Summary

  • Boris Johnson has been pushed on problems with availability of coronavirus testing

  • Keir Starmer tells PM, the government has "lacked competence" over virus testing

  • The PM will hold a press conference at 16:00 BST with Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty and Chief Scientist Sir Patrick Vallance

  • Controversial Internal Markets Bill has been published

  • The bill would give minister powers to makes changes to the Brexit withdrawal agreement

  • The government's top lawyer Sir Jonathan Jones resigned on Tuesday over measures in the bill

  • Social gatherings in England will be restricted to six people from Monday due to concerns over a rise in coronavirus infections

  • Jonathan Bartley and Sian Berry have been re-elected as co-leaders of the Green party

Live Reporting

Gavin Stamp, Jennifer Scott and Kate Whannel

  1. Not so permanent secretaries

    WhitehallPA Media

    It wasn't just MPs who were upset about the UK Internal Market Bill being published today.

    On Tuesday, Sir Jonathan Jones, permanent secretary to the Government Legal Department, resigned over it.

    BBC political editor Laura Kuenssberg said Sir Jonathan believed the plans went too far in breaching the government's obligations under international law.

    She said: "It's another reminder that this administration relishes controversy.

    "And that it is willing to enrage opponents and push convention, if it means getting its desired result."

    Read more from Laura on the not so permanent secretaries here.

  2. Return of the Downing Street briefing

    PM press conference in Downing Street on 23 JuneReuters

    As we mentioned earlier, the prime minister will hold a press conference at 16:00 BST (15:00 GMT) this afternoon.

    He'll be flanked by his Chief Medical Officer Professor Chris Whitty and Chief Scientific Adviser Sir Patrick Vallance.

    A familiar line up from the height of the coronavirus outbreak.

    You can watch the briefing on BBC One and the BBC News channel.

  3. Rule changes and testing concerns

    Cases

    The headline news today is the change in rules for England over social gatherings - making it illegal for more than six people to meet from Monday.

    Health Secretary Matt Hancock told the BBC he hoped the measure would help prevent a second spike as cases across the country have risen sharply in the past week.

    But there have been questions about why the rules aren't coming into force for five days.

    And Labour leader Sir Keir - among others - has raised concerns about problems within the testing system.

    Expect these issues to surface during the PMQs exchnages.

  4. The post-Brexit battles commence

    Brexit: Lewis on breaking laws over post-Brexit plans

    Yes, your eyes did not deceive you this week - Brexit battles are back in the Commons with a vengeance.

    Remember, we have already left the EU (back in January) so the arguments have moved on.

    But this week the government revealed it would be introducing a bill that could alter the withdrawal agreement the UK agreed with the bloc - and one of its ministers said it would amount to "breaking international law".

    Sir Keir says the new bill, which is being published today, was "reopening old arguments that had been settled".

    But the government insisted it would only make "minor clarifications in extremely specific areas", especially in Northern Ireland.

    We wouldn't be surprised to see it raised at PMQs later.

  5. Barnier arrives in London

    Michel Barnier

    Michel Barnier at St Pancras station this morning

    Earlier this morning, the EU's chief Brexit negotiator, Michel Barnier, arrived in London as talks continue between the UK and EU on a future trade deal.

    Barnier is scheduled to hold face-to-face talks with the UK government's chief negotiator, Lord David Frost, on Thursday afternoon.

    The two men will have a lot to get through, after the PM said on Monday that a new trade deal must be done by 15 October - otherwise the UK will "move on".

  6. Welcome to the BBC Politics live page

    BBC Politics

    CommonsUK Parliament

    Good morning, and welcome to a cloudy Westminster for today's Prime Minister's Questions.

    Boris Johnson will face Sir Keir Starmer over the dispatch box at 12:00 BST (11:00 GMT) ahead of giving a press conference this afternoon.

    The hot topics for MPs today are sure to be coronavirus and Brexit.

    Stay with us for all the updates from the Commons.