Badenoch says the prime minister has backed criminals instead of law-abiding British people and argued that all immigration law had a racist undercurrent.

She charges that Starmer has voted against more than 100 migration control measures and said it was wrong when Tories took away Shamima Begum's citizenship.

Badenoch says the events in Syria may pave the way for further migration and asks the PM when he will take the side of British people.

Starmer responds by saying he was prosecuting criminals for five years and dedicated his life to locking up criminals. He says that for Badenoch to say he hasn't done anything is like "an arsonist complaining about the person putting the fire out."

Badenoch accuses Starmer of not answering the question and says he has scrapped a deterrent the National Crime Agency said was needed - the Rwanda policy.

She asks how much more the government plans to spend on hotels accommodation for asylum seekers.

Starmer says he would invite Badenoch to explain what went wrong under the last government but that it would take all afternoon. He lists some of the actions the Labour government has taken, including a new agreement with Germany and deportation flights. He says the Tories talked about getting flights off the ground for years and never did, but Labour did.

Badenoch responds that Starmer talks about smashing the gangs - but the only thing he's smashed "is his reputation", she says.

Brian Wheeler
Reporting from the House of Commons

Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp is getting very exercised about this line of questioning on immigration.

"It’s going up!" he shouts across the chamber at Keir Starmer.

The Speaker ticks him off and Philip calms down a bit.

Continuing her questions on immigration, Badenoch says Starmer complained that the immigration system was working to deter migrants and not providing enough support.

She repeats that he doesn't want to talk about his past or his record, adding she has committed to a cap on migration and asks why he hasn't.

Starmer responds by referencing his work as chief prosecutor - he charges that while she was "talking" he was doing the "hard yards" putting people who should be in prison away.

Starmer says the Tory cap on migration didn't stop people coming and says the party should "apologise" for their "open border policy".

Moving to her second question, Badenoch says "as he's so keen to talk about his past, let's look at his record."

She says Starmer campaigned against deporting criminals. "Will he apologise for signing these letters", she asks, referencing a letter the prime minister signed four years ago to keep foreign criminals in Britain and brings up the case of Ernesto Elliott, who had 17 convictions and had his deportation blocked.

He then committed murder.

Starmer says he wants to "remind her" that Conservatives "lost control of the borders" and the example she used against him was under her government. He says he will take "necessary measures" to keep the country safe.

A reminder of those milestones Starmer was just pressed on by Badenoch. They are:

• Putting more money in the pockets of working people
• Building 1.5m homes and fast-tracking planning decisions on at least 150 major infrastructure projects
• Treating 92 percent of NHS patients within 18 weeks
• Recruiting 13,000 more police officers, special constables and PCSOs in neighbourhood roles
• Making sure three-quarters of five year olds are school-ready
• 95% clean power by 2030

Read more about them here.

Brian Wheeler
Reporting from the House of Commons

Sitting to his left, Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves has just poured Keir Starmer a glass of water and placed it next to the dispatch box for the prime minister as he started answering questions.

Image source, parliamentlive.tv

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer responds by saying he is glad Badenoch wants to discuss immigration after supporting the previous government as it presided over record high numbers of immigration,

He says the government will drive down lawful and illegal immigration.

Image source, parliamentlive.tv

Leader of the Conservatives Kemi Badenoch begins with a question about the six "milestone" pledges Starmer announced in the "Plan for Change" last week.

She asks why cutting immigration is not one of them.

The PM is on his feet, which means the questions are under way.

Stick with us as we bring you the usual live updates and political analysis from our colleagues at Westminster.

Image source, Getty Images

Farmers are protesting once again in Westminster this morning over changes to inheritance tax announced in the Budget in October.

There is a row about precisely how many people might be affected by the change. Under the new rules, inherited agricultural assets worth more than £1m will be subject to a 20% inheritance tax.

The assets were previously exempt.

Image source, Reuters

Barely a day after Bashar al-Assad’s regime in Syria was toppled, a number of European countries - including the UK - announced they are pausing asylum applications from people from the country.

The UN says more than 14 million Syrians have been forced to flee their homes in search of safety since the country's civil war started in 2011.

On Tuesday, a Downing Street spokesperson said: "The vast majority of Syrians have fled the Assad regime and oppression under the Assad regime, so (...) it's clearly not possible to asses those asylum applications against the regime that has fallen."

"It's right that we pause these applications as events unfold."

The charity Asylum Aid responded saying it was "extremely concerned" by the government's suspension - describing the move as "premature".

