Tory tensions continue despite relative stabilitypublished at 11:58 Greenwich Mean Time 30 November 2022

11:58 GMT 30 November 2022

Nick Eardley
Chief political correspondent

You might have noticed politics hasn't been as frantic in the past fortnight.

No 10 isn't in constant crisis mode. On the surface, government looks a lot more stable than it has been for much of the year.

But that doesn't mean there aren't tensions which could come up at PMQs.

Tory MPs are restless about issues like planning for housebuilding and permission for onshore wind farms. Legislation has been delayed while ministers seek a compromise with MPs.

There are also tensions over foreign policy on China - and some Conservatives are still unhappy at rising taxes.

With rows over pay, more and more strikes are being confirmed by the day too, putting more pressure on the government to find a solution

Is the government in control?

Does Rishi Sunak feel confident about his government's direction?

A few things to have in mind today. In calmer political times, PMQs can become all the more significant.

Image source, Reuters

We could see China coming up in the Commons today.

Rishi Sunak said this week that the so-called "golden era" of relations with China is over, as he vowed to "evolve" the UK's stance towards the country.

He used his first foreign policy speech to call the closer economic ties of the previous decade "naïve" and said the UK had to replace wishful thinking with "robust pragmatism" towards competitors.

But he warned against "Cold War rhetoric" and said that China's global significance could not be ignored.

Sunak has faced pressure from Tory backbenchers to toughen the UK's stance on China since he took over as prime minister.

His comments came after rare protests swept across China over the weekend against the country's strict Covid lockdown laws.

Police made several arrests, and a BBC journalist was detained while covering a protest in Shanghai on Sunday. He was beaten and kicked by the police during his arrest and held for several hours before being released.

We could expect some statements on that.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has left Downing Street and is en route to the House of Commons.

The PM will be taking questions from MPs at 12:00 GMT.

We'll be bringing you the latest updates, but you can also watch the debate live by clicking the play button at the top of this page.

Nick Eardley
Chief political correspondent

Former cabinet minister Jacob Rees-Mogg has suggested Rishi Sunak’s government lacks authority – but also that backbench rebellions against it are “ill-advised”.

On a podcast for ConservativeHome, external, the former cabinet minister said Tory MPs had to unite behind the PM if they wanted to win the next general election, “unless it is something that singularly disadvantages one’s own constituency”.

Faced with rebellions, in recent days ministers have been forced to delay plans to reform planning rules in England. The PM is also facing pressure from some in his party to lift a ban on onshore wind farms.

There has been criticism from some MPs too about increases in taxes and a tougher line on China.

Rees-Mogg, who quit the government when Sunak became PM, also suggested a lack of an electoral mandate was a problem.

“The mandate is important and the mandate was Boris’s. Therefore it’s hard to turn around and say you must vote for this because it was in the manifesto – when inconvenient bits of the manifesto have been jettisoned."

Image source, Getty Images

Huge numbers across the UK watched England’s comprehensive 3-0 victory over Wales in the World Cup last night, and the PM would’ve been one of them.

Before the match, Downing Street said that Rishi Sunak would be supporting England while also hoping that both teams can advance "as far as possible" in the competition.

Expect a similarly diplomatic response during PMQs with Wales crashing out of the tournament.

You can follow our live coverage of the World Cup, including reaction to England knocking Wales, by clicking here.

Image source, EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock

Ahead of PMQs, there is more evidence of a growing "winter of discontent" with crews at half of England's ambulance services voting to take strike action over pay.

Paramedics, call handlers and other staff backed a walkout at five of the 10 regional teams - the North East, the North West, Yorkshire, London and the South West. Their union, Unison, says action is likely before Christmas.

Unison is one of three unions that represent ambulance staff, and rules requiring emergency care to be provided mean the strike impact will be limited.

Industrial disputes are also hitting the private sector. Already taking action or planning to are:

• Train drivers and railway staff
• Nurses
• College lecturers
• Royal Mail workers
• Airline ground handlers
• Some Amazon workers
• Staff at brewers Greene King
• Some dock workers
• Teachers in Scotland
• Oil workers
• About 100,000 civil servants

Junior doctors, firefighters, and teachers in England are also deciding whether to take action.

Image source, ADAM VAUGHAN/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock

Foods prices have risen at a record rate in the year to November, with meat, eggs, dairy and coffee climbing particularly sharply, according to the British Retail Consortium (BRC).

It says food inflation hit 12.4%, up from 11.6% in October.

The rocketing cost of energy, animal feed and transport were behind the rise, it said.

The BRC's index showed that overall shop price annual inflation accelerated to 7.4% in November, up from 6.6% in October. This is the fastest rate since the index began in 2005.

It added that surging food prices were largely to blame, with fresh food prices up by 14.3%, compared with 13.3% in October.

These are troubling figures for any government to deal with, so we could see it raised at Prime Minister's Questions.

Image source, Getty Images

One topic that could come up again today is wind turbines.

The government is facing a rebellion from some of its own MPs who want to lift an effective ban on new onshore wind turbines in England.

Business Secretary Grant Shapps has been criticised for suggesting wind turbines are now "so big" they cannot be built on land.

But Friends of the Earth say this is "nonsense", and Greenpeace say onshore wind is "thriving".

Onshore wind is a cheap, renewable source of energy, but opponents say turbines are noisy and an eyesore.

PM Rishi Sunak has pledged to keep the effective ban on new onshore wind in England, which has been in place since 2015.

But more than 30 of his own MPs - including former prime ministers Boris Johnson and Liz Truss - have backed an amendment to the Levelling Up Bill which would overturn the ban.

Labour says it will support the amendment, increasing the chances of a government defeat.

Good morning.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak will face questions from MPs shortly as he gets ready to face Labour leader Keir Starmer at the despatch box.

We are expecting questions on diverse topics such as the Tory party's ban on onshore wind farms, food price inflation hitting a record high and Tory MP Jacob Rees-Mogg's comments on a podcast for the ConservativeHome website about Sunak's government lacking authority.

The session will, as ever, start at 12pm.

There'll be a live stream at the top of this page from the House of Commons so you can watch along and we'll bring you all the analysis and events as they happen.