Rishi Sunak clashes with Keir Starmer on Lee Anderson and antisemitism

1. Rishi Sunak has faced Keir Starmer at Prime Minister's Questions, days after the Conservatives removed the whip from Lee Anderson for comments about Sadiq Khan
2. Last week, Anderson said the London mayor was controlled by "Islamists" and then refused to apologise, prompting the party to suspend him
3. Sunak says when he learned about Anderson's comments, he suspended him "straight away"
4. And Sunak says when Starmer learned about "vile antisemitic remarks" from an ex-Labour candidate, he "personally backed him for days"
5. Labour withdrew its support for Azhar Ali - a candidate in this week's Rochdale by-election - for comments he made about Israel's war in Gaza and Jewish people in the media
6. Starmer says the Conservatives have "become the political wing of the Flat Earth Society"
7. He also asks if Sunak is happy for Liz Truss to remain a Tory, after she "remained silent as Tommy Robinson, that right-wing thug, was described as a hero" in the US

That's goodbye from the Commons, and goodbye from us

Emily Atkinson

Live reporter

That's a wrap on our PMQs coverage for another week.

But fear not - here are some links to our latest coverage on another busy week in politics:

• Click here for political editor Chris Mason's take on whether Speaker Sir Lindsey Hoyle can continue to command order following last week's Commons chaos
• And you can find all the reaction to Lee Anderson's "Islamists" comments here
• For those with a passion for political maths, check out our election poll tracker

This page was edited by Emma Owen and me. The writers were Jacqueline Howard, Kate Whannel, Doug Faulkner, Olivia Otigbah and Jake Lapham.

Thanks for joining us.

Watch: Sunak says UK has 'proud tradition of diversity'

Early in the debate, the Labour leader Sir Keir Stamer asked Rishi Sunak if he backed Liz Truss in calling on the Tories to welcome Nigel Farage back.

The prime minister said his party had a "proud tradition of diversity", including appointing the first female PM.

Watch his full response below:

Sunak says UK has 'proud tradition of diversity'

BBC Verify

Fact-checking PM's claim about NHS in Wales

Earlier on, the prime minister claimed that “the Labour-run Welsh NHS is performing the worst in the United Kingdom”.

You can find individual measures where Wales does have the worst figures. But you can also do that for each other nation. The prime minister didn’t say how he got to an overall assessment of “performance”.

And, of course, before we get into listing each nation’s figures, we need to say that they count waiting times differently.

The Office for National Statistics published an analysis today saying that ambulance response times “can’t be meaningfully compared” across the nations because the definitions and standards are so different.

But there are “broadly comparable” figures on A&E waits.

On that measure, Wales and England look to be running pretty neck and neck over the last few years, with Scotland seeing fewer people waiting more four hours in A&E than either of them.

Wales does look to have more year-long waits to see a consultant than other UK nations, certainly than England.

The ONS pointed out that “differences in the age of each of the countries’ populations, which impact people’s health and result in different demands on the health service” will also have an effect.

Watch: SNP's Flynn asks if PM shares Biden's confidence on Gaza ceasefire

The question of whether or not the different parties support a ceasefire in Gaza has been a hot topic over the past week, with a heated debate in the Commons last Wednesday.

Today, the SNP's Westminster leader Stephen Flynn asked if Sunak shared the US president's "confidence" that there will be a ceasefire in the Israel-Gaza war by Monday.

The PM said any deal that would collapse within days was "not in anyone's interests" but the UK should be proud of the contribution of "life-saving aid" to Gaza.

