Cachella Smith
Live reporter

Image source, House of Commons/PA

Today's PMQs focused largely on elements of the economy - with criticism volleyed at the prime minister over the U-turn on winter fuel cuts and "confusion" around the two-child benefit cap.

It comes as the government's Spending Review is due this time next week with the chancellor setting out plans this morning for investment in transport in the North and the Midlands.

Facing accusations of "chaos", Starmer returned to a familiar criticism - that the Conservatives left a "£22bn black hole" in the public's finances which pushed him to make "tough decisions" when coming into office - BBC Verify has looked into this claim.

He also raised the UK's agreement with the US after Donald Trump announced the UK has been temporarily spared from 50% tariffs on steel and aluminium.

"We've fought tooth and nail for our steel industry," he told MPs.

Our live coverage will be closing shortly - but we've got more on the US tariffs and the winter fuel payment U-turn.

Thank you for joining us.

Image source, Reuters

Labour "believe[s] in properly costing our plans", the prime minister told the Commons at PMQs today.

He's referencing the Spending Review, set to be delivered by Chancellor Rachel Reeves on 11 June.

The review sets the budget for each government department over the next few years, also confirming how much of taxpayers' money is put into the NHS and public services.

There are two main categories: day-to-day spending and investment. The former includes salaries, supplies and administration costs. The latter is concerned with funding for infrastructure and buildings.

Day-to-day government spending should be paid for with tax revenue, not borrowing. Borrowing is the difference between how much the government spends and raises from taxes.

We already know that the increase in total spending is going to be relatively modest, and today Reeves said "not every department will get everything that they want next week".

Joshua Nevett
Political reporter, reporting from the Commons

Reporters have been putting questions to Starmer’s spokesman in Parliament following PMQs.

One topic that came up repeatedly was the US tariffs on steel and aluminium.

Remember: last month, the US and UK agreed a deal to reduce or remove tariffs on some goods. It included an agreement to cut tariffs on UK steel and aluminium to zero.

But the agreement is yet to come into force. So, when will those tariffs be reduced to zero?“We’re working at pace to ensure we’re able to implement the deal as quickly as possible,” the PM’s spokesman said. “You’ll get an update shortly.”

No clarity on a date yet then.

For now, all we know is the UK has been temporarily spared from President Donald Trump's decision to hike tariffs on steel and aluminium to 50%, as reported here.

Brian Wheeler
Reporting from the House of Commons

Speaking to reporters after PMQs, Keir Starmer’s spokeswoman said the PM had been “right” to read out the Russian embassy social media post.

“She didn’t deny that she had been parroting Kremlin talking points,” said the spokeswoman.

The Tory leader had “mis-spoke quite seriously and she should have taken the opportunity to clarify - and maybe that will be coming next,” she added.

But Badenoch’s spokesman was in no mood to back down.

“It was despicable,” he told reporters.

“We are calling on him to apologise. It infuriated Kemi. For the PM to weaponise that to get him out of his short-term political problems is despicable.

“He’s taking Kremlin taking points and using them for his own political ends.”

How exposed is the UK to US steel tariffs?published at 13:32 British Summer Time 4 June

13:32 BST 4 June

By Ben Chu

Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch clashed over the level of steel tariffs - imposed by President Trump - which the UK is facing.

A new 50% tariff on steel and aluminium imported into the US came into force today.

The UK and the US announced an agreement on 8 May that UK ministers say will reduce these tariffs to 0% - which Starmer highlighted.

However, the agreement is not yet in effect, meaning that, until it is, relevant UK exports will continue to be subject to a lower 25% tariff - as Badenoch pointed out. And, if the US deems the UK not to have complied with its own side of the deal, that could rise to 50%.

Exports of UK steel and aluminium to the US last year - along with products made from these materials such as gym equipment - added up to an estimated £2.6bn ($3.6bn).

One of the central topics during today's PMQs was the winter fuel payment - the questions come ahead of next week's Spending Review, when we might expect more details on exactly who will be eligible to receive the payment this year.

For now, here's a reminder of some of the government's movement on this since coming into office.

