Summary

  • The first Prime Minister's Questions since the General Election takes place

  • MPs pay tribute to ex-Lib Dem leader Charles Kennedy, who died aged 55 on Monday

  1. Labour has 'deep thinking' to do.published at 13:23

    The World at One
    BBC Radio 4

    Labour shadow frontbencher Gloria de Piero says the party is recovering from a "terrible" election defeat and has some "deep thinking" to do, but she pledges that it will hold the government to account.

    On the proposed welfare cuts, she says Labour wants to see the benefit bill fall but it is concerned that "the people had nothing to do with causing the financial crisis end up paying the price". Ms de Piero says tackling low pay needs to be a priority.

  2. Budget 'difficult decisions'published at 13:222

    The World at One
    BBC Radio 4

    Education Secretary Nicky Morgan says the PM has been clear there'll be no changes to child benefit during this Parliament. So where will the planned welfare cuts come from?

    Mrs Morgan says disabled people and the most vulnerable will be protected. "That means there are difficult decisions to be made and that's  what we're working on as a government at the moment," she says, adding that further details will be made available in the emergency Budget on 8 July.

  3. Nick Clegg tributepublished at 13:16

    Nick Clegg
    Quote Message

    Whether on Europe, or constitutional reform, or his arguments against nationalism and the politics of identity, or his lifelong belief in social justice, Charles had a gut instinct about the big challenges and the big choices we faced, not the daily twists and turns and sleights of hand that dominate so much of Westminster politics. He understood, above all, that politics is at its best when it speaks to people's values in their hearts, not just the dry policy debates of the head."

    Mr Clegg also recalled that Charles Kennedy was not a fan of the decision to go into coalition with the Conservatives:

    Quote Message

    A couple of years ago Charles and I found ourselves cowering under the shelter of a parasol on the terrace of the National Liberal Club in the pouring rain for what he called 'a wee bit of fresh air', a wonderfully inappropriate euphemism for a quick smoke. We talked at length about the difficulties the Liberal Democrats were facing within the coalition. It is a measure of the man that, though he was almost alone in our party in not supporting the decision to enter into coalition in May 2010, there was never a hint of reproach or 'I told you so' in the advice he gave to me in that and in other conversations.

    Mr Clegg, watched by a packed Commons, continued:

    Quote Message

    He remained unstintingly loyal, no matter what the circumstances and no matter how strong the temptation must have been to blow his own trumpet and say that events had proved him right. He was far too subtle for that. He had made his views clear at the outset but respected in good faith what his party colleagues were seeking to achieve in Government and provided support and advice every step of the way. Which is why it was no surprise when he said, after being challenged about his loyalties after the 2010 election: 'I will go out of this world feet first with my Lib Dem membership card in my pocket.' I am just devastated that it has happened so soon."

  4. 'A political giant'published at 13:05

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Angus Robertson

    The SNP's Westminster Leader in the Commons Angus Robertson shares his memories of Charles Kennedy, a "giant in UK politics, and Scottish politics".

    The SNP's Ian Blackwood won Mr Kennedy's seat of Ross, Skye & Lochaber in the previous election, and although Mr Robertson admits to being delighted with the SNP's victory, he says that he was "genuinely sad that he (Charles Kennedy) was no longer in parliament."

  5. Kenneth Clarke pays tributepublished at 12:58

    Kenneth Clarke

    Conservative veteran and long-time parliamentarian Kenneth Clarke is the next MP to praise Charles Kennedy's life and offer his condolences to Mr Kennedy's family. Mr Clarke was one of the Conservatives who voted against the Iraq War and would have been expecting to campaigning alongside Kennedy in the EU referendum.

  6. Parliamentary highlightspublished at 12:55

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Looking back over Charles Kennedy's career as an MP, Nick Clegg refers Mr Kennedy's leadership of the Liberal Democrats when he voiced strong opposition to the 2003 Iraq war, and voting against his party's decision to enter an alliance with the Conservatives in 2010. Clegg says Kennedy never once took the chance to say "I told you so" as the party's ratings slumped in the coalition.

  7. PMQs seating battlepublished at 12:54

    By BBC political correspondent Tim Reid

    Some nationalists are sitting in the Labour benches in the Commons. The SNP's Pete Wishart and Chris Law sat behind Harriet Harman, the acting leader during Prime Minister's questions and the tributes to Charles Kennedy. It follows a row over seating arrangements which is still not yet resolved.

