Summary

  • Prime Minister's Questions

  • Leaders clash over public sector pay

  • Corbyn says Tories 'floundering'

  • May says Labour would 'bankrupt UK'

  1. Watch: Key clips from PMQspublished at 15:21 British Summer Time 5 July 2017

    Media caption,

    Watch: Could this be Conservative James Duddridge's first tie-less question at PMQs?

    Media caption,

    Watch: SNP's Hannah Bardell and Theresa May on FGM deportation case

    Media caption,

    Watch: Speaker John Bercow on MPs' behaviour in Commons

    Media caption,

    Watch: Corbyn and May on wage levels and living standards

    That's all from our PMQs coverage for the day - but you can follow developments in the Commons and Lords - and the Westminster Hall debate on the changing state pension age for women - via our colleagues at BBC Parliament.

  2. Wednesday recappublished at 14:50 British Summer Time 5 July 2017

    No-one could blame you for not paying too close attention when you could be soaking up some sunshine or watching the tennis today - so here's a round-up of what's been going on...

  3. Watch: Minister close to tears during Grenfell statementpublished at 14:38 British Summer Time 5 July 2017

    Housing minister Alok Sharma was visibly moved while speaking in Parliament about the Grenfell fire.

    The MP had to pause on several occasions as he talked about the "harrowing" experiences of the victims and survivors. After he sat down, he was seen to wipe away a tear.

  4. 'Theresa May attempted to douse down expectation over public sector pay'published at 14:37 British Summer Time 5 July 2017

    BBC News Channel

    Norman Smith

    BBC assistant political editor Norman Smith said Theresa May came under pressure during Prime Minister's Questions over the public sector pay cap.

    He said there had been growing criticism from the "big beasts" of her Cabinet - Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson and Environment Secretary Michael Gove - that it could be eased without any tax rises.

    Mrs May had tried to "douse down" any momentum or expectation that there is going to be any "early give" on public sector pay, he said.

    Her message was the government needed to bring down the deficit, live within its means, because to do anything else would be "going down the road of Greece", he said.

    Norman Smith said it was striking the PM had echoed the words used by Chancellor Philip Hammond in his speech to the CBI, that he would push back on easing off austerity.

    He said she had told MPs there was a need to strike the right balance between taxpayers and public sector workers.

    A key development on public sector pay was that firefighters are to to get a rise of up to 3%, which Norman said would prompt other public sector unions to think 'why can't we have 3%?'.

  5. Listen: Grenfell crisis 'beyond competence of single borough'published at 14:25 British Summer Time 5 July 2017

    The World at One
    BBC Radio 4

    The leader of the opposition on Kensington & Chelsea Council has welcomed the introduction of a Grenfell 'taskforce' to take over housing.

    Robert Atkinson, who is the local Labour councillor for the ward containing Grenfell Tower, told Edward Stourton "this is a crisis which has gone beyond the competence of a single borough".

    Mr Atkinson said it was important to "move at the pace that the survivors want us to" but that it would be necessary to "buy additional properties very quickly".

    He added that the announcement regarding offers of houses felt like an attempt to "hurry the victims into making choices too early".

  6. Uncertain housing situation 'rectified' - ministerpublished at 14:25 British Summer Time 5 July 2017

    Grenfell Tower statement

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    BlackmanImage source, HoC

    The SNP's Kirsty Blackman raises concerns over families "not having security in emergency accommodation they're in" and not knowing if they'll need to move.

    The housing minister says: "I believe that has been rectified," acknowledging there had been problems with families being asked to move at short notice.

  7. Minister asks Labour to respect pace of Grenfell Tower recoverypublished at 14:14 British Summer Time 5 July 2017

    Grenfell Tower statement

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Responding to Labour's criticisms, Housing Minister Alok Sharma confirms the government is working to rehouse everyone.

    But he stresses it's "not up to anyone else to determine pace at which they should move", and that process must be led by survivors themselves.