• July 2024: Announcement that around 10 million pensioners in England and Wales will lose their winter fuel payments
• September 2024: Campaign launched encouraging those eligible to claim pension credit in a bid to minimise impact for those losing the winter fuel payment
• December 2024: Government faced calls for extension to deadline to access winter fuel payments
• May 2025: Starmer announced plans to ease cuts to winter fuel payments at PMQs
• June 2025: Chancellor confirmed more people will receive the payment this year
• Later this month: Further details on who will be eligible to receive the payment are expected in the Spending Review

Image source, House of Commons

During PMQs, Starmer repeatedly referenced the war in Ukraine and comments Kemi Badenoch has made about Russia.

He said she has been praised by the Russian embassy and accuses her of "echoing" Kremlin talking points.

What are those talking points?

"Israel is fighting a proxy war on behalf of the UK, just like Ukraine is on behalf of western Europe against Russia," the Conservative leader told Sky News at the end of May.

The Russian embassy said at the time that Badenoch has "finally called a spade a spade".

A proxy war is one supported by major powers which don't themselves engage in combat. The embassy agreed with Badenoch - in a post on X it added: "Ukraine is indeed fighting a proxy-war against Russia on behalf of Western interests."

Claims exchanged about the '£22bn black hole'published at 13:04 British Summer Time 4 June

13:04 BST 4 June

By Anthony Reuben

Defending the government’s decision last July to means-test winter fuel payments, Keir Starmer raised the ”£22bn black hole” that he has repeatedly claimed the Conservatives had left in the public finances when Labour took office.

Kemi Badenoch responded that the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) "said there was no such black hole”.

The OBR - which monitors the public finances - published a report in October 2024, external examining whether it had been told about key information about spending pressures while preparing its independent forecasts for the Conservative government’s March 2024 Budget.

It came up with a shortfall of £9.5bn - not £22bn - saying if it had known about it they "would have had a materially different view about the level of public spending this year".

• Back in October, BBC Verify looked at Labour’s black hole claim and how it came up with the £22bn figure

Sam Hancock
Live reporter

Image source, PA Media

A fiery head-to-head between Keir Starmer and Kemi Badenoch has come to an end - here are the key lines:

• Badenoch told Starmer his government was unleashing "chaos, chaos, chaos" on the country - using the U-turn on winter fuel cuts and lack of clarity around the two-child benefit cap as examples
• Starmer said the winter fuel policy was necessary to stabilise the economy after the Tories left a "£22bn black hole" in the public's finances - he added his ministers are looking at pensioners' eligibility for winter fuel payments
• A claim from Badenoch that the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) has since said there was no such black hole is being checked by our BBC Verify colleagues - we'll bring you more on that when we have it
• On the two-child benefit cap, which restricts child tax credit and universal credit to the first two children in most households, Starmer said his government was fighting to drive down child poverty - Badenoch said uncertainty is being "felt in the economy"
• The exchange finished with Badenoch listing things she said proved senior ministers were feeling Starmer's "chaos" - the OECD downgrading growth, policy U-turns, and US tariffs
• But Starmer said the UK is now the "only country in the world that isn't paying the US's 50% tariff on steel" and suggested Badenoch's preparation for PMQs consisted off "scrolling through social media"

That's a wrap on today's Prime Minister's Questions.

The discussions in the House of Commons today focused on the economy - with multiple accusations fired at Starmer of "U-turns" and "chaos".

Stay with us a little longer while we bring you a bit more analysis on what we've heard today.

Joshua Nevett
Political reporter, reporting from the Commons

The Conservatives are hitting back after Starmer quoted Badenoch’s comments on Ukraine during PMQs.

A Conservative Party spokesman said it was “astonishing that at PMQs the Prime Minister read out a tweet ... designed to divide the western alliance on Ukraine.

"Is there any low to which Keir Starmer won’t sink to distract from his political problems?"

A reminder: earlier in PMQs, Starmer quoted Badenoch's comments to Sky News. She said "Israel is fighting a proxy war on behalf of the United Kingdom, just like Ukraine is on behalf of western Europe against Russia".

Starmer said the Russian embassy had said the leader of the opposition had "finally called a spade a spade".

Conservative MP Lincoln Jopp now asks the prime minister about the Spending Review due next week.

He asks Starmer to remind the chancellor of Margaret Thatcher's observation - that the trouble with socialism is you "eventually run out of other people's money to spend".

Starmer responds by making a jibe at former chancellor under Liz Truss, Kwasi Kwarteng.

He says the difference between Labour and the parties opposite is that Labour "believe[s] in properly costing our plans".

