PMQs: Burghart says government is penalising non-Labour voters
Top Tory Alex Burghart used Prime Minister’s Questions to tear into Labour’s budget which is dealing a punishment beating to all those who refused to vote for Labour.
The de-facto Tory deputy leader Alex Burghart delivered a furious attack on the Government’s plans over farms, businesses and private schools.
He revealed the reality of Rachel Reeves’ Budget, which is “a punishment meted out to people who don’t vote Labour.”
“It’s the same punishment meted out to parents who send their children to private schools.
“It’s the same punishment meted out to the owners of small businesses, terrified about national insurance contributions.
“And it’s the same punishment meted out to pensioners who can’t afford to pay their fuel bills this winter.
“Isn’t it the truth, Mr Speaker that if you don’t vote Labour, they don’t care about you?”
Angela Rayner to deputise for Sir Keir Starmer at PMQs today (Image: Getty)
8 hours ago13:04 Steph Spyro
Angela Rayner fails to rule out further inheritance tax raid on farmers
Angela Rayner has failed to rule out more inheritance tax raids on farmers despite the changes announced at last month's budget.
Up to 10,000 descended on Whitehall in London yesterday to protest against Rachel Reeves' decisions.
Read the full story here
8 hours ago13:02 Christian Calgie
Lee Anderson makes hilarious PMQs swipe at Rachel Reeves over CV economist claims
Lee Anderson used PMQs to deliver a withering joke about Rachel Reeves’ ongoing CV claims, after the Chancellor faced accusations she had lied about her past.
The Reform UK chief whip used his PMQs question to call out a recent claim by the farming minister, who recently said from the Dispatch Box that he had been “congratulated by a farmer over the introduction of inheritance tax”.
Read the full story here.
9 hours ago12:48 Steph Spyro
Lib Dem deputy takes aim at national insurance hikes for social care sector
Deputy leader of the Liberal Democrats Daisy Cooper said social care providers having to pay increased National Insurance contributions (NICs) could “withdraw ￡200 million” from the sector.
During PMQs she said: “I warn the Deputy Prime Minister that increasing national insurance contributions on social care providers would make the crisis in social care worse. Now, OBR figures suggest that the increase in NICs will cost more to social care providers than the money that the Government has announced for that sector in the Budget, meaning that that measure alone could withdraw ￡200 million out of the sector.
“Will the Deputy Prime Minister speak with the Chancellor to make sure that at the very least, health and care providers are protected from taking the hit?”
Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner replied: “We wanted to ensure that we protected social care. That is why we confirmed ￡600 million of new grant funding for social care next year, an uplift to local government spending and an ￡86 million increase to the disabled facilities grant.
“Our Employment Rights Bill will help deliver the first ever fair pay agreement for the social care sector as well, and that will also make sure that the NHS is funded to help with the social care situation.”
9 hours ago12:37 Steph Spyro
Farmers say they have been 'lied to' by Labour, Lib Dems say
Daisy Cooper, the deputy leader of the Lib Dems, told Angela Rayner: “Farmers told me yesterday that they feel like they were betrayed by the Conservatives and they now feel that they have also been lied to by Labour.
“Will the Deputy Prime Minister think again on this measure so that our farmers can feed Britain?”
Ms Rayner claimed there had been “scaremongering” around the tractor tax.
She said: “Our plan is sensible, fair and proportionate and protects the smaller estates while fixing public services that they rely on.”
Lib Dem deputy leader Daisy Cooper (Image: PA)
9 hours ago12:35 Steph Spyro
Labour MP demands Government 'prevent genocide' in Palestine
Labour MP for Middlesbrough and Thornaby East, Andy McDonald, called on the Government to “comply with its duty to prevent genocide” in Palestine.
He told MPs: “In a new report, Human Rights Watch have set out irrefutably how Israeli authorities are committing war crimes of forcible transfer in Gaza, which amounts to crimes against humanity.
