Starmer focuses on Tory competence over immigration
Chris Mason
Political editor
The
focus between the prime minister and Labour leader was almost exclusively on the
issue of asylum.
From
the very outset of PMQs, the record of Home Secretary Suella Braverman was
central from the start.
As a
Labour backbencher accused her of breaking the law over the situation at the
processing centre for migrants in Manston in Kent, Mrs Braverman shook her head
vigorously and muttered that she didn’t break the law.
The home secretary’s candour about illegal migration - saying it was "out of
control" - allowed Keir Starmer to base his questions on the theme of
Conservative competence - or perceived lack of it.
Rishi
Sunak had to acknowledge that small boat crossings were a "serious and
escalating problem".
His
responses to Sir Keir’s questions - for the second week in a row - sought to
bind the Conservatives together, pointing to the Labour’s voting record and
previous support for the former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn.
Bring in windfall tax or reinstate cap on bankers' bonuses, says Blackford
Ian Blackford's second question reiterates his first about whether the prime minister will protect those in need by increasing benefits and maintaining the triple lock on pensions.
The SNP MP suggests Rishi Sunak could bring in a windfall tax or reinstate the cap on bankers' bonuses.
Sunak replies that he introduced a new levy on oil and gas companies, but again does not answer about pensions and benefits.
The PM does say that North Sea oil firms play an important role in transition to net zero pledges and the government will support them.
Sunak doesn't commit on benefit rises
BBCCopyright: BBC
The SNP's Westminster leader Ian Blackford asks the prime minister if he will raise benefits and pensions in line with inflation. He said people "don't need more spin about compassionate conservatism" but instead need "a straight answer to a simple question".
Sunak says he can't comment on specific fiscal decisions before the Chancellor's autumn statement, but added all decisions made by him as prime minister would have "fairness and compassion" at the heart.
Post update
Sunak replies that Starmer "rightly raised the topic of national security", using the statement to attack him for his support of Jeremy Corbyn in 2019.
He says the former Labour leader wanted to cut the UK's nuclear deterrent and leave Nato, and accuses Corbyn of befriending Hamas and other terror groups.
Sunak says Starmer may want to forget this, but "we will remind him every week".
Post update
Starmer says the prime minister made a "grubby deal" to reappoint Suella Braverman as home secretary "so he could dodge an election".
He accuses her of breaking the ministerial code, losing control of a refugee
centre, and "putting our security at risk".
Why doesn't Sunak get "a proper home secretary", scrap the "gimmick" of plans to send some asylum seekers to Rwanda, end small boat crossings and agree an international deal on refugees, he asks.
Post update
Sunak doesn't answer regarding whether Suella Braverman received legal advice on what to do with problems at Manston migrant processing centre.
But, he says, Braverman has pledged new hotels, thousands more beds and has increased staffing at Manston to tackle the problem
Sunak says there is a serious and escalating issue, but the home secretary is taking significant steps to get to grips with the system.
Post update
Starmer counters that just 4% of people arriving in the UK via small boats last year have had their asylum claim processed.
According to the bookies, Suella Braverman has a better chance of becoming the next Tory leader than she does of "processing an asylum claim in a year", he jokes.
Four thousand people are crammed in at the Manston processing centre and diseases are breaking out, Starmer adds.
Finally, he asks: "Did the home secretary receive legal advice that she should move people out? Yes or no?"
Post update
Sunak says not enough claims have been dealt with and again goes after Starmer's record on immigration.
He says if Starmer was serious about tackling the issue he would agree they need to deal with spurious asylum claims.
Post update
Starmer accuses the prime minister of blaming others for issues with the asylum system.
"So much for the new age of accountability," he adds.
"Of all the people who arrived in small boats last year how many asylum claims have been processed?" he asks.
Post update
Sunak points to the shadow home secretary, Yvette Cooper, being unable to answer a question on how to tackle migration.
Post update
BBCCopyright: BBC
Back to Keir Starmer now, who's asking his third question.
He says Sunak claims he has a plan, "let's have a look at that", he adds.
Focusing on the Rwanda policy, he says the cost to taxpayers is £140m and that no-one has actually been deported yet.
The deal "isn't working", Sir Keir adds. "He hasn't got a grip."
Post update
BBCCopyright: BBC
Sunak replies that people rightly want to see the government getting a grip over migration.
He says Starmer voted against the nationality and border bills, the Rwanda policy and to end the free movement of people from Europe.
Sunak adds that not only do Labour not have a plan, they have voted against every single measure to solve the problem.
Post update
Starmer responds by saying "no-one wants open borders" on his side of the Commons, accusing the Conservatives of losing control of the borders.
He points out the Conservatives have been in power for 12 years and says Sunak is trying to "pass the blame".
