Heather Sharp
Live reporter

Phew. PMQs is always a hectic business and this time we've bounced from the evacuation of Brits from Sudan to railways in Wales, A&E in the Midlands and the history of slavery, plus drag queens and unicorn vapes.

Like last week, as our correspondent points out, Starmer and Sunak didn't miss opportunities to get a bit personal - having a pop at each other's personal financial affairs as well as their political records.

One topic that came up was the Illegal Migration Bill, which faces its final stages in the Commons later - Home Secretary Suella Braverman spoke to the BBC this morning, insisting the bill is compassionate despite criticism from Britain's rights watchdog. You can read more here.

You can also follow more on the crisis in Sudan in our live coverage here.

We'll be back for PMQs next week. It will be the day before the England's local elections on Thursday 4 May - the biggest test of political opinion in the nation ahead of the next general election.

You can read more about them here and on our Politics index here.

Today's coverage was written by Christy Cooney, Kate Whannel, Oliver Slow, Chas Geiger and Emaan Warraich. James Harness edited video. The page was edited by myself, Dulcie Lee and Jasmine Taylor-Coleman.

Image source, PA Media

Following his expulsion from the Conservative party, MP Andrew Bridgen has hit out at “corruption, collusion and cover-ups”, and said he intends to stand again at the next election.

"My expulsion from the Conservative Party under false pretences only confirms the culture of corruption, collusion and cover-ups which plagues our political system,” he said in a statement.

He said as a “vocal critic of the vaccine rollout”, the party has been sure “to make an example of me”.

"I am grateful for my newfound freedom and will continue to fight for justice for all those harmed, injured and bereaved due to governmental incompetence. I will continue to serve my constituents as I was elected to do and intend to stand again at the next election,” he said.

As we've reported, he was expelled for comparing Covid-19 vaccines to the Holocaust and was found to have breached lobbying rules.

Read more here.

Let's turn to other political news quickly, as we've heard the Conservatives have expelled MP Andrew Bridgen from the party after he compared Covid-19 vaccines to the Holocaust and was found to have breached lobbying rules.

The MP for North West Leicestershire had already lost the Tory Party whip, meaning he was sitting in the Commons as an independent.

If you missed the action, don't worry, you can catch up with Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer in full here:

Reality Check

Sir Keir Starmer, when describing what he called “13 years of economic failure” said that “real wages have fallen by £1,600 per household”.

We have asked Labour to show their workings but they have not yet replied.

So we can’t be sure exactly what he’s referring to, but it looks like it’s an assessment of living standards since they peaked before the pandemic, rather than since 2010.

Wages are higher than they were in 2010, external in “real” terms – that is after adjusting for rising prices.

And average household income is higher than it was in 2010, external even after you account for taxes, which is called “disposable income”.

But it is forecast to fall this year and next, external, down by about £1,500 from its pre-pandemic peak.

Much of that is caused by the rapid price rises we’ve been seeing since the end of the pandemic and during the war in Ukraine, but the government is also increasing its tax take.

Why no questions from Greens or Lib Dems at crucial time?published at 13:11 British Summer Time 26 April 2023

13:11 BST 26 April 2023

David Wallace Lockhart
Political correspondent

We heard from plenty of Labour, Conservative and SNP MPs today. But no Liberal Democrat and Green politicians were in the mix.

With local elections looming next week, and both the Lib Dems and Greens hoping to make gains, it would have been interesting to see what they would have pressed the prime minister on. It may very well have been the issues that are front and centre of their campaigns.

The Labour and SNP leaders get questions every week, but other MPs are selected by ballot. In reality this means the more MPs a party has, the more chance they have of being heard.

The Speaker can select additional MPs to ask questions (that’s why you’ll see them bobbing up and down trying to catch the speaker’s eye). Often he’ll opt for those who have significant events taking place in their constituencies, or perhaps MPs who’ve been campaigning on particular issues.

But no questions this week for the Lib Dems or the Greens (who only have one MP). There’s always next time.

• Labour leader Keir Starmer focused his attack on the government's handling of the cost of living crisis, blaming economic problems on "13 years of failure" by Conservative governments
• He also sought to brand the prime minister as out of touch, describing him as "insulated from reality", calling him "Mr 24 tax rises"
• Rishi Sunak said his government was on the side of working people, citing action on the national living wage and cost-of-living payments
• The two party leaders got personal over finance, with Starmer accusing Sunak of protecting non-dom tax status which the Labour leader said "helps his own finances", while Sunak hit back over Starmer's "special pensions scheme" - which relates to his time as Director of Public Prosecutions
• The SNP's Westminster leader Stephen Flynn asked about the government's migration plans - specifically whether a Sudanese child fleeing his country would be able to reach the UK via a safe and legal route
• Sunak responded that the government had prioritised vulnerable families for evacuation and invested £200m in humanitarian support in the country
• Backbench MPs questions covered Dominic Raab, vapes, drag story time events and Wrexham football club's promotion

A little earlier, the SNP's Westminster leader Stephen Flynn called for more help for children in the Sudan conflict, saying "we need more humanity".