“Israel’s evacuation system fails to ensure civilian safety. Civilians are not provided with access to health, nutrition and shelter, compounded by the banning of UNRWA (United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees), with much of Gaza now uninhabitable.
“Will the Government acknowledge that Israel has carried out mass force displacement in Gaza, and will it take concrete measures on arms trade and Israeli officials in order to comply with its duty to prevent genocide and protect Palestinian lives?”
Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner replied: “We do urge Israel to ensure that UNRWA can continue its life saving work, something the Foreign Secretary has discussed directly with the Israeli Foreign Minister, and we have imposed sanctions in response to appalling incidents of settler violence, and suspended export licences for arms following a review that found a clear risk that they may be used to commit or facilitate violations of international law.
“And we will continue to seek a two state solution with a secure Israel alongside a viable and sovereign Palestine.”
9 hours ago12:27 Steph Spyro
Lee Anderson and Angela Rayner clash over farming
Lee Anderson, Reform MP, said: “The Minister for Rural Affairs said he was congratulated by a farmer over the introduction of the inheritance tax…this farmer must have been a cannabis farmer because just yesterday we had 10,000 farmers on Whitehall protesting against this madcap decision”
He suggested that the government's past assurances to farmers should be thrown in the bin “along with Rachel from accounts".
Rayner hits back by noting Mr Anderson’s political journey from Labour councillor to Tory whip to Reform chief whip.
She joked: “Every time he defects he gets a better job!”
9 hours ago12:20 Steph Spyro
Shadow cabinet minister brands high tax and high inflation 'Starmerism'
Shadow Cabinet Office minister Alex Burghart branded high tax and high inflation as “Starmerism” as he went on to criticise the Government’s approach to farmers.
He said: “It was Ukraine and Covid that drove up inflation. This Government is doing it to the British people. High tax, high inflation, low growth, low reform, there’s a word for that, it’s Starmerism.”
He continued: “Yesterday I spoke to farmers from across the United Kingdom. Some of them, families who have farmed their land for centuries. Elderly men in tears, children worried about their parents, all of them worried that their way of life is about to be destroyed. What would she like to say to them?”
Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner said: “We are absolutely committed to our British farmers and that’s why we’ve committed ￡5 billion to the farming budget over the next two years. That’s the largest ever amount for sustainable food production in the UK. And it’s alongside ￡60 million to support those affected by extreme wet weather, and over ￡200 million to tackle disease outbreaks.
“His party couldn’t even get the money out the door for farmers, failing to spend over ￡300 million on farming budgets. The farmers know they ruined it for them and that’s why we are in Government and they are not.”
Angela Rayner in the Commons (Image: PA)
9 hours ago12:17 Steph Spyro
Rayner fails to rule out further inheritance tax raids
Alex Burghart said: “Perhaps the right honourable lady thinks that everyone came to London yesterday to thank the Government. Let’s look at the facts. A typical mid-size 360 acre family farm in the constituency of Thirsk and Molten, they have spoken to their accountant, their new liability because of this Government is ￡500,000.
“That is 12 years worth of profit. When this generation passes away, that farm will become totally unviable and it is just one of thousands and thousands of similar farms. It is clear the Government hasn’t got its facts right.”
He added: “if the Government isn’t going to reverse this terrible policy, will the right honourable lady at least commit that there will be no further increases to inheritance tax and no further reductions to agricultural property relief or business property relief in this parliament?”
Ms Rayner replied: “He talks about the facts and I absolutely stand by the figures the Government has set out and the vast majority of estate owners will be totally unaffected.”
9 hours ago12:14 Steph Spyro
Labour must prevent sale of of colonial-era human remains at auctions
Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner has been urged to prevent the sale of colonial-era human remains in auction houses and social media.
Labour MP Bell Ribeiro-Addy told the Commons: “I recently met with members of the British Association for Biological Anthropology and Osteoarchaeology who highlighted a loophole in the Human Tissues Act which allows human remains to be auctioned, frequently disguised as modified items or replicas.
