Keir Starmer used Prime Minister’s Questions (PMQs) to jeer his political opponent, first reminding him of the turbulent few weeks he has had and then asking Boris Johnson if “everything is OK” – echoing the words of a reporter who asked the same thing after the PM’s rambling Peppa Pig speech this week.
In a session focused on scrutinising the government’s changes to England’s social care system, the Labour leader consistently asked Mr Johnson whether he believed he had stuck to his “election promise” to ensure people would not have to sell their homes to pay for care. “It’s another broken promise, just like he promised that he wouldn’t put up taxes,” Sir Keir told the Commons.
“Who knows if he’ll make it to the next election, but if he does how does he expect anyone to take him and his promises seriously?”
It comes after various reports claimed a dozen Tory backbenchers had written letters of no confidence to Sir Graham Brady, chair of the 1922 committee, which deputy PM Dominic Raab dismissed as “Westminster tittle tattle”. Some 54 letters –15 per cent of the sitting Tory MPs – would be required to trigger a leadership contest.
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Brexit chief Lord Frost said leaving EU single market would cost Britons £1,500 each
Britain’s chief Brexit negotiator warned that leaving the single market and customs union would cost £1,500 per person, it has emerged.
Lord Frost is now among the hardest line Brexiteers in the government – this week arguing that the UK needs to ditch a European-style economy entirely.
But before the referendum while a lobbyist for the drinks industry Lord Frost struck a different tone – acknowledging Brexit’s massive costs.
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Labour ahead by two points in latest opinion poll
Sir Keir Starmer’s party is still exploiting recent weeks in Westminster, taking a two-point lead over the Conservatives in the latest opinion poll.
The Labour Party was up two points on Wednesday, at 38 per cent, while Boris Johnson’s party were up two as well, but only at 36 per cent.
Sir Keir’s performance in the Commons on Tuesday is bound to help in the polls over the next few days, after he was able to poke fun at the PM for his performance of late and repeatedly tried to push his opponent to admit he lied about ending the trend of people selling their homes to pay for expensive care costs.
Cox accused of skipping Commons to conduct BVI business ‘from Westminster office’ – again
Geoffrey Cox has angered MPs once again by appearing to conduct business on behalf of the British Virgin Islands (BVI), instead of being in a sitting Commons chamber.
Labour’s deputy leader Angela Rayner was quick to call out the Tory figure – who recently caused a stir after being accused of conducting business for the BVI in his Westminster office – saying Boris Johnson had to take a stand and decide if Mr Cox is an MP or a representative of “a tax haven against our own government”.
“Geoffrey Cox is taking the mick and the prime minister is letting him get away with it,” Ms Rayner tweeted.
There is speculation Mr Cox was, again, using his Westminster office to conduct such business – with critics on social media saying his decision to blur out the background (refer to image below) “didn’t help”.
It comes after Boris Johnson pushed through measures to stop MP’s holding certain second jobs, and to ensure their main focus is always on representing their constituents.
Boris Johnson ‘flouted mask rules during theatre trip’
Boris Johnson has been accused of again flouting mask rules during a visit to a London theatre.
Following anger over the PM’s lack of face covering during a recent visit to a hospital and while taking a train trip, Mr Johnson attended Tuesday night’s performance of Macbeth at the Almeida Theatre in north London and was reportedly spotted without a mask.
Downing Street today insisted that Mr Johnson complies with all rules on mask-wearing.
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PM’s spokesman refuses to answer questions about leadership challenge
Last bit from the PM’s spokesman now, who was also asked earlier whether Boris Johnson was concerned about reports that some Tory MPs had submitted letters of no confidence in his leadership.
“That wouldn’t be a question for me, and, again, I’m not going to comment on anonymous briefings,” reporters were told. “The prime minister is entirely focused on delivering his ambitious agenda.”
Asked if Boris Johnson had spoken to 1922 committee chairman Sir Graham Brady about whether he had received letters, the spokesman said simply: “No.”
Downing Street says PM did ‘absolutely not’ break manifesto pledge over social care
Let’s hear from Boris Johnson’s spokesman now, who in the last hour has been taking his daily questions from journalists based at Westminster.
First up, the spokesman set out Boris Johnson’s intention to see “further improvements” on making parliament family friendly, following a debate over Stella Creasy’s actions yesterday.
While acknowledging ther matter was “one for the House”, Downing Street said “we want the workplace in any circumstances to be modern and flexible and fit for the 21st century”.
Next up, the spokesman was repeatedly asked in the briefing whether the PM’s manifesto promise that people would not have to sell their homes to pay for care had been broken. It comes after Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer suggested this was the case during PMQs.
“Absolutely not,” the No 10 representative said. “This is a detailed plan that will protect people from unfair costs and, I think, one you are not seeing from the Opposition.”
PMQs reaction: ‘Exaggerated cheers’ and ‘pleading chief whip’
Some reaction from political journalists to PMQs amid rumours Boris Johnson’s position is less than sound:
Watch: Starmer accuses the PM of ‘picking the pockets of working people’
Should MPs be allowed to take their children into the Commons? Tell us in our poll
After a review was announced into whether MPs should be allowed to take their babies into the Commons, where do you stand on the issue?
Labour MP Stella Creasy was told not to bring her three-month-old into the chamber, sparking anger from some parliament.
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