Joshua Nevett
Reporting from the Commons

Reform UK MP Sarah Pochin has asked the PM whether the UK government would follow some European countries in banning the burka.

The question prompts audible gasps from MPs.

“I’m not going to follow her down that line,” the PM replies.

He didn’t engage with the question further and instead criticised Reform’s economic policies and spending pledges, something we’ve heard from Starmer recently.

Steel a hot topic in today's PMQspublished at 12:29 British Summer Time 4 June

12:29 BST 4 June

Joshua Nevett
Reporting from the Commons

Steel is coming up quite a bit in this edition of PMQs.

Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey suggests the US is an unreliable partner with Donald Trump in the White House.

He queries why US tariffs on steel have not been eliminated, as agreed in the deal the UK struck with the Trump administration.

The PM says his government is backing British steel. But he doesn’t put a specific date on when the deal will come into effect.

“Let’s come back to this in a couple of weeks when it’s implemented,” Starmer says.

The prime minister is now asked about the steel industry in Wales. Labour MP Alex Barros-Curtis says the industry was "neglected" by the Tories.

He asks the PM to update them on how he will support steel workers in Wales and the UK.

Starmer says the UK is the "only country in the world" that isn't subject to the additional tariffs from the US and they are working "swiftly" to get a deal removing the remaining 25% tariffs.

"That is crucial for British jobs, we've fought tooth and nail for our steel industry," he says.

Ed Davey asks a second question now on Gaza, suggesting the US-Israeli aid programme is "clearly failing".

He asks Starmer whether he will push the UN Security Council for humanitarian corridors to get aid in.

Starmer offers assurance that the UK is "working at pace" with allies to get aid in.

Heckles and laughs in the Commons amid charges of 'chaos'published at 12:23 British Summer Time 4 June

12:23 BST 4 June

Chris Mason
Political editor

There were flashes of contempt in both directions from both the prime minister and the Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch in their exchanges today.

The riff of "chaos, chaos, chaos" from Badenoch, the body language of the PM as he listened to her critique.

There was some quick witted heckling from a Labour backbencher when Kemi Badenoch referred to Sir Keir Starmer’s "MPs behind him".

The heckler shouted: "There’s none behind you" to laughs from fellow Labour MPs.

Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey says he welcomes the change on winter fuel payments.

He then turns to Trump's steel and aluminium tariffs, and the US president's suggestion he could raise the levies on the UK in five weeks unless progress is made on the UK-US tariff deal.

"Does the prime minister share my fear that nothing will stop Trump messing the UK around short of bunging a few hundred million pounds into his Trump coin," a reference to a crypto endeavour launched by the Trumps.

Starmer says the deal is being implemented and "within a very short time" he is confident they will get tariffs down.

He turns to the Tories and says the party is laughing at attempts to back steel.

Badenoch says the prime minister is "disgraceful" for avoiding questions.

She gives examples of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) downgrading growth, the government's U-turns, tariffs from the US on steel and says the cabinet is "squabbling".

Is the root of the chaos from Starmer's decisions, she asks. The prime minister struggles to speak over the noise.

He says the UK is the only country in the world that isn't paying the 50% tariff on steel, and they are working on it to bring it down to 0%.

The speaker interrupts and tells the House to listen to the answer "even if you think you aren't getting one".

Badenoch opposes the US deal, the India deal, the EU deal and the Diego Garcia deal with the Chagos Islands and Mauritius, Starmer says.

He adds that we have "Reform presumably following Putin, and the Conservative's following Reform".

Opposition parties are interrogating Labour on tariffs and tradepublished at 12:18 British Summer Time 4 June

12:18 BST 4 June

Joshua Nevett
Reporting from the Commons

"Chaos, chaos, chaos."

That was Badenoch’s charge against the PM - and she referenced the UK’s deal with the US on trade as an example.

There was huge uncertainty and confusion over whether the UK would be spared from Donald Trump’s decision to double steel and aluminium tariffs to 50%.

Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds held last-minute talks with US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer in Paris yesterday, hours before the higher tariffs came into effect.

Ultimately, an exemption was granted.

But that’s not stopped opposition parties here in Westminster questioning why the tariffs on steel and aluminium have not been removed entirely, as the US said it would do as part of a deal struck three weeks ago.

UK steelmakers are continuing to pay 25% tariffs - and Badenoch is framing this as a negotiating failure on the part of the PM.