatives 'family breakdown pretty much same as community breakdown'1h agoStarmer faces Badenoch at PMQs1h agoReaction to Burnham choosing Purnell as his chief of staff2h agoGrooming gangs inquiry to focus first on London, Oldham, Bradford and Keighley2h agoNearly a quarter of voters in Europe now back far-right parties2h agoJames Purnell tells staff at his lobbying firm reports he's leaving to be Burnham's chief of staff 'basically correct'2h agoJones declines to say whether Ed Miliband would be good choice as Burnham's chancellor3h agoDarren Jones says he has been 'reassured' by what Andy Burnham has told him about his economic plansRichard Foord(Lib Dem) asks if Starmer has any advice for his successor. Starmersays his advice would be don’t deliver austerity. And, since Foord is a Lib Dem, he would also say don’t wear a wetsuit. Becky Gittins(Lab) asks about a dance eventin her constituency. Starmercommends her for it, but says he was glad he was not asked to join in. John Lamont(Con) asks if the PM will set up an inquiry into the SNP embezzlement case. Starmersays the SNP has serious questions to answer. But it is not addressing them. That is totally the wrong approach, he says. Alex Baker(Lab) says elderly Gurkha veterans were assaulted at an event in Aldershort. She asks the PM to condemn it. Starmersays this attack was “utterly disgraceful”. He says the Gurkhas have made a great contribution. Martin Wrigley(Lib Dem) asks if social media companies should be treated as publishers, not platforms, making them liable for their content. Starmersums up actions already taken by the government on social media, but says there is “more to do”. Ian Lavery(Lab) asks about a miners’ welfare organisation that he says is failing to support groups in miners’ communities. Starmersays the Charity Commission is investigating this case. Shockat Adam(Ind) says he is concerned about the safety of his Muslim children. He says there was no outcry in the Commons when a man was convicted of raping a woman becausehe thought she was Muslim, even though attacks on victims from other racial groups have been condemned. Starmersays all attacks of this kind should be condemned. Rachel Hopkins, theLabourMP for Luton South and South Befordshire, praises the emergency services for their work in response to the rail crash last week. Starmersays they did an “outstanding job”. He says he found their work “humbling”. Jack Rankin(Con) says defence is the first duty of the government. He says the UK must tell Nato allies what it will do. He asks about reports thatAndy Burnhamwants its publication delayed. Starmersays defence of the realm was a duty the last government failed at. He says the defence investment plan will be published before the Nato summit. Desmond Swayne(Con) asks if there will be time for PM to tell his party aboutthe moral of the tale about Jim, who ran away from his nurse and was eaten by a lion. Starmerignores the question, but says he recalls the time that Swayne came to visit him when he was on holiday in Swayne’s New Forest West constituency, and he thanks him for his kindness. Liz Saville Roberts, the Plaid Cymru leader, at Westminster, saysLabourlosing power in Wales is part of Starmer’s legacy. She urges Starmer to leave a note for his successor saying he should treat Wales with more respect. Starmersays he will leave a note saying he delivered the biggest devolution settlement for Wales in years, and removed 70,000 Welsh children from poverty. Fleur Anderson(Lab) asks what the government is doing to improve resilience to climate change. Starmersays the government is building up resilience. But the Tories want to rip up the Climate Change Act, he says. Ed Davey, the Lib Dem leader, says he knows how difficult it was for the PM to make the statement he did on Monday. He says MPs should remember that “we are all human”. Saying we all know how hard it is when relationships break down, and when you cannot even speak to your neighbour sometimes, does the PM recognise the case for rebuilding relations with the EU?Starmersays the UK has reset relations with the EU, and he says he is proud of that. He says Davey has reflected on his own career. Referring to Davey saying he turned down a job with MI6, he jokes about 00 Davey. Daveysays we are seeing travel chaos because of the weather. The Met Office says extreme weather will get worse. Will the PM advise Burnham to ignore parties that are ignoring the dangers of climate change. Starmersays it used to be common ground in the Commons that action on climate change is needed. He says it is a shame that the Tories have abandoned this to chase Reform UK votes. Badenochsays Starmer has made many mistakes. But he has been let down by his chancellor and his energy secretary and his MPs too. They have abandoned him for “a pair of eyelashes and a black t-shirt”. Starmerdefends his record, and says this was changed delivered by aLabourgovernment. BadenochsaysLabourMPs are cheering, even though there are “400 knives” in Starmer’s back. She says Labour MPs blocked welfare reform. “They are not Labour MPs, they are welfare MPs. ”Lindsay Hoyle, the speaker, intervenes. Referring to the knives remark, he says MPs should think about the language they use. Starmer says he is proud of his MPs. He inflicted the biggest loss on the Tories in the history of their party. Badenoch won’t talke about her party’s failure.