UK politics - live: Rayner and Dowden clash at fiery PMQs as Sunak branded a ‘pint-sized loser’
Labour’s deputy leader uses session to tackle the government on its housing record, accusing ministers of delaying justice on no-fault evictions
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Angela Rayner branded Rishi Sunak a “pint-sized loser” during a fiery session of Prime Minister’s Questions on Wednesday.
Labour’s deputy leader used the session to tackle the government on its housing record, accusing ministers of delaying justice on no-fault evictions in the rented sector.
She also accused Oliver Dowden, the deputy prime minister, of having “stabbed” the Tories’ “biggest election winner” Boris Johnson in the back in order to get his “mate into No 10”.
“Has he finally realised that when he stabbed Boris Johnson in the back to get his mate into No 10 he was ditching their biggest election winner for a pint-sized loser?” she told MPs in the Commons, following reports that Mr Dowden was among senior Tories call for a summer election.
Elsewhere, the prime minister is on a visit to Germany. He held a joint press conference with chancellor Olfa Scholz, where he praised Germany for increasing defence spending.
Sunak ‘shocked’ at Wales stabbings
Rishi Sunak has said he was “shocked” at the news three people were stabbed at a school in Wales.
A teenage girl has been arrested of suspicion of attempted murder after two teachers and a teenage pupil were stabbed at Amman Valley School in Carmarthenshire earlier on Wednesday.
“Shocked at the news emerging from Ammanford today,” the prime minister wrote on X. “I want to thank the police and emergency services for their ongoing response and my thoughts are with all those affected.”
Bill amounts to indefinite delay to ban on no fault evictions - Caroline Lucas
The Renters (Reform) Bill “amounts to an indefinite delay to ban no fault evictions”, Green Party MP Caroline Lucas (Brighton, Pavilion) has said.
In his opening remarks, housing minister Jacob Young told the Commons: “The bill will abolish Section 21 and bring in new decency standards, giving England’s eleven million tenants more certainty of secure and healthy homes.”
He added: “Alongside abolishing Section 21, we’re also strengthening and expanding landlord possession grounds including stronger protections against antisocial behaviour.”
Intervening, Ms Lucas said: “The secretary of state (Michael Gove) this morning had the brass neck to suggest that keeping his promise to outlaw no fault evictions before the next election is now apparently down to the House of Lords to get on with it.
“Can the minister tell us which is most disingenuous? Is it the five years we’ve been waiting for this government to keep their promise, or is it the blatant concessions to the significant numbers of Conservative MPs sitting behind him who are landlords, who’ve been gifted what amounts to an indefinite delay to ban no fault evictions?”
Mr Young replied: “We’re bringing forward this bill today to abolish section 21. She talks about members on my side, I can tell her and she won’t read this in the newspapers, I’ve been lobbied not just by members on my side, but by members from all sides of this house on making sure that these reforms work effectively.”
We’re committed to supporting renters, Downing Street insists
Downing Street has insisted the government is committed to renters rights after campaigners accused the government of failing to protect tenants from no-fault evictions.
A No 10 spokeswoman said: “We remain committed to striking the right balance between supporting renters and landlords.
“And we remain committed to the abolition of Section 21 and the legislation being debated in the house today will deliver that.
“It is, however, right that when we’re making fundamental reforms to the system, we ensure that the courts are prepared and have processes in place to hear cases fairly and swiftly.
“And that work is under way as a priority with the MoJ (Ministry of Justice) and courts.
So that’s what we’ve set out today in terms of updates to our plans. But we intend to get the legislation passed this Parliament and to undertake this work as swiftly as possible.”
Read more on the Renters Reform Bill here:
Renters Reform Bill reaches crunch vote as campaigners slam Tory ‘failure’
The government has been accused of bowing to a group of ‘pro-landlord MPs’
Barbados halts £3m plan to purchase Tory MP’s former slavery plantation amid backlash
The Barbados government has halted plans to buy a £3m former plantation from a British Conservative MP whose family profited from slavery.
