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.
A new dawn has broken, has it not? MPs filtered into the House of Commons chamber Wednesday for the first PMQs of a new era — the reign of Keir Starmer. It was standing room only for many of the new PM’s footsoldiers, who had to arrive extra early for the chance of a seat on the government benches. The rump of Conservative MPs still left after this month’s election watched on forlornly from the opposition cheap seats — as Starmer took questions for the first time at the despatch box. A deafening roar greeted the new PM.
Opening funnies: Rishi Sunak — standing on the other side of the despatch box as interim leader of the opposition — joined the new PM in offering words of encouragement for Britain’s Olympic athletes ahead of the Paris Olympics kicking off Friday. “Although, to be honest I’m probably not the first person they want to hear advice from on how to win,” Sunak added — to a fair few chuckles across the chamber.
Onto the serious stuff: The defeated Tory leader then opted to focus his questions on Ukraine and national security — issues the old and new leaders are broadly aligned on.
The Sunak/Starmer exchanges were all a bit … low-key. Both stressed the U.K.’s unity on countering Russian aggression, with Sunak welcoming Starmer’s responses as he pressed him on Ukraine’s NATO membership bid, sanctions on Russia and aid to Ukraine — again, all issues the Labour and Tory leadership agree on. Sunak opted to finish without even asking a final question, instead assuring Starmer that the opposition would support him if the PM “deems it necessary” to use military action without notifying parliament first. Starmer thanked his opposite number for his support. Yay for unity.
Vibe shift: Regular readers will note the marked difference from the often bad-tempered verbal sparring between the two leaders before the election. But watch out for trickier exchanges for Starmer after the summer recess — and once the Tories finally elect a permanent leader who is eager to land blows on the PM.
Another new dawn: As well as swapping Starmer and Sunak’s places at the despatch box, the election result also provided Lib Dem boss Ed Davey with a new platform at PMQs — the guaranteed two questions given to the leader of the third largest party. Staying very much on brand, he pushed Starmer to do more for carers who are being forced to repay overpaid carer’s allowance payments.
And Starmer couldn’t resist … having a jokey pop at Davey over swapping his election-campaign wet-suit for a real suit. He then blamed the whole problem on the Tory government leaving a “more severe crisis than we thought,” (riling up the opposition as he did so). Expect to hear a lot more of that.
It wasn’t all easy questions: Plenty of Starmer’s footsoldiers used their questions to the PM to raise constituency issues — the classic softball. But some backbenchers did use the moment to make demands of the new government. Labour MP Nadia Whittome — on the left of the party — pressed Starmer on his government’s new restrictions on puberty blockers for children seeking to change gender. Starmer offered her a meeting with the relevant minister. Labour MP Mohammad Yasin asked the PM to apply “further pressure” to bring about a cease-fire in Gaza.
And then … the SNP’s Westminster boss Stephen Flynn, brandishing a Daily Record front-page which earned him a ticking off from the speaker for using a prop, attacked Starmer for refusing to ditch the two-child limit on benefit payments — and for suspending seven Labour MPs who voted last night to scrap the cap. Labour MPs roared on Starmer as he talked up the last Labour government’s record on child poverty in response.
But but but … the tricky questions on child poverty may soon start coming from Starmer’s own side, if the new government continues to keep the cap.
Totally unscientific scores on the doors: A massive majority sure does wonders for the confidence. But Starmer already faces some pressure simmering beneath the surface.
Starmer 7/10 … Sunak 6/10 … Starmer/Sunak love-in: 99/100.
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