Starmer presses Sunak on Raab allegations at PMQs

1. At PMQs, Rishi Sunak faced questions about the alleged behaviour of senior Conservatives
2. Labour's Sir Keir Starmer accused him of being "too weak" to act over bullying allegations made against the deputy PM, Dominic Raab
3. Dave Penman, head of the FDA civil servants trade union, said earlier that Raab should be suspended from his ministerial post while he is being investigated
4. Sunak countered in the Commons by saying Starmer hadn't acted over the complaints of a Labour MP who said being in the party was like an "abusive relationship"
5. He also defended how he handled the Nadhim Zahawi tax affair, saying no issues had been raised when Zahawi was appointed to his cabinet
6. The Tory chairman was sacked on Sunday after an inquiry found he had broken the ministerial code
7. Raab, who is facing multiple complaints from civil servants who worked with him, denies allegations of bullying

Thank you and goodbye

We're now closing this page for today - thanks for following this week's PMQs along with us, and see you next time.

The page's writers were Sam Francis, Paul Seddon, Laura Gozzi, James Harness, Jamie Whitehead, Malu Cursino and Jasmine Andersson. It was edited by Andrew Humphrey and Jasmine Taylor-Coleman.

Recap: Today's PMQs

That's all for this week's session of Prime Minister's Questions. Here's what happened:

• Keir Starmer accused Rishi Sunak of being "too weak" to act over bullying allegations against deputy PM Dominic Raab, which are subject to an ongoing investigation and which Raab denies
• The prime minister defended his handling of the allegations, saying he had taken action "when I was made aware of former complaints" by ordering the inquiry
• Labour leader Starmer also accused Sunak of being "incurious" over Nadhim Zahawi's tax affairs. Sunak rejected this, saying he had been following due process by ordering the separate probe into him
• Sunak was also pressed about energy firms putting people on prepayment meters, ongoing Brexit talks over Northern Ireland, and ambulance waiting times

PMQs in 81 seconds: Starmer and Sunak clash over bullying allegations

'Suspending Raab would protect current employees' - civil service union leader

EPA

Earlier we told you FDA general secretary Dave Penman has said deputy prime minister Dominic Raab should be suspended while he is being investigated over bullying claims.

So what did the civil service union leader say?

"If that was any other employee… they would in all likelihood be suspended from their job"

Penman added that suspending Raab would "help to protect current employees" and criticised former cabinet minister Jacob Rees-Mogg for "trivialising bullying that we know has ruined lives and careers".

Both Labour and the Liberal Democrats have backed the call to suspend Raab, but Rishi Sunak says he will wait for the outcome of the inquiry before taking any action.

Raab has denied bullying civil servants, you can read more here

Low growth for 13 years?

Following on from SNP leader Stephen Flynn's comment at PMQs that the UK is being hit with a Brexit deficit of £100bn each year, the Politics Live panel have been addressing the UK's economic performance.

Labour MP Thangam Debbonaire echoes concerns about the UK experiencing "low growth" for the last 13 years.

"If the economy had continued to grow under Labour for that time, research shows we'd be £33bn better off," she says.

But the Conservatives' Claire Coutinho says that economists can't just "cherry pick" a year to analyse.

"Over the last 10 years, we’ve been one of the fastest growing economies, performing well in the last year due to the vaccine rollout.

"We have to look at a longer picture."

Whelan: Railway strikes will go on for as long as members want

BBC

Over on Politics Live, leader of the train drivers' union Aslef, Mick Whelan, was asked whether trains will "go back to normal" anytime soon.

He said that the government has been "operating in bad faith" and that talks will resume next week - but also that "we are further behind than we were 12 months ago" because of the actions of the employers and the government.

"This will go on until my members say they've had enough," he adds.

So that could be all year, he is told by presenter Jo Coburn.

"Well, I hope to retire in three years," Whelan says.

Make of that what you will.

