Summary

  • Labour leader Keir Starmer has accused the PM of letting the Delta variant in by not toughening rules on travel from India sooner

  • The prime minister said the government took the "most drastic steps" to put India on the red list

  • The PM's former aide Dominic Cummings has released a highly critical Whatsapp messages about Matt Hancock which appear to have been written by Mr Johnson

  • Boris Johnson made a statement updating MPs on the outcomes from the G7 and Nato summits

  • MPs will hold a debate later on the government's plans to keep coronavirus restrictions in place until 19 July

  • On Monday, the prime minister announced that the final stage of easing lockdown restrictions in England would be delayed for four weeks

  1. That's all from uspublished at 14:24 British Summer Time 16 June 2021

    BBC Politics

    Thanks for following along with us this afternoon.

    The team with you today were Justin Parkinson, Paul Seddon, Richard Morris, and Sinead Wilson.

    Do join us again next week.

  2. Key points from the Commonspublished at 14:21 British Summer Time 16 June 2021

    As the PM's statement winds down, we're going to close our coverage from the Commons this afternoon.

    Here's a quick recap of the main points from this week's PMQs and the statement on the G7 and Nato summits

    • MPs paid tribute to MP Jo Cox on the fifth anniversary of her murder
    • Labour leader Keir Starmer asked the prime minister to explain the high UK rates of the Delta variant
    • He said the PM has "squandered" the UK's recovery by letting the new variant into the country from India - "it was the consequence of his indecision", he said.
    • Boris Johnson said Starmer was playing "Captain Hindsight".
    • Johnson said the UK "took the most drastic steps possible" to put India on the red list on April 23.
    • Johnson defended the traffic light system for foreign travel and insisted it will continue
    • SNP Westminster leader said the UK's trade deal with Australia has been "disastrous", and accused the government of "selling out" Scottish fishermen and farmers. Johnson said the deal is an "opportunity to turbocharge" exports
    • In his statement on the G7 and Nato summits the prime minister hailed the agreement by leaders to deliver a global vaccines programme, but he was challenged on commitments to cut carbon emissions, Brexit and cuts to overseas aid.
  3. When was the Delta variant identified?published at 14:18 British Summer Time 16 June 2021

    Reality Check

    At PMQs Labour leader Keir Starmer criticised the government over its border policy, arguing that adding India to the travel restrictions red list on 23 April 2020, had allowed the Delta variant (which was first identified in India) to spread in the UK.

    Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: “We put India on the red list on 23 April and the Delta variant was not so identified until 28 April.”

    Public Health England declared the Delta variant to be a “variant under investigation” on 28 April, categorising it as a “variant of concern” on 6 May.

    It’s worth noting that it had already been designated as a “variant of interest” by the World Health Organisation on 4 April, external.

    And it was first sequenced in the UK in the week beginning 8 March.

    You can read more here about the decision to add India to the red list on 23 April.

  4. Watch: Johnson and Starmer on foreign travel listpublished at 14:13 British Summer Time 16 June 2021

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  5. PMQs recap: Watch Johnson and Starmer on UK borderspublished at 14:12 British Summer Time 16 June 2021

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  6. Brexit 'sausage dispute' risks alienating trading partners - Labour MPpublished at 14:12 British Summer Time 16 June 2021

    Labour's Christian Matheson raises the so-called "sausage dispute" concerning Brexit customs checks in Northern Ireland.

    He says it shows "we are miles away" from free trade agreements outweighing the economic impact of Brexit and we risk alienating our biggest trading partners.

    The PM says we have a free trade deal with the EU.

    He says it is a "fantastic deal" and out trade with the US is "growing the whole time".

  7. Harper: Rule out restrictions in the Autumnpublished at 14:00 British Summer Time 16 June 2021

    Lockdown sceptic and Conservative MP, Mark Harper, says after we have vaccinated the world to protect people, we need to "learn to live with what will be an endemic virus".

    He asks if the PM shares his concerns about suggestions in government that restrictions could come back in the autumn as cases rise and he asks Mr Johnson to reassure people that will not happen?

    The prime minister says his objective is to go forward with the roadmap and "bring back the freedoms we love".

  8. MP calls for update on gender equality progresspublished at 13:54 British Summer Time 16 June 2021

    Conservative Laura Trott says she welcomes the PM's focus on gender equality at the G7 and says she notes Keir Starmer did not mention girls or women once in his opening statement.

    Can the PM come back to the House before 2026 she asks to reassure MPs that progress is being made when it comes to girls' education and ending violence against women.

    The PM says "of course" he will adding the project will be "scarcely off my lips"

  9. This will be China's century - Ellwoodpublished at 13:49 British Summer Time 16 June 2021

    Conservative Tobias Ellwood says the "rise of China" technologically means that "this will be their century".

    He says the actions that the UK decides to take in the next few years will "determine how the next few decades play out".

    Boris Johnson says it was "great to see a summit achieve so much".

