Keir Starmer and Kemi Badenoch met for the first Prime Minister's Questions since the Easter break in a fiery encounter
Badenoch accuses the prime minster of refusing to accept he was wrong for previously saying it was law that "trans women are women", following the Supreme Court's recent ruling on the definition of a woman
Starmer says the ruling "brings clarity" and now is the time to "lower the temperature"
Badenoch accuses some ministers of "plotting to overturn the Supreme Court ruling" - Starmer hits back by attacking her record in government to protect women
Chris Mason
Political editor
Well, I didn’t see that coming.
The opening exchanges, with the Lib Dem MP Steve Darling, included an invite from Darling to the prime minister to visit Paignton Zoo.
There was also birthday congratulations from Starmer to a dog – Darling’s guide dog Jennie, who was 6 yesterday, we hear.
Keir Starmer is on his feet, which means Prime Minister's Questions is about to begin.
We'll bring you all the key lines as they happen - and as always, you can follow along by pressing watch live at the top of the page.
Chris Mason
Political editor
Image source, PA MediaIn nearly 25 years in daily journalism, I have never known another issue quite like it.
The arguments over sex and gender, trans and women's rights have a passion, an anger and often a toxicity on both sides - greater in their intensity than those over the Iraq war two decades ago, or Brexit in more recent years.
The abuse and vitriol that fly into my inbox every time I report on it are really quite something.
Last week's decision by the Supreme Court was a landmark moment in this debate, providing the prism through which arguments will now be conducted.
But it won't mark an end to those arguments, as a debate in the Commons on Tuesday evening proved.
The Conservative benches were packed and Tory leader Kemi Badenoch, took the unusual decision to answer for her party herself, something she would normally do in response to a statement from the prime minister rather than any other minister.
It was clear why she wanted to do so, displaying a greater confidence and sense of self-assurance than at any point since she became Conservative leader last autumn.
Some of her own MPs have grumbled privately that she has lacked oomph and cut-through in her opening months in the job.
She wasn't lacking oomph this time, arguing the Supreme Court had vindicated what she had long argued, and pretty much saying "I told you so" to the Labour Party.
Brian Wheeler
Reporting from the House of Commons
Hello from the press gallery.
This could be a lively session. Kemi Badenoch seems certain to want to put Keir Starmer on the spot over the Supreme Court’s ruling - something she feels personally vindicated by.
But the Tory leader is harder to predict at PMQs than some of her predecessors.
Image source, ReutersAnother topic that may come up in the Commons is the news that the government borrowed more than expected last year.
That means more pressure will be placed on the public finances, ahead of the potential impact of US tariffs being felt by the UK's economy.
Borrowing - the difference between spending and income from taxes - was £151.9bn in the year to March, up £20.7bn from the year before.
The official figures were released as Chancellor Rachel Reeves is set to push for a potential trade deal with the US, to avoid import taxes hitting UK exports.
The higher levels of borrowing has added to growing expectations that Reeves could cut public spending or raise taxes later this year, in order to stick to her self-imposed borrowing rules.
In response to the figures Darren Jones, chief secretary to the Treasury, reiterated that the chancellor's rules on borrowing were "non-negotiable", and the government would "never play fast and loose with the public finances".
Image source, PA MediaKeir Starmer has left Downing Street and is on his way to the House of Commons for Prime Minister's Questions.
It's now just 30 minutes until that's due to start - stick with us and we'll bring you the latest.
The prime minister does not believe transgender women are women, his official spokesman said yesterday.
It comes after the Supreme Court's decision last week ruled that a woman is defined by biological sex under equalities law.
This is a reversal of Starmer's previous position. In a 2022 interview, while leader of the opposition, he told the Times "a woman is a female adult, and in addition to that trans women are women, and that is not just my view - that is actually the law".
The PM's official spokesman yesterday, asked by reporters, said the "Supreme Court judgment has made clear that when looking at the Equality Act, a woman is a biological woman".
Read more on what the PM's spokesperson had to say here.
Watch: Supreme Court's ruling on the definition of a woman... in 65 seconds
The UK Supreme Court has ruled that the legal definition of a woman should be based on biological sex. But what does this mean in practice?
The judges ruled that when the term "woman" is used in the Equality Act it means a biological woman, and "sex" means biological sex.
It also makes it clear that if a space or service is designated as women-only, a person who was born male but identifies as a woman does not have a right to use that space or service.
The Supreme Court justices argued this was the only consistent, coherent interpretation.
It is not exactly clear what the full implications of this will be for transgender women, but many public bodies will now be reviewing their gender policies.
Other questions thrown up by the ruling include:
So, while the judgment provides clarity on the law, the jury is still out on its practical impact.
Adam Durbin
Live editor
It's that time of the week again, as Keir Starmer is due to face his weekly grilling from the opposition benches in the House of Commons.
It's the first edition of Prime Minister's Questions in a few weeks, as Parliament has been in recess for the Easter break.
As always, we aren't quite sure what Tory leader Kemi Badenoch will ask the prime minister about - but given her recent appearance in the Commons it seems likely she will bring up the Supreme Court's ruling that a woman is defined by biological sex under equalities law.
Other recent hot topics in UK politics include the news that government borrowing exceeds forecasts by £20bn, as well as prison officer safety, following a high-profile attack by Hashem Abedi - one of the men responsible for the Manchester Arena bombing.
It's all set to kick off in the Commons at 12:00 BST - stick with us and we'll bring you all the key lines.