Opposition steers clear of strike attacks

Damian Grammaticas

Political correspondent

On the biggest day of strikes in years not one opposition leader chose to raise the issue with the prime minister. Not Labour, the SNP or Green Party.

Labour clearly feels there is more mileage in trying to paint Mr Sunak as too weak to take action against ministers who face serious questions about their conduct.

There’s also the obvious response it would invite from Mr Sunak pointing out Labour’s links to the unions. So it was left to a Labour backbencher Mary Kelly Foy to ask whether Mr Sunak was “going to get a grip and negotiate,” or she suggested he would be remembered as “the PM who silenced and sacked hard-working” staff, referring to the government’s plan to enforce minimum service standards on strike days.

Rishi Sunak’s response was to point to the pay offer already made. So he came under little real pressure on the issue and there was no sign his government was prepared to move to try to resolve the strikes through negotiations. More disruption to come seems certain.

If you missed PMQs, here's Sunak v Starmer in full

WATCH: Sunak v Starmer - in full

'Wave after wave of illegal immigration'

Lastly, we heard from Sir John Hayes, Tory MP for South Holland and the Deepings.

Referring to the Brexit vote, he says the British public voted "to take back control of our borders," yet "we have faced wave after wave of illegal migration".

Sir John asks Sunak if he will "bring forward the necessary legislation to turn back the tide and fulfil the promise we made to the British people".

Sunak says he will introduce new legislation that "makes it unequivocally clear that if you arrive in this country illegally, you will not be able to stay, we will swiftly detain you and remove you to your own country, or a safe third alternative".

Don't compromise UK sovereignty, Tory MP urges

Amid reports that a Brexit deal on Northern Ireland is inching closer, Conservative MP Shailesh Vara asked the PM if he could guarantee the "sovereignty" of the UK will not be "compromised".

Rishi Sunak says he can give that assurance.

He says talks with the EU over post-Brexit rules, known as the protocol, have seen "constructive dialogue" - but Northern Ireland's place within the "precious" UK union must be protected.

'Shock' after 'horrific' dog attack

Milton Keynes MP Iain Stewart raised the "sense of shock and disbelief" in his constitutency after last night's dog attack which killed a four-year-old. He asks the PM to join him in sending condoleances to the family and community and to thank the emergency services.

Rishi Sunak agrees and sends his and the "condoleances of the whole house after this horrific incident".

Blackford returns - and asks PM about poverty

Parliament TV

There were some ironic cheers from Tory MPs as Ian Blackford, former SNP Wesmtinster leader, took to his feet to ask Rishi Sunak a question from the backbenches.

"He's back," one MP is overheard to say, before Blackford sarcastically thanked MPs for their "welcome".

For his question, he cites recent economic forecasts and says they show that "pushing people into poverty" is the "only thing the Tory party has been good at" in office.

With a smile, the prime minister replied that it was "lovely to see him in his place". He says that the government is delivering for people and that poverty today is lower than when the Tories took office.

Sunak would 'be delighted' to meet 3 Dads Walking group

Conservative MP Neil Hudson asked Sunak to meet his constituents Andy Airey, Mike Palmer and Tim Owen - who are known as 3 Dads Walking – who are campaigning for suicide awareness lessons to be mandatory in schools after each losing a daughter to suicide.

Sunak pays tribute to the dads and says he would be “delighted to meet” them to “discuss what more we can do”.

Our children's education is precious - Sunak

PMQs has now ended but we'll continue bringing you some of the questions MPs have been putting to Sunak - including from the Labour MP for the City of Durham, Mary Kelly Foy.

"Tory Britain isn't working," Foy tells Sunak. She asks him if he wants to be remembered as the PM who silenced and sacked hard working nurses, paramedics, teachers and firefighters in a cost of living crisis.

Sunak says: "When it comes to teachers, we've actually given teachers the highest pay rise in 30 years," calling it "a record investment" in their training and investment.