  10. Multinationals tax deal 'a great step forward,' says PMpublished at 13:48 British Summer Time 16 June 2021

    Labour's Chi Onwurah says action on tackling tax avoidance from multinationals was "watered down" after Boris Johnson didn't back the original US proposal for a minimum 21% corporation tax rate.

    She says this would have provided an extra £15bn for the UK Treasury.

    The prime minister points out Labour opposed government plans to increase the UK's corporation tax rate from 19% to 25% from 2023 at this year's Budget.

    He says the deal leaders eventually agreed - to set a global minimum corporate tax rate of 15% - is a "great achievement" and a "great step forward".

  11. PM questioned on funding for girls' educationpublished at 13:42 British Summer Time 16 June 2021

    Labour MP Florence Eshalomi says girls' education is the best way to lift people out of poverty globally. She asks if there is a "gaping hole between" the prime ministers "words and actions".

    Boris Johnson says there was "massive, overwhelming support" for girls' education around the world at the G7.

    He adds that the UK is adding 15% more to education despite the cuts.

  12. We are going as fast as possible on vaccines, says Johnsonpublished at 13:30 British Summer Time 16 June 2021

    Labour's Hilary Benn asks where Boris Johnson thinks the necessary vaccines will come from to vaccinate the world.

    G7 leaders pledged last week to provide a billion doses between them in 2022, but the World Health Organization says 11 billion will be needed to vaccinate 70% of the world's population.

    Boris Johnson says it has only been "a few months" since the vaccines were invented, and countries are "going as fast we can".

    He adds that the G7 is committed to vaccinating the world by the end of next year.

  13. COP26: Commons should be consulted on climate commitments - Tory MPpublished at 13:29 British Summer Time 16 June 2021

    Conservative chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee Tom Tugendhat asks if the government will commit to informing MPs ahead of time of climate commitments made at the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow later this year.

    Boris Johnson says he will "do his best to oblige" what Mr Tugendhat is asking for, but he says his experience is that the House of Commons is not "a great negotiator".

  14. Carbis Bay is proud, MP tells Johnsonpublished at 13:25 British Summer Time 16 June 2021

    Conservative Derek Thomas, whose St Ives constituency covers Carbis Bay, where the G7 summit took place, calls it an "absolutely fantastic event". He adds that he and his constituents are "proud of the Carbis Bay declaration" that followed.

    The PM says the declaration is fundamental to dealing with the pandemic, setting out timetables for vaccine development.

  15. Did Nato summit discuss Russian energy reliance?published at 13:21 British Summer Time 16 June 2021

    Former Defence Secretary Liam Fox says the G7 "did Britain proud" and asks if the Nato summit discussed ways of combating the reliance on Russia for energy by several European countries.

    The PM says there was discussion on how Nato members could reach an end to the need for hydrocarbons for energy, irrespective of strategic needs.

  16. PM challenged on green commitments in G7 meetingpublished at 13:20 British Summer Time 16 June 2021

    Green MP Caroline Lucas says the failure of the G7 to stop investing in all fossil fuels speaks on the UK's "climate leadership".

    She asks if the UK will pursue a "global fossil fuel non-proliferation treaty" as is being called for by 101 Nobel Laureates.

    Boris Johnson says it was "groundbreaking" not to agree to any more overseas coal, and changes "can be done".

    In 2012, he says, 40% of UK power came from coal, it's now down to less than 2% and "falling the whole time".

  17. PM: Nato leaders think alliance will continue 'for decades to come'published at 13:18 British Summer Time 16 June 2021

    Conservative MP Greg Smith asks Boris Johnson whether he remains "utterly committed" to the Nato alliance after last week's summit.

    The prime minister replies Nato "has protected the world and particularity the European continent" for 72 years, and it was clear leaders thought it will "continue to do so for decades to come".

  18. PM questioned on Northern Ireland Protocolpublished at 13:14 British Summer Time 16 June 2021

    Conservative Sir Bernard Jenkin says that if peace and stability in Northern Ireland is being undermined by the NI Protocol, then it is obvious it should be re-examined.

    He asks the PM to consider a different policy.

    Boris Johnson says that peace and trade in accordance with the Good Friday Agreement "must be upheld".

    He says if this cannot be achieved, he will consider other options.

  19. Davey accuses PM of double standards on world stagepublished at 13:12 British Summer Time 16 June 2021

    Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey says the prime minister's approach of "do as I say, not as I do" on aid, democracy and funding global education is "ruinous" of the UK's reputation.

    Boris Johnson replies that the Conservatives have been able to do more good since being in power as a single party, rather than in coalition, "freed from the shackles of Lib Dem hypocrisy".

  20. UK is only country cutting aid during the pandemic - Mitchellpublished at 13:12 British Summer Time 16 June 2021

    Conservative former international development secretary Andrew Mitchell, says the UK is the only major nation which is cutting aid overseas during a pandemic, which will cost lives of women and children.

    Mitchell has been a vocal critic of the cuts.

    Boris Johnson says concerns about the aid cuts have not been raised by the recipients in any country which receives aid.

    He says the UK is still committing £10bn this year to supporting countries around the world.