"How can it be anyone's fault but theirs?" he asks.
Post update
Rishi Sunak hits back at Sir Keir Starmer's first question on the asylum system being broken.
The prime minister points to the Tory Party delivering a Brexit referendum and ending the free movement of people from the European Union.
Post update
Keir Starmer asks PM Rishi Sunak his first question.
It's on immigration.
The Labour leader says Sunak's own home secretary says the asylum system is broken.
"Who broke it?" he asks, to loud cheers from his benches.
Post update
In the wake of criticisms of Home Secretary Suella Braverman this week, Labour MP Dame Meg Hillier asks what she needs to do to get the sack.
She says PM Sunak promised professionalism and accountabiltiy in government but Braverman has "overseen chaos" in the Home Office, allegedly broken the law and leaked information.
Rishi Sunak says she made errors of judgement, recognised mistakes and took accountability. He said she had set out the full sequence of events and was now getting on with the job.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is on his feet and at the dispatch box, as PMQs gets under way.
Why are MPs wearing wheat in the Commons?
Chris Mason
Political editor
Lots
of MPs have bits of wheat pinned to their clothes today for PMQs.
It
is to mark Back British Farming Day, an idea talked up by the National Farmers' Union.
I am
told the ‘wheatsheaf pin badge’ is made of wheat from Shropshire and wool from
Devon’s Blue Face Leicester sheep.
PMQs due to start shortly
PMQs will be starting shortly - stay with us for live updates.
Migrant centre and COP27 to take centre stage
Chris Mason
Political editor
Rishi Sunak’s second outing at Prime Minister’s Questions is
imminent.
Last week lots of the focus was on the then newly
reappointed Home Secretary Suella Braverman.
And here’s the thing – it will be again, I suspect, albeit
taking in the big political news of the last week, on her beat: asylum.
Expect a big focus from Labour to be on government
competence, or the perceived lack of it, over what has been happening in
Manston in Kent.
The processing centre there for migrants has been struggling
to cope with the numbers of people it has been dealing with.
One other thing to listen out for is climate change – and
the prime minister’s decision to change his mind and head to the COP27 climate
summit in Egypt next week after all.
As we wait for PMQs, it is questions about climate change
that are being answered in the Commons by the new Environment Secretary Therese
Coffey.
Live Reporting
Edited by Jasmine Taylor-Coleman
All times stated are UK
Get involved
Starmer focuses on Tory competence over immigration
Chris Mason
Political editor
The focus between the prime minister and Labour leader was almost exclusively on the issue of asylum.
From the very outset of PMQs, the record of Home Secretary Suella Braverman was central from the start.
As a Labour backbencher accused her of breaking the law over the situation at the processing centre for migrants in Manston in Kent, Mrs Braverman shook her head vigorously and muttered that she didn’t break the law.
The home secretary’s candour about illegal migration - saying it was "out of control" - allowed Keir Starmer to base his questions on the theme of Conservative competence - or perceived lack of it.
Rishi Sunak had to acknowledge that small boat crossings were a "serious and escalating problem".
His responses to Sir Keir’s questions - for the second week in a row - sought to bind the Conservatives together, pointing to the Labour’s voting record and previous support for the former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn.
Bring in windfall tax or reinstate cap on bankers' bonuses, says Blackford
Ian Blackford's second question reiterates his first about whether the prime minister will protect those in need by increasing benefits and maintaining the triple lock on pensions.
The SNP MP suggests Rishi Sunak could bring in a windfall tax or reinstate the cap on bankers' bonuses.
Sunak replies that he introduced a new levy on oil and gas companies, but again does not answer about pensions and benefits.
The PM does say that North Sea oil firms play an important role in transition to net zero pledges and the government will support them.
Sunak doesn't commit on benefit rises
The SNP's Westminster leader Ian Blackford asks the prime minister if he will raise benefits and pensions in line with inflation. He said people "don't need more spin about compassionate conservatism" but instead need "a straight answer to a simple question".
Sunak says he can't comment on specific fiscal decisions before the Chancellor's autumn statement, but added all decisions made by him as prime minister would have "fairness and compassion" at the heart.
Post update
Sunak replies that Starmer "rightly raised the topic of national security", using the statement to attack him for his support of Jeremy Corbyn in 2019.
He says the former Labour leader wanted to cut the UK's nuclear deterrent and leave Nato, and accuses Corbyn of befriending Hamas and other terror groups.
Sunak says Starmer may want to forget this, but "we will remind him every week".
Post update
Starmer says the prime minister made a "grubby deal" to reappoint Suella Braverman as home secretary "so he could dodge an election".
He accuses her of breaking the ministerial code, losing control of a refugee centre, and "putting our security at risk".