You can watch the moment back here:

SNP's Flynn asks if PM shares Biden's confidence on Gaza ceasefire

Your PMQs digest

House of Commons

We bounced around a lot of topics in that session, so here's a quick round-up of what was discussed:

• Starmer did not hold back with criticisms of the perceived values of the Tory party - hitting out at the PM's management and discipline of members such as Lee Anderson and Liz Truss
• In response, Sunak levelled his own criticisms at former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn and disowned Rochdale candidate Azhar Ali
• The SNP continued its push for a vote to call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, to which Sunak refused to commit, saying the government would be supporting the US's draft resolution instead
• The prime minister was asked about the Post Office scandal, but would not comment on his confidence in the CEO, on the basis that an investigation was ongoing.
• In response to a later question, he said the government was committed to compensation for sub-postmasters
• Pushing back on criticisms over the government's lack of action on the infected blood scandal, Sunak said the government intended to speed up its response

Watch: Starmer says Tories are ‘political wing of flat earth society’

Let's take a look back at a moment from a little earlier when Sir Keir Starmer raised the suspension of former Conservative party deputy chairman Lee Anderson.

Rishi Sunak claimed the Labour leader was "sniping from the side lines", and that he was getting on with the job of "delivering people's priorities".

You can watch their exchange here:

Starmer: Tories are ‘political wing of flat earth society’

Sunak says he's committed to compensation for sub-postmasters

Just before PMQs ended, we heard one final question, again on the Post Office scandal.

This time, Sunak was asked by Labour's Dame Angela Eagle about business secretary Kemi Badenoch's activity on social media.

As a reminder, the sacked former chairman of the Post Office, Henry Staunton, claimed he was told to slow down compensation claims - something Badenoch rejects.

Sunak said Badenoch set out her position in parliament last week, and several other figures in the Post Office and the business department have refuted Staunton's claims too.

He finished by saying the government was committed to making sure "everybody gets the compensation that they deserve".

Mind you, some MPs won't mind the Speaker interrupting less...

Chris Mason

Political editor

A final thought - some backbenchers will much prefer a rowdier Commons where the Speaker doesn’t interrupt them.

Why? They can talk for longer and share clips of their questions, without the interruptions of Sir Lindsay Hoyle.

Sunak grilled over photos with farming campaign group

House of Commons

Labour MP for Cardiff North, Anna McMorrin, attacks the prime minister over his visit to a farmer's protest in Wales last week.

McMorrin says he posed for photographs with representatives of the No Farmers No Food campaign group, who she says are anti-net zero and have shared conspiracy theories about climate change action.

Does that mean the PM shares their views, McMorrin asks.

Sunak's reply is brief.

"That's no way to talk about the Welsh farming community," he says, to roars of jeers around the House.

Speaker concluded it was bettter to stay silent as he waits for row to blow over

Chris Mason

Political editor

Normally one of the most prominent voices at Prime Minister’s Questions is that of the Speaker. Today, not a bit of it.

Save for inviting each speaker to speak, he didn’t say a word.

His usual articulation of authority - telling MPs to quieten down, getting long winded MPs to wind up their question - simply didn’t happen.

There was a splash of gesticulation going on from him to try to bring a semblance of order. But it was hesitant, half-hearted.

What we have just witnessed is the evidence of a Speaker whose authority has cratered.

He has concluded – this week at least – that his command of the chamber is so weakened he is better off saying nothing.

Can the Speaker, by approaching proceedings humbly for a while, buy time while anger against him potentially dissipates?

Or will this be further proof to his critics, and those not yet convinced he should go, that his position is untenable?

And that's it - PMQs is over for another week.

But stick with us while we bring you those final exchanges between Sunak and some of the backbench MPs.

Why is UK only G7 nation in a recession, asks Labour MP

Labour's Sarah Owen, for Luton North, asks Sunak why the UK is the only G7 member that's in a recession.

"Perhaps she would like to explain to the country why it is that her party is stuck with a completely incoherent energy policy that will saddle working families with £28m of higher tax rises and higher energy bills," Sunak responds.

Does PM still have confidence in Post Office boss?

Labour's Kevan Jones asks if the government still has confidence in the Post Office boss, Nick Read, after it was revealed that he is under investigation.

Sunak replies that it would be inappropriate to comment while the investigation is taking place.

He adds that his focus is on working with the Post Office to deliver justice for the postmasters.

Government providing 'considerable support' with energy bills - PM

House of Commons

SNP MP Alison Thewliss asks about energy prices. She tells the Commons that one of her constituents is part of a heat network and has seen his bills "absolutely soar".