  8. Minister 'sheds tear' during Grenfell statementpublished at 14:10 British Summer Time 5 July 2017

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  9. Labour: 'Whole families still in hostels' after Grenfell firepublished at 14:10 British Summer Time 5 July 2017

    Grenfell Tower statement

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Shadow housing secretary John Healey says the government must acknowledge it has been "slow to act".

    He tells the House "whole families who've lost everything are still in hotels and hostels" and claims only three have actually moved in to new homes.

    He says he wants the new taskforce to work but asks how it will be overseen given the ongoing issues of trust.

  10. Proposed firefighter pay rise defendedpublished at 14:08 British Summer Time 5 July 2017

    Norman Smith
    Assistant political editor

    Firefighter in central LondonImage source, Reuters

    The body responsible for awarding firefighters a potential 3% pay rise say they deserve the bigger increase.

    Nick Chard, a spokesman for the National Employers group, said the organisation shared the view of firefighters that they deserved to be paid more and that is why the settlement was twice as high as originally planned.

    Quote Message

    We are firmly committed to ensuring higher levels of pay for firefighters as soon as possible, in the context of agreeing a deal on a new pay framework, which recognises fire authority and community needs around greater flexibility, and our shared aspirations in terms of increased pay for firefighters."

    The decision to give fire fighters an increase above the 1% public sector pay cap seems certain to encourage other unions to press for similar increases.

    The Fire Brigades Union said an offer from employers worth 2% on basic pay this year and a potential 3% from April 2018 showed the pay cap was "dead in the water".

    Ministers say the fire fighters' deal does not amount to a breach of the pay cap as fire fighters are not covered by a pay review body.

  11. Minister: 139 Grenfell Tower families found new housingpublished at 14:08 British Summer Time 5 July 2017
    Breaking

    Grenfell Tower statement

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    SharmaImage source, HoC

    Housing Minister Alok Sharma is updating the Commons on matters surrounding the Grenfell Tower fire - which has led to a special taskforce being sent in to manage some of Kensington and Chelsea Council's responsibilities.

    He acknowledges the early response was "simply not good enough" but efforts to support survivors have been stepped up.

    He says every family "ready to talk" to the housing team has been found new accommodation, and this represents 139 families, while a further 19 are "reluctant" to take up offers of help for "understandable" reasons including trauma.

  12. No 10: Advice being sought on extremism reportpublished at 13:55 British Summer Time 5 July 2017

    Downing Street has been asked when the government will publish a Home Office report into the funding of extremist groups, commissioned by David Cameron in 2015.

    There is growing pressure from Labour and other opposition parties for the report to be released.

    They accuse ministers of "sitting on" the document amid speculation about what it has to say about the role of Saudi Arabia and other foreign governments although it is unclear whether the work has actually been completed.

    A No 10 spokesman said: "Ministers are considering the advice on what they are able to publish in relation to that report and will update Parliament again in due course."

    You can read more here

  13. MP warns on wider impact of public sector pay risespublished at 13:54 British Summer Time 5 July 2017

    Urgent question

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Conservative Bill Grant, who worked for the fire service in Scotland, asks if there's a risk that raising wages could cause a "spiral" in which inflation increases and properties are devalued.

    Liz Truss agrees: "We need to make sure any pay rises are sustainable."

  14. Baker: No need to 'reinvent' policy on Brexitpublished at 13:47 British Summer Time 5 July 2017

    Brexit minister Steve BakerImage source, Reuters

    Asked about divisions in cabinet over Brexit, Steve Baker suggests that some people in government want to use the election result as an opportunity to "reinvent" policy on leaving the EU.

    He says it would be a mistake to depart from the strategy that Theresa May set out in her Lancaster House speech.

    Any talk of becoming a member of the EEA - which would give the UK access to the single market but require it to accept limited freedom of movement and contribute to EU budgets - would in his words be "blood in the water".

