Badenoch says growth is down and borrowing is up since the Budget, which was delivered in October.

The Tory leader says business confidence has been destroyed and asks Starmer whether he regrets raising taxes.

Starmer says the OBR will present a Spring Statement next week. He adds that Labour is having to fill a financial black hole, in reference to the previous Tory leadership before July's elections.

Henry Zeffman
Chief political correspondent

Kemi Badenoch is focusing on the economy at PMQs today - setting up the political tramlines before Rachel Reeves’s Spring Statement a week today.

Badenoch keeps calling it an "emergency budget". Treasury sources insist it’s not a Budget — emergency, mini or otherwise — because while we are expecting controversial spending cuts, including the welfare reforms announced yesterday, there will not be significant tax measures.

It is true, though, that initially the statement was meant to be an even more pared-back affair as part of Reeves’s commitment only to hold one major fiscal event a year.

But the rising cost of government borrowing over recent months made that unsustainable.

Brian Wheeler
Reporting from the House of Commons

It’s very nearly an all female line-up on the Labour frontbench today. Apart from the PM of course.

Rachel Reeves grins and shakes her head at Kemi Badenoch’s "emergency budget" jibe.

The government insists it’s a Spring Statement.

Image source, UK Parliament

Starmer responds, saying his government has "delivered record investment into this country" since the July elections. He says there have been three interest rate cuts in a row, and says that wages are going up faster than prices.

He says this has been made possible after eight months, adding that the Tories "crashed the economy, we're rebuilding Britain".

Image source, UK Parliament

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch kicks off this week's PMQs by saying the Chancellor, Rachel Reeves, claimed that her Autumn Budget was a once in Parliament reset and asks why there will be "an emergency budget" next week.

The "budget" in question is next week's Spring Statement.

Image source, UK Parliament

Brian Wheeler
Reporting from the House of Commons

Sir Ed Davey is the first leader to take his seat on the front bench this week.

He is followed a minute later by Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch.

And finally, the prime minister - to loud cheers from Labour MPs.

Why do they always leave it to the last minute?

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is on his feet at the despatch box as PMQs begins.

Our writers in the newsroom and House of Commons will bring you the exchanges line-by-line.

You can follow along by pressing the watch live button at the top of this page.

Image source, UK Parliament

It's been another busy week in Westminster and we'll soon hear MPs key questions to the PM. Before we do, here's what's been top of the agenda:

On the domestic front

• Welfare: The government outlined plans to reform welfare, saying changes will make "substantial" savings and encourage more people into work
• NHS England scrapped: The body which oversees the country's health service will be brought under government control as part of wider efforts to reduce bureaucracy
• Asylum backlog: New figures showed almost 42,000 asylum seekers are waiting for an appeal hearing after the Home Office rejected their initial claims
• Net zero: Badenoch said it is "impossible" for the UK to meet its net zero target by 2050 - a goal set by a previous Conservative government
• Economy: The UK economy shrank unexpectedly in January, in a blow to the government ahead of next week's Spring Statement

The global view

• Ukraine: Russia and Ukraine continued aerial strikes last night after a phone call between Trump and Putin on Tuesday, in which both sides were said to have agreed to stop targeting energy infrastructure
• Gaza: Israel carried out the largest aerial strike on the Gaza Strip since the ceasefire began on 19 January, after talks to extend a pause in the fighting failed to reach an agreement
• Trade turmoil: Trump threatened to escalate tariffs against the EU, and the new prime minister of Canada - which is caught in its own US trade dispute, and shares a head of state with the UK - said his country would never become part of the US

Image source, PA Media

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has left Number 10 and is on his way to the House of Commons for this week's Prime Minister's Questions.

We'll be bringing you the key lines as it unfolds, and you can also follow along by pressing watch live at the top of this page.

Image source, PA Media

There is a lot to unpack from yesterday’s announcement on changes to the benefits system. Here’s a quick reminder of the big changes:

• Stricter tests for Pips: The eligibility criteria for Personal Independence Payments (Pip) - a key disability benefit - would be tightened up from November 2026, potentially resulting in reduced payments for many
• Frequency of some assessments: Those with the most severe, long-term conditions would no longer face any reassessment to claim Pip
• Others fully scrapped: The work capability assessment that determines who is eligible for incapacity benefits would be ditched in 2028
• Incapacity benefit freeze: Incapacity benefits under universal credit would be frozen in cash terms for existing claimants at £97 per week from April next year
• Changes for under-22s: Those aged under 22 will no longer be able to claim the incapacity benefit top-up to universal credit under these proposals
• More incentives to work: Ministers say they will introduce legislation "as soon as possible" to guarantee that trying work will not lead to an automatic Pip or work capability reassessment

This is just a short overview of the major the changes - you can find more details of the key changes in this explainer.

Image source, EPA

Today we've been talking about this week's big story so far - the government’s overhaul to the welfare system.

Keir Starmer says the rising bill for sickness and disability is ‘devastating’ for the public finances and his government is bringing in changes to the welfare system to limit that spending.

Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall says the package is expected to save more than £5bn by the end of 2030.

Ministers say they’re aiming to encourage people who can to work, while protecting those who can’t.

It’s a move that’s been met with criticism from some Labour backbenchers, charities and unions who fear the changes could push more disabled people into poverty.

But some Conservatives argue it's not going far enough.

We'll walk you through the key changes and what people think about them in just a moment.

Ben Hatton
Live reporter

Image source, Reuters

Good morning and welcome to our weekly live coverage of Prime Minister's Questions.

Keir Starmer heads into this week's session with welfare reform front of mind, his government having laid out a raft of proposed changes only yesterday - more on that in a moment.

Westminster watchers will be reading the room for any signs of Labour dissent - some on Starmer's own benches have already voiced criticism.

On the international front, concerns are mounting over the situation in the Middle East after Israel restarted extensive air strikes in Gaza. And western military leaders will meet in London on Thursday to discuss how they could support any potential future peace deal in Ukraine.

As usual, Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch will be asking the PM six questions before the floor goes to other MPs.

Before it all kicks off, we will be bringing you up to speed on the key political stories of the week, plus our usual reaction and analysis once the session is over - so stay with us.