She says that in a letter to the Lords, the PM said his ambition was for price regulation to start in spring 2026.

"Is it his government's incompetence or Ofgem's lack of powers that are letting down constituents who can't afford to put on their heating this winter," she asks.

Sunak says standing charges are a matter for the regulator and adds that his government is providing "considerable support" to families across the country with their energy bills.

Where is government action on infected blood scandal?

Labour's Dame Diana Johnson is now up and asking about the contaminated blood scandal.

She's referring to the treatment disaster in the 1970s and 1980s, when people with haemophilia and other bleeding disorders were given blood infected with HIV and hepatitis viruses.

Johnson says its been 329 days since an inquiry into the scandal handed down its final recommendations on compensation to the government.

She asks why the government hasn't implemented any of its recommendations.

"I'm acutely aware of the strength of feeling on this issue," Sunak replies, adding the government has accepted the moral case for compensation.

He says the government took action in the House of Lords on Monday "with the intention of speeding up the implementation of our response" to the inquiry.

Sunak and Starmer both harness criticism of others

Henry Zeffman

Chief political correspondent

It’s been a difficult few days for Rishi Sunak, with Conservative MPs publicly divided on whether he was right to suspend the whip from Lee Anderson.

But at Prime Minister’s Questions today Sunak embraced the controversy, and even managed to harness it to unite his party in raucous cheering.

“When I learnt of something I didn’t agree with I suspended one of my MPs straight away,” Sunak said, as Anderson watched on from the far end of the chamber.

He contrasted that with Labour’s initial decision to defend Azhar Ali, their now-disowned candidate in tomorrow’s Rochdale by-election, concluding: “I act on my principles - he hasn’t got any.”

It was just one of several moments from both Sunak and Starmer, which made this a PMQs focused almost exclusively on things other people had said and done rather than the pair of leaders at the despatch box.

Sir Keir used strikingly punchy language about Liz Truss and other Conservative MPs - likening the Tory party to a “flat earth society” and accusing Truss of failing to condemn the “thug” Tommy Robinson.

Childcare reforms going ahead? Or 'broken promise'?

House of Commons

Tulip Siddiq, the Labour MP for Hampstead and Kilburn, brings up the Conservative's childcare reforms, which are due to be in place by April. She asks if this is going ahead, or if it's a broken promise.

In response, Sunak says the government is delivering on its promise of 30 hours of free childcare per week.

He then claims the Labour Welsh government has pocketed the funding instead of rolling out the reforms.

SNP asks: Will PM commit to ceasefire calls?

The SNP's Alyn Smith said last week MPs united behind calls for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.

If the PM won't commit the UK to that position, "isn't this place just a sick pantomime?" he asks.

Sunak says it is not right to call for an immediate ceasefire that would collapse instantly into more fighting.

He says the UK's efforts are targeted at achieving a lasting peace and that it seems progress had been made in the last few days.

PM attacks Welsh Labour government

House of Commons

Plaid Cymru's Liz Saville-Roberts says her party has signed up to Full Fact's pledge for an honest general election campaign.

She says there is evidence of "egregious, misleading campaigning" in Wales and elsewhere by the Conservatives in recent weeks.

"We all have a responsibility to campaign honestly," she says, asking if the PM will sign up to the pledge.

Sunak does not respond directly to her call and instead attacks Labour saying the "facts on the ground" are that the Labour-run Welsh NHS is performing the worst in the UK, small businesses are facing a "crippling rise in their business rates" and Welsh farmers are being "decimated" by the plans of the Welsh Labour government.

Sunak: UK at forefront of AI revolution

Conservative MP Jamie Wallis is now asking the prime minister about artificial intelligence (AI) and whether the government would consider licensing information that is being used for commercial gain.

In response, Sunak says the UK is at the "forefront of the AI revolution".

He goes onto say he'll arrange a meeting for Wallis and the minister responsible, to "discuss his proposals to ensure we can harness the opportunities of AI and protect ourselves against the risk that is poses".