Sunak calls on the Labour Party to condemn those taking strike action today. Adding "our children's education is precious and they deserve to be in school today being taught".

WATCH: Labour should say strikes are wrong and back children - PM

No strike talk from Labour leader - instead a focus on cabinet controversies

Damian Grammaticas

Political correspondent

Ethics and Rishi Sunak’s leadership were the focus of Sir Keir Starmer’s attacks.

Strikingly there was no strike talk from the Labour leader. Instead he sought to focus attention on how much Rishi Sunak did know, or should have known, before he appointed both Nadhim Zahawi and Dominic Raab to his cabinet.

Labour is trying to build a narrative that Sunak is “weak” and ineffective. What was noticeable was that Sunak read his carefully worded responses - that he took action as soon as he was aware of “new information” - and that he then tried to turn the tables with political attacks on the Labour leader, for his links to Jeremy Corbyn and repeating criticism of Labour voiced by one of its MPs, Rosie Duffield.

It was Sunak who raised the issue of strikes and Labour’s links to the unions. The Labour leader’s reply was that seeking to blame his party for strikes after 13 years of Conservative government was “rank pathetic”.

'Comprehensive plan on ambulance waiting times was produced on Monday'

Hornsey and Wood Green MP Catherine West addresses ambulance waiting times, saying that on Monday the PM said he "had his fingers crossed that waiting times would be reduced". Does he think that is enough?

Sunak responds that a "comprehensive plan" for this was produced on Monday.

"It was warmly welcomed by people in the sector who agreed the plan will deliver" he says.

'Why did PM chose to ignore reports on Zahawi's tax affairs?'

Labour MP Andrew Gwyne asks the prime minister why he chose to ignore reports about the tax affairs of the former Conservative Party Chairman, Nadhim Zahawi.

Sunak says he appointed an independent adviser to look into the case, that's the process he was advised to do, and that's the advice he followed.

All-Party Parliamentary Group on pre-payment meters launched

SNP MP Anne McClaughlin tells the chamber this morning she has launched an All-Party Parliamentary Group on pre-payment meters.

Those on pre-payment meters “pay more per unit of energy than the prime minster does,” but face automatic disconnection of their power supply “the second they run out of money”, she says.

Sunak says he does “recognise the challenges facing those on pre-payment meters”. He adds that the business secretary is speaking to energy suppliers “to make sure they treat customers with respect”.

Ofgem is also reviewing company practices around prepayment meters, he adds.

Should there be a new bill on air pollution?

Green Party leader Caroline Lucas is asking the prime minister what his plans are to ensure the safeguarding of those negatively affected by air pollution.

Lucas discusses Ella Roberta, who was the first to have air pollution listed on her death certificate. She asks if Prime Minister Rishi Sunak will agree to meet to discuss a new bill.

Sunak says it is obviously very sad to hear the case Lucas highlighted, he says the measures put in place by his government are not only legally binding but world leading.

Sunak says he will ensure there is accountability going forwards.

'Should NHS trusts be transparent about failings?'

Wantage and Didcot MP David Johnston tells the PM about the daughter of one of his constituents who died shortly after being born which led to Nottingham University Hospital Trust being fined.

Does the PM agree this is a watershed moment and that when things go wrong "NHS trusts should be transparent about their failings"?

Sunak says he wants to make sure the NHS is the safest place in the world to give birth and that "more must be done".

The Nottingham Hospital Trust is receiving specialised advice to improve its maternity unit, as well as extra funding to make the improvements.

Inflation has caused prices to rise, not Brexit - Sunak

PA Media

When asked about the effects of Brexit by Stephen Flynn, Sunak says: "The number one factor that is affecting people's living standards is inflation, caused by the war in Ukraine", not Brexit.

Sunak suggests the SNP leader should stop obesssing over Brexit and focus on the people of Scotland, saying his party is supporting families with energy prices.