Rishi Sunak replied that the UK government had invested £215m in Sudan in the last few years, and had a "proud record" of supporting those who need the UK's assistance.

Real test will come next week at the pollspublished at 12:43 British Summer Time 26 April 2023

12:43 BST 26 April 2023

David Wallace Lockhart
Political correspondent

From the cost of living to the housing of migrants, from vaping to slavery reparations, it was a varied PMQs if not a blockbuster session.

Labour continue to try to hold the prime minister to account when it comes to the economy (with the occasional reminder of his personal wealth).

The Conservatives are hitting back with warnings that Labour can’t be trusted with the national finances, and are out of touch on some social issues.

PMQs is important for keeping the morale of the troops up (in this case backbench MPs).

But the real test that’s looming for the party leaders is next week’s local elections, when the public will get a say on how they think they’re performing.

The SNP's Peter Grant says a senior MP was found guilty of being "persistently aggressive and intimidating" - a reference to former deputy PM Dominic Raab, who resigned last week after a report showed he bullied staff.

Grant adds that Conservative MPs then lined up to support Raab, and asks "what does this say about the prime minister's values?"

Sunak says that when formal complaints were made he commissioned an independent investigation.

He says due process was followed and action was taken.

And that's the final question, bringing PMQs to a close.

And we're on to football - Conservative MP for Wrexham Sarah Atherton highlights the fact that, after a 15-year break, Wrexham Football Club are back in the English Football League.

She says everyone at the club, including its loyal supporters and Hollywood star owners deserver congratulations - and Wrexham is "quickly becoming a jewel in the crown of the UK".

Sunak duly congratulates everyone at Wrexham, saying it has been an "incredible ride" and "we've all enjoyed watching them" - the club's renaissance has been the subject of a TV documentary series.

And he agrees Wrexham is "indeed a jewel in the crown".

PMQs has ended in the House of Commons but we'll continue to bring you the key lines from MPs and analysis of what's been happening.

Image source, House of Commons

The SNP's Angela Crawley says that every day she meets "constituents struggling to make ends meet" and that food banks are "barely managing to meet demand".

She adds that an expected rise in interest rates from the Bank of England will hit the poorest most. She asks whether the prime minister agrees with Bank of England chief economist Huw Pill, who said in a recent interview that people "need to accept" being poorer.

The prime minister says the government is "doing an enormous amount to support those who most need our help with the costs of living".

He cites the windfall tax on the profits of energy companies and money provided to help households with the costs of energy bills.

Conservative MP for Rugby Mark Pawsey raises the issue of access to emergency care. He says 80,000 people in his constituency now live more than 50 minutes drive from a major A&E unit.

He says the area needs an upgrade to its emergency care provision. Sunak says it's vital that people can access the NHS services they need, especially emergency care. He adds the government is investing more money in this area, and that these investments are driven by local authorities.

Labour MP Bell Ribeiro-Addy has asked if the government will commit to offering a full and meaningful apology for the UK's role in slavery and colonialism and commit to reparatory justice​.

Sunak responds that we should make sure we have an inclusive society which is tolerant of people from all backgrounds and "unpicking our history" is not the right way forward.

Labour's Vicky Foxcroft expresses sadness that at a time the country is "celebrating the lives of Lily Savage and Dame Edna Everage", campaign group Turning Point UK are planning to protest at a drag story time event in her constituency.

She says the events are friendly and inclusive and asks the PM to condemn Turning Point members.

Sunak replies he is not aware of the specific allegations but says "we should treat everyone with respect".

"When it comes to children it is important that the material children are shown in classrooms is sensitive and age appropriate," he adds.

Conservative MP Caroline Johnson raises the question of e-cigarettes, in particular the illegal selling of them to children.

She says brightly coloured vapes, with flavours including unicorn milkshake and bubble gum are being sold, making them attractive to children.

She calls for action to stop children becoming addicted to vapes.

Sunak commends her work in this area, and says he recognises the concerns she raises, including the environmental issues as well as the impact on children.

He says it's an issue his government is looking closely at.

Labour's Kerry McCarthy says figures from the Trussell Trust show that their food banks gave out a record number of meals over the past year.

She asks the prime minister whether he thinks it's "too much to ask" that people want to be able to feed their children.

He replies that "we absolutely don't want anyone to have to rely on a food bank" and that the government has put "substantial provisions in place", including for free school meals to help almost two million children.

Independent MP Rob Roberts raised his concerns about the proposal to host 400 single male migrants in his small village.

Sunak replied that it's not right that local communities are being used to such a degree.

Sunak confirms that Roberts will get a meeting with the immigration minister.

Plaid Cymru MP Liz Saville-Roberts says a train traveller wanting to go from South Wales to North Wales has to go through England.

She accuses the PM of depriving Wales of £6bn in rail funding, calling it the "Great Welsh train robbery".

Sunak replies that his government is investing "record sums" in communities in Wales through the levelling up fund.