    The UK cannot be a "rule taker" once it leaves the EU, he insists.

  15. Ex-MP: Nothing for young people from Toriespublished at 13:37 British Summer Time 5 July 2017

    The World at One
    BBC Radio 4

    Former Tory MP Ben Howlett, who lost his seat at the election, tells the BBC that the Conservatives need to have a "wider conversation" with young people if they are to trust the party.

    There was "literally nothing" in the party's manifesto for young people, he argues on World at One, in terms of job opportunities and the hope of eventually getting on the housing ladder.

    If his party simply thinks that reducing tuition fees will encourage young people to reconsider the party, then he says they are "missing the point" and much more profound thinking is needed.

    Steve Baker tells the same programme that he does not agree with what he labels Mr Howlett's "Keynesian" economic thinking.

    He says he has spoken to a lot of young people since becoming an MP and they tend to be "liberals of the old kind" - who believe in opportunity, freedom and the "joy that comes with fulfilling their own destiny" - the issue is how to make this a reality.

    He goes onto to say that ministers have heard loud and clear what the public is saying on the pay cap but that macroeconomic policy cannot be "made on the hoof at prime minister's questions".

  16. SNP compares pay cap to 'fair' rise in Scotlandpublished at 13:37 British Summer Time 5 July 2017

    Urgent question

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    GrayImage source, HoC

    A little earlier, the SNP's Neil Gray accused the government of "stonewalling" on this issue, contrasting it with "the fair pay rise in Scotland".

    Liz Truss reiterated the pay is reviewed by independent bodies and this is the "responsible approach".

  17. Government to do 'whatever necessary' over Grenfellpublished at 13:30 British Summer Time 5 July 2017

    BBC Radio 4

    The government is determined that Grenfell families don't have to move twice, Brexit minister Steve Baker tells the BBC, after it emerged that only 14 had accepted initial offers of rehousing.

    Speaking on the World at One, Mr Baker says the government is prepared to do "whatever is necessary" to ensure those whose homes were destroyed in the fire are found somewhere new to live and he does not rule out purchasing properties for the purpose.

    He rejects suggestions that survivors are being rushed into decisions about their future, saying that the government is determined to "move at the families' pace".

    For Labour, shadow health secretary Jonathan Ashworth says that Sir Martin Moore-Bick, the judge who is heading the public inquiry, needs to "build confidence" in the probe by taking on board the views and suggestions of those directly affected.

    Asked whether he agrees with criticism of the judge's background by some of his colleagues, Mr Ashworth demurs and says he is "politely" trying to make the point that he doesn't.

  18. Liz Truss: My pay has gone up and downpublished at 13:30 British Summer Time 5 July 2017

    Urgent question

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Labour's John Mann asks Liz Truss how much her pay and productivity has gone up since 2010, questioning whether the country can afford her.

    She tells him her salary has "gone up and down" but is set independently.

  19. Tory MP: Nurses' pay structure isn't workingpublished at 13:22 British Summer Time 5 July 2017

    Urgent question

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Conservative MP and former nurse Maria Caulfield says the system of increments for progressing nurses' pay differs between NHS trusts and the structure "isn't working".

    She says it's just as pressing an issue as the pay cap.

    The chief secretary to the Treasury acknowledges: "We need to reform public services and make sure people have chance to progress."

  20. PMQs recap: Jeremy Corbyn says government 'floundering' on pay cappublished at 13:19 British Summer Time 5 July 2017

    Jeremy Corbyn

    Jeremy Corbyn has accused the Conservatives of "flip flopping and floundering" over public sector pay.

    During PMQs, the Labour leader said that through the 1% pay cap the government was "recklessly exploiting the goodwill of public servants" and called for it to be scrapped.

    Theresa May said the government would study pay review recommendations "very carefully" when they are made.

    And she said Labour would "bankrupt our country" if Mr Corbyn became PM.

    Read more