Achi news desk-
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Prime Minister’s questions today began with a friendly question from Conservative MP Giles Watling.
Surprise, surprise, the prime minister agreed with the position taken by Watling that cutting inflation is indeed the best way to help his constituents. Reading from his PMQs binder, Sunak hailed today’s news that inflation fell from 4 per cent to 3.4 per cent in February (the steepest drop since the 1980s) as evidence that his “plan is working”.
This line is one that Rishi Sunak has been keen to convey in recent days amid ongoing speculation that some Conservative MPs are planning to oust the embattled Prime Minister. The trouble for Sunak, of course, is that it is not just his hostile MPs who are working against him, but — as ever — Labor leader Keir Starmer.
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Starmer began questioning her today by listing a series of perceived government failures, relating to the NHS, criminal justice, illegal immigration as well as £46 billion of “unfunded tax cuts”. “Why is the prime minister so afraid to call an election?”, asked the Labor leader.
Sunak responded with a quip, saying that an autumn election would actually allow Starmer to “devise a plan for Britain”.
The Labor leader hit back simply: “We’re ready – just call it.”
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The focus of Starmer’s questions today was the government’s flagship deportation plan – ahead of a series of votes in the House of Lords tonight as lords continue their bid to reform the legislation.
Starmer claimed the Rwandan “gimmick” plan will see the government deport less than 1 per cent of the 130,000 people awaiting an initial decision on their asylum claim.
The Prime Minister parried by highlighting his record – declaring that he had brought the number of “small boat” crossings down by a third. “We are committed to stopping the boats and the Labor Party will keep them coming”, he asserted.
The Labor Party leader continued to press the Prime Minister over the Rwanda deal – refining his main argument that the plan is not a cost-effective way of “stopping the boats”.
However, Starmer took some time to wade into the psychodrama of Tory rumours, at one point joking that House leader Penny Mordaunt was “holding the sword of Damocles” over the Prime Minister’s head. It was a reference to Mordaunt’s sword antics at the Coronation and his status as the rebels’ favored “unity candidate”.
The commons leader responded with a distinctly obvious roll.
At the end of his questioning, Starmer brought his argument full circle, telling the Prime Minister he had “no answers, no plan and no clue”. “Pack up, go home and waste someone else’s time”, he closed. In other words: call an election.
Sunak responded by saying that Starmer has still not explained how he will fill Labour’s “£28 billion black hole”, a reference to the party’s green energy policy U-turn.
It was a session with a few fireworks. And lo and behold, attention in Westminster is now turning to the two much more significant events taking place on the estate today: namely, the First Minister pressing the hands of the Conservative backbench committee in 1922 at 5 pm, and consideration House of Lords from the Rwanda Bill. I look forward to bringing you the lowdown on both tomorrow.
You can read my full weekly piece “PMQs verdict” ahead politics.co.uk soon – follow me on X/Twitter here so you don’t miss it. (I would also love to hear what you think about this newsletter).
My featured piece today, which argues that the two likely election dates are 17 October or 12 December, will naturally make serious reading for election enthusiast Keir Starmer. Jump straight to the article here or read my initial thoughts below.
Have a great rest of your day.
When is the next general election? The viable dates that Rishi Sunak will consider
Briefing at lunchtime
Jeremy Hunt: 2% inflation target could be hit ‘within months’
UK on the 1979 ‘inflection point’ method – Mais Rachel Reeves lecture in full
A lunchtime idea
‘With his backbenchers looking for a unity candidate to replace him, which of the many born-again Thatcherites on the Labor frontbench does he think best fits the bill?’
— SNP leader Stephen Flynn’s PMQ in Westminster is a gift that keeps on giving. This was its opening today.
Now try this
‘Margaret Thatcher was a ‘vision’ says David Lammy of the Labor Party
Politics reports.
‘Rachel Reeves buries New Labor economics’
The New Statesman George Eaton argues that the opposition chancellor has surpassed the last Labor government from the left in his Mais lecture.
‘Sunak and Hunt should realize that voters want more public spending, not tax cuts’
YouGov’s Dr Patrick English writes for Conservative Home.
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