  8. Nick Clegg pays his respectpublished at 12:52

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Nick Clegg

    Ex-Liberal Democrat Leader Leader Nick Clegg paya tribute to his former colleague Charles Kennedy.

    He was a "polar opposite of a cardboard cut out politician", says Nick Clegg, and to quote Mr Kennedy's own words, a "fully signed up member of the human race". "Charles had a gut instinct about the big challenges and choices we must face," he says, "and Mr Speaker he was funny, very funny".

  9. PMQs review: Human rightspublished at 12:48

    The Daily Politics

    More from BBC deputy political editor James Landale on the Human Rights Act. He says we are "a long away" from any showdown over the issue as he does not expect "early legislation" from the Conservatives on a British Bill of Rights. But he says there are enough Tory MPs opposed to leaving the European Convention for the government to be wary about the way they go about it. 

  10. Remembering Charlespublished at 12:46

    Harman

    Acting Labour Leader Harriet Harman is at the despatch box and says she remembers Charles Kennedy as the "golden boy from the highlands" and says it is "a tragedy that he died so young".

  11. PMQs review: Human rightspublished at 12:44

    The Daily Politics

    On the Daily Politics, Andrew Neil picks up on Andrew Mitchell's question on the future of the Human Rights Act and whether the UK could leave the European Convention on Human Rights. James Landale says the PM's response was very interesting, in that he reassured Mr Mitchell that leaving was not part of its current plans but that this could not be ruled out in the future if changes weren't made. This answer, James Landale adds, will upset human rights lawyers and campaigners and worry some Tory MPs but please others. 

  12. PMQs review: A 'bit rusty'published at 12:43

    The Daily Politics

    Reading out a selection of viewers' e-mails and texts, Jo Coburn says one Daily Politics viewer believed the exchanges showed the two leaders were a "bit rusty" after nearly two months away and needed a bit of practice to get back into the swing of things. They'll get plenty of practice over the coming weeks.

  13. Prime Ministerial praisepublished at 12:40

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Charles KennedyImage source, PA

    The Prime Minister starts the tributes to the late Charles Kennedy, calling him a man of "great principle and intellectual." 

    "He made friends, even with those who disagreed with him," he says. "And it is this warmth and good humour that he will be remembered most fondly."

    David Cameron ends, "he was the most human of politicians" and the "best that politics can be".

  14. Tributes to Charles Kennedy beginpublished at 12:36

    The Speaker moves the House on to the next business of the day: paying tribute to Charles Kennedy, former Leader of the Liberal Democrats who died on Monday.

    Speaker
  15. PMQs verdictpublished at 12:35

    Norman Smith
    Assistant political editor

    A stroll in the park for the PM today. He could bask in the gratitude of his backbenchers for winning the election. And he was ready with some prepared put-downs taunting Labour for being "enemies of aspiration".

    Difficult day at the office for Harriet Harman. She didn't manage to land any real blows on the PM over plans to cut benefits. She tried her best to fire up a disconsolate Labour Party but that's robably mission impossible at the moment.

    The SNP took advantage of their two questions to strike a sober and serious note on the plight of refugees in the Mediterranean and Syria. Their leader at Westminster, Angus Robertson, will be glad to have got off to a solid start.

  16. Libyapublished at 12:34

    Tory MP Daniel Kawczynski says the situation in Libya is getting worse by the day and urges the UK to work with countries such as Italy and Egypt to bring greater stability to the troubled country. The PM acknowledges Libya has problems and the focus should be on uniting different factions to ensure there is a functioning government. 

  17. Pic: Cameron responds to Harmanpublished at 12:33

    David Cameron
    Image caption,

    A new camera angle on the traditional weekly event, shows the way MPs crowd in for the event

  18. Benefitspublished at 12:31

    Labour's Stephen Timms urges the PM to rule out any cuts to disability benefits. Mr Cameron does not give a concrete pledge but says that the last government increased financial support for disabled people. 

  19. Wind farmspublished at 12:29

    David Cameron rules out any further subsidies for onshore wind farms in response to a question from Byron Davies. The PM is then quizzed by backbencher Peter Bone on his European negotiations. Mr Cameron says he wants Europe to be flexible enough so all members, inside and outside the eurozone, feel "comfortable" in the EU. 

  20. Power to peoplepublished at 12:32 British Summer Time 3 June 2015

    Taxpayers Alliance director tweets...