Richard Drax, the MP for South Dorset, owns a 617-acre land in Barbados that was once operated as a sugar plantation by his ancestors in the 17th century, where thousands of enslaved African people were forced to work.
Full report:
Barbados halts £3m plan to purchase Tory MP’s slavery plantation amid backlash
Exclusive: Following widespread backlash, Bajan prime minister Mia Mottley has announced that the acquisition will be paused in light of public anger with the move and a public consultation will take place
Defence secretary Grant Shapps aims barb at US after historic Ukraine aide package approved
Grant Shapps has risked inflaming tensions with Britain’s most important ally, saying the US only does the right thing after “they have exhausted all other options”.
The defence secretary aimed the barb at his American colleagues after the Senate approved a $61bn military aid package for Ukraine on Tuesday night.
Full report:
Defence secretary Shapps aims barb at US after historic Ukraine aide package approved
Grant Shapps said: ‘The United States can always be relied on to do the right thing, once they have exhausted all other options’
Watch: Penny Mordaunt appears expressionless as Oliver Dowden leads PMQs
Outrage as Reform UK deputy leader says Britain should ‘absolutely’ let migrants drown in the Channel
The deputy leader of Nigel Farage’s Reform UK has sparked outrage after saying Britain should ‘absolutely’ let migrants drown in the English Channel.
Ben Habib, the party’s Wellingborough parliamentary candidate, said asylum seekers attempting to reach Britain in small boats should “suffer the consequences” in a widely criticised interview on Wednesday.
Full report:
Reform UK deputy leader says UK should ‘absolutely’ let migrants drown in the Channel
Ben Habib said asylum seekers attempting to reach Britain in small boats should ‘suffer the consequences’ of trying to reach the UK in small boats
We won’t tolerate foreign spying attempts - Sunak
Both Germany and the UK will not tolerate foreign spying attempts, Rishi Sunak and Olaf Scholz said.
The prime minister said there was “very little I can say”, after two men were charged with spying for China following an investigation by counter-terrorism police.
He added: “What I can say more generally and more broadly is defending our democracy, our democratic processes, and institutions is an absolute priority and we won’t tolerate any activity that undermines that.”
Through a translator, German chancellor Olaf Scholz said: “It is very important that we good intelligence services, good public prosecutors, good police work and that every body works closely together, also beyond borders. We cannot tolerate espionage carried out against our country, regardless from where it comes.”
Three people were arrested this week in Germany, suspected of spying for China and facilitating the transfer of information on technology with potential military uses.
Sunak: ‘Entirely reasonable' for US to ask European countries to increase defence spending
Rishi Sunak said it was “not new” for US presidents to call for more European defence spending, which he said was “entirely reasonable”.
Asked if he was convinced of Donald Trump’s commitment to Nato, Mr Sunak said: “We cannot expect Americans to pay any price, to take any burden if we in Europe are not ourselves prepared to make those sacrifices and make those investments.”
The prime minister said it was important for Europe to demonstrate commitment to in turn keep the US committed to Nato and cited the UK and Germany’s track record of meeting their funding commitments.
We can increase defence spending and cut taxes, Sunak insists
Rishi Sunak has insisted the government will be able to cut taxes while increasing defence spending, saying it was a “priority” to bolster the nation’s defences.
Asked by broadcasters whether prioritising defence would impact other commitments, Mr Sunak insisted there was “record investment in our public services”.
He added: “We have made a choice and I am not shying away from that choice. All governing is about prioritising. I have decided to prioritise defence because I think that is the right thing to do for our country.
“I am not going to get into writing the next manifesto here and now, but what I am confident about is that if you have a strong plan for the economy as we have and that plan is working, we stick to that plan we will be able to continue increasing defence spending.
“It is a completely funded plan. We have got a very clear idea of how to reduce civil service headcount which has grown considerably over the last few years, and we can bring that back and use that to fund what I announced yesterday.
“And alongside that, continue to invest in public services and cut people’s taxes.”
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