Image source, PA Media

Government departments have recommended a pay rise of 2.8% for public sector workers - including teachers, NHS staff and senior civil servants - to take effect next year.

Unions have responded by saying the proposed pay increase was too low, with one threatening strike action.

The British Medical Association (BMA) said there was a "very real risk" of further industrial action if "pay erosion" was not addressed, while Unison's Helga Pile said the proposal was a "bitter pill".

The recommendations will now be considered by independent pay review bodies.

Inflation, which measures price changes over time, is predicted to average 2.6% next year.

The government said departments would have to fund 2025-26 and future pay increases from their own budgets. Unlike in recent years there would be no additional money if recommended pay awards exceed what departments can afford, it added.

Sima Kotecha
Senior UK correspondent

Shabana Mahmood, the justice secretary, says that despite the government's plans to open 14,000 more prison places, they could still run out of space over the next few years.

She tells the BBC that "building alone is not enough" to deal with the critical lack of space in UK jails.

Under its new prisons strategy, the government plans to build four new prisons over the next seven years, creating 6,400 new places.

Additionally, 1,000 makeshift cells with a lifespan of 15 years will also be built, with another 1,000 set to be refurbished.

"The current state is appalling," Mahmood said in an interview with BBC Radio 4's Today programme on Wednesday.

She said the prisons system was "under huge stress", with prisoners "coming out better criminals than they were before they went in".

"We've got to turn that around," she said, adding the first step to do that "is dealing with our capacity problems."

• On The Front Line: Inside Britain's prison crisis

Image source, PA Media

In case you missed it, the chancellor said earlier this week that a crackdown on government "waste" will ensure key public services can be prioritised for funding.

Rachel Reeves said departments would be asked to identify 5% "efficiency savings" as part of a review to set their budgets for the coming years.

The review, to conclude next June, will see ministers haggle for money as Labour sets the political tramlines for the next election.

But the Conservatives have poured scorn on the suggestion Labour would make the public sector more efficient.

The Treasury has told departments they will be expected to prioritise spending on policies which contribute towards the "plan for change" set out by the prime minister last week.

• Here are six key takeaways from the prime minister’s big speech last Thursday

Image source, PA Media

On Thursday, Sir Keir Starmer set out his "Plan for Change" - six pledges which he said would allow voters to hold his government to account.

They are:

• Raising living standards in every part of the UK, as part of the government's aim to deliver the highest sustained economic growth in the G7
• Building 1.5 million homes in England and fast-tracking planning decisions on at least 150 major infrastructure projects
• Ending hospital backlogs to meet the NHS target that 92% of patients in England wait no longer than 18 weeks for planned treatment
• A named police officer for every neighbourhood in England and Wales, with the recruitment of 13,000 additional officers, Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) and special constables
• Increasing the proportion of children in England who are "ready to learn" when they start school at the age of five to 75%
• Putting the country on track for at least 95% clean power by 2030

The government is aiming to meet these by 2029, when the next election is likely to be held. Most of the pledges restate existing commitments, but they highlight the areas the government wants to prioritise in the coming years.

Image source, PA Media

The prime minister has had a packed week since the last session of PMQs.

Last time we were here, Starmer was teeing up his "Plan for Change", which he announced on Thursday. He outlined six targets from the economy to education and policing that he said will allow voters to hold his government to account.

Over the weekend, the Assad regime fell in Syria - meaning the UK faces new choices on foreign policy. The government welcomed the removal of Assad’s government and paused decisions on Syrian asylum claims - but Starmer has said it is to soon to remove groups involved in the rebellion from terror lists.

Yesterday, government departments recommended a pay rise of 2.8% for millions of public sector workers.

Meanwhile, Chancellor Rachel Reeves has announced a crackdown on government "waste", asking departments to identify 5% "efficiency savings".

We don't know exactly what Starmer will be grilled on - but there's plenty of fodder for MPs today.

Another Wednesday, another political grilling at the House of Commons dispatch box.

At midday Sir Keir Starmer will face questions from Tory leader Kemi Badenoch and a number of MPs.

It's the first time the prime minister will face the PMQs after presenting his "plan for change" last week, a list of six "milestones" Starmer hopes the public will use to measure the success of his government.

Earlier today, the justice secretary revealed a 10-year plan to stop Britain’s jails “bursting at the seams” - including opening more spaces and possibly scrapping shorter sentences.

Meanwhile, the farmers row with the government over inheritance tax shows no sign of abating.

Fertile ground for the Tories and opposition parties this afternoon - stay with us as we build up to midday.