“This is including a foetal skeleton posed under a glass dome, a human thigh bone turned into a cane, a human jawbone necklace and the varnished skull of a six-year-old, often from indigenous communities in Africa and Asia stolen during colonial expeditions.
“Does the Deputy Prime Minister agree that it is abhorrent for human remains regardless of their origin or age to be sold by auction houses and on social media sites like Instagram, Facebook, eBay, Etsy and Gumtree?”
Ms Rayner replied: “It’s absolutely horrifying to hear the account of what (Ms Bell Ribeiro-Addy) mentions and I absolutely agree that that’s abhorrent.
“And while the Human Tissue Authority strictly regulates the public display of human remains, with fines or imprisonment for breaches, it does not cover sales or purchases, however, I will ensure that a meeting is made with the appropriate minister to discuss the troubling cases that she raises.”
9 hours ago12:11 Steph Spyro
Burghart: If you don't vote Labour, they don't care about you
Alex Burghart has slammed Labour for its VAT on private schools, slashing of the winter fuel payment and attack on farmers.
He accused the ruling party of not caring for voters who did not support them at the election.
Alex Burghart is standing in for Kemi Badenoch (Image: PA)
9 hours ago12:08 Steph Spyro
Labour's promises get broken, Alex Burghart tells Rayner
Alex Burghart told the Commons "they're coming back for more" after an inheritance tax raid on farmers at last month's budget.
Ms Rayner called it an "audacity" for the shadow minister to stand there and accuse the party of breaking promises.
She said it was his government that "crashed the economy" and saw inflation rise.
9 hours ago12:06 Steph Spyro
Farmers worried 'way of life' will be destroyed
Angela Rayner says we are "absolutely committed" to supporting farmers when Alex Burghart says many are worried their "way of life" will be destoyed.
Mr Burghart joked that Rayner must think 10,000 descended on Westminster yesterday to "thank" the government.
9 hours ago12:04 Steph Spyro
What is the government doing to bring down inflation?
Alex Burghart says the government isn't doing anything to bring down inflation.
He takes aim at Labour's budget which the Tories say will lead to higher inflation.
This is on the back of figures out this morning which say inflation has surged past 2% again.
9 hours ago12:01 Steph Spyro
PMQs begins with Rayner vs Burghart
Angela Rayner has just spoken in the House of Commons as she deputises for the Prime Minister.
Both were given a warm welcome by their MPs.
MPs inside the Commons for Prime Minister's Questions (Image: PA)
10 hours ago11:36 Steph Spyro
Two issues likely to dominate PMQs
Labour's farm tax and winter fuel payments are likely to be the key issues in the Commons when Angela Rayner and Alex Burghurt clash.
Up to 10,000 farmers descended on Whitehall yesterday to protest against Labour's inheritance tax raid.
Meanwhile the squeeze on winter fuel payments will force 100,000 pensioners into poverty in 2026, according to the Government’s own estimates.
10 hours ago11:23 Christian Calgie
Who is Alex Burghart? The man taking on Angela Rayner
Kemi Badenoch will duck out of PMQs to, as per convention when the Prime Minister is unable to attend.
With Sir Keir in Rio for the G20, the Tories will be represented by Shadow Cabinet Office minister, and shadow Northern Ireland secretary, Alex Burghart.
Ms Badenoch surprised Westminster during her first Shadow Cabinet formation, by refusing to pick a named deputy leader.
This means she can pick whomever she likes to face up against Ms Rayner each week.
But who is Alex Burghart? Find out about his political history here.
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10 hours ago11:16 Steph Spyro
Angela Rayner vs Alex Burghart at Commons Despatch box
Angela Rayner will stand in for Sir Keir Starmer at Prime Minister’s Questions at midday today.
This is because the Prime Minister will be travelling back from the G20 Summit in Brazil.
Shadow Northern Ireland Secretary Alex Burghart will deputise for Tory leader Kemi Badenoch.
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