Why doesn't Sunak get "a proper home secretary", scrap the "gimmick" of plans to send some asylum seekers to Rwanda, end small boat crossings and agree an international deal on refugees, he asks.
Post update
Sunak doesn't answer regarding whether Suella Braverman received legal advice on what to do with problems at Manston migrant processing centre.
But, he says, Braverman has pledged new hotels, thousands more beds and has increased staffing at Manston to tackle the problem
Sunak says there is a serious and escalating issue, but the home secretary is taking significant steps to get to grips with the system.
Post update
Starmer counters that just 4% of people arriving in the UK via small boats last year have had their asylum claim processed.
According to the bookies, Suella Braverman has a better chance of becoming the next Tory leader than she does of "processing an asylum claim in a year", he jokes.
Four thousand people are crammed in at the Manston processing centre and diseases are breaking out, Starmer adds.
Finally, he asks: "Did the home secretary receive legal advice that she should move people out? Yes or no?"
Post update
Sunak says not enough claims have been dealt with and again goes after Starmer's record on immigration.
He says if Starmer was serious about tackling the issue he would agree they need to deal with spurious asylum claims.
Post update
Starmer accuses the prime minister of blaming others for issues with the asylum system.
"So much for the new age of accountability," he adds.
"Of all the people who arrived in small boats last year how many asylum claims have been processed?" he asks.
Post update
Sunak points to the shadow home secretary, Yvette Cooper, being unable to answer a question on how to tackle migration.
Post update
Back to Keir Starmer now, who's asking his third question.
He says Sunak claims he has a plan, "let's have a look at that", he adds.
Focusing on the Rwanda policy, he says the cost to taxpayers is £140m and that no-one has actually been deported yet.
The deal "isn't working", Sir Keir adds. "He hasn't got a grip."
Post update
Sunak replies that people rightly want to see the government getting a grip over migration.
He says Starmer voted against the nationality and border bills, the Rwanda policy and to end the free movement of people from Europe.
Sunak adds that not only do Labour not have a plan, they have voted against every single measure to solve the problem.
Post update
Starmer responds by saying "no-one wants open borders" on his side of the Commons, accusing the Conservatives of losing control of the borders.
He points out the Conservatives have been in power for 12 years and says Sunak is trying to "pass the blame".
"How can it be anyone's fault but theirs?" he asks.
Post update
Rishi Sunak hits back at Sir Keir Starmer's first question on the asylum system being broken.
The prime minister points to the Tory Party delivering a Brexit referendum and ending the free movement of people from the European Union.
Post update
Keir Starmer asks PM Rishi Sunak his first question.
It's on immigration.
The Labour leader says Sunak's own home secretary says the asylum system is broken.
"Who broke it?" he asks, to loud cheers from his benches.
Post update
In the wake of criticisms of Home Secretary Suella Braverman this week, Labour MP Dame Meg Hillier asks what she needs to do to get the sack.
She says PM Sunak promised professionalism and accountabiltiy in government but Braverman has "overseen chaos" in the Home Office, allegedly broken the law and leaked information.
Rishi Sunak says she made errors of judgement, recognised mistakes and took accountability. He said she had set out the full sequence of events and was now getting on with the job.
Earlier this week Braverman admitted to sending government documents to her personal email address six times during her first stint as home secretary under Liz Truss. This is on top of the security breach that led to her resignation.
PM on his feet for PMQs
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is on his feet and at the dispatch box, as PMQs gets under way.
Why are MPs wearing wheat in the Commons?
Chris Mason
Political editor
Lots of MPs have bits of wheat pinned to their clothes today for PMQs.
It is to mark Back British Farming Day, an idea talked up by the National Farmers' Union.
I am told the ‘wheatsheaf pin badge’ is made of wheat from Shropshire and wool from Devon’s Blue Face Leicester sheep.
PMQs due to start shortly
PMQs will be starting shortly - stay with us for live updates.
Migrant centre and COP27 to take centre stage
Chris Mason
Political editor
Rishi Sunak’s second outing at Prime Minister’s Questions is imminent.
Last week lots of the focus was on the then newly reappointed Home Secretary Suella Braverman.
And here’s the thing – it will be again, I suspect, albeit taking in the big political news of the last week, on her beat: asylum.
Expect a big focus from Labour to be on government competence, or the perceived lack of it, over what has been happening in Manston in Kent.
The processing centre there for migrants has been struggling to cope with the numbers of people it has been dealing with.
One other thing to listen out for is climate change – and the prime minister’s decision to change his mind and head to the COP27 climate summit in Egypt next week after all.
As we wait for PMQs, it is questions about climate change that are being answered in the Commons by the new Environment Secretary Therese Coffey.