Prime minister’s questions: a shouty, jeery, very occasionally useful advert for British politics. Here’s what you need to know from the latest session in POLITICO’s weekly run-through.
What they sparred about: It was Groundhog Day in the House of Commons as the economy took center stage for the second week in a row. With Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ spring statement just days away, Tory leader Kemi Badenoch dug into Labour’s economic changes — and whether the government can really be trusted to manage the finances.
What’s your emergency? Badenoch — fresh from kicking off a Tory policy review process this week — quoted Reeves’ own 2024 words when the chancellor promised her budget would be a “once in a parliament reset.” So why is an “emergency budget” taking place next week, Badenoch asked? Starmer, natch, rejected the Tory chief’s framing and reeled off the (limited) positive economic news since last July, including “record investment” and three interest rate cuts. He also, you’ve guessed it, laid into the Tories’ 14 years in power. There’s nothing like copying and pasting last week’s lines!
Choose your own narrative: The Tory leader offered a different economic take, pointing out growth is down and borrowing is up. Hoping for some contrition, she asked whether Starmer regrets “raising taxes on business” ahead of employers’ national insurance contributions spiking. In a sign Starmer’s aides seemed to be trying to complete a bingo card, the PM mentioned the Tories’ £22 billion fiscal “black hole” Labour are fixing. “The only black hole is the one he is digging,” Badenoch hit back. Nice line.
Turning the tables: Starmer, er, briefly forgot how PMQs works by probing the leader of the opposition about whether she’d reverse the NI change and, if so, where she would find the money? Answer came there none, though the Tory leader said “if they want me to answer questions, maybe we should swap sides,” to many jeers. “Heaven forbid!” cried the PM.
Money on their mind: The Tories, eager to find dividing lines, plan a vote later on exempting hospices, pharmacies and other care providers from the NI increase. Badenoch asked if Starmer would support it. The PM instead focused on Badenoch’s non-committal to reversing the increase. “That’s exactly what she wants — all the benefits, but they can’t say how they’re going to pay for it,” he added.
Taxing times: Badenoch concluded by citing a promise from the chancellor last fall — that the freeze in income tax thresholds, which drags more people into tax as time goes on, would end later this decade. Will the PM repeat that pledge now? The PM had some good lines, but ducked the key point. “She now calls herself a Conservative realist — well, I am realistic about the Conservatives,” he said before a greatest hits of the usual attack lines. Businesses planning ahead will no doubt be grateful.
Warfare on welfare: The PM faced challenges from his own side about welfare reforms announced Tuesday. The Social Democratic and Labour Party’s Colum Eastwood asked “what was the point” of Labour if it won’t support vulnerable people. Starmer insisted the current system is “morally and economically indefensible” and the government will help people who needed it. Mother of the House Diane Abbott also said there is “nothing moral” about the changes accused the Treasury of balancing the books “on the back” of the vulnerable.
Helpful backbench intervention of the week: Labour’s Peterborough MP Andrew Pakes raised the upcoming minimum wage increase and thanked the PM for his policies. Starmer, you won’t believe this, praised Pakes and laid into the Tories opposing the minimum wage back in, er, the 1990s. Good job not much has changed since then.
Totally unscientific scores on the doors: Badenoch 7/10. Starmer 5/10. The Tory leader struggled last week as her criticisms veered all over the place. This week, Badenoch better honed her focus by highlighting specific exemptions to the government’s economic policies. Starmer’s refusal to focus on those organizations hit by hikes — and instead rehash familiar lines — allowed Badenoch to present herself as a representative of those cheesed-off groups … and secure the win.
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