Indy TV

Sir Keir Starmer took a swipe at Rishi Sunak in PMQs today (13 March), saying he cannot trick people into believing in the “completely unfunded £46bn” Labour said plans to abolish national insurance contributions would cost.The opposition leader continued by saying that “shaking the Tory magic money tree” will not bring the promise into existence.Punctuating his jab at the government’s new plan to cut taxes in the spring Budget introduced last week, Sir Keir asked the prime minister how the money will be found: “So it’s either cutting pensions or the NHS, or he will have to raise other taxes or borrowing. Which is it prime minister?” More

Rishi Sunak said he would not return a £15,000 donation from Frank Hester that funded a helicopter trip as a row over the Tory donor’s alleged comments about Diane Abbott continued.At Prime Minister’s Questions on Wednesday (13 March), the prime minister said: “No… I am pleased [Mr Hester] is supporting a party that represents one of the most diverse governments in this country’s history.”Mr Hester, who donated £10m to the Tories last year, allegedly made comments about the MP including that she made him “want to hate all Black women”.A statement from Mr Hester’s firm said he “accepts that he was rude about Diane Abbott… but his criticism had nothing to do with her gender nor colour of skin.” More

Conservative MP Jonathan Gullis said he does not want the foreign aid budget “to exist at all” after it was revealed £3.2 billion has been allocated to the Home Office to house migrants in hotels.Appearing on BBC Politics Live today (13 March), Mr Gullis and Labour MP Sarah Champion joined the panel to discuss whether migrants should be paid to go to Rwanda.Ms Champion said: “I can announce £3.2 billion of UK foreign aid has been allocated to the Home office, for hotels for the next financial year.”Mr Gullis replied: “I don’t want the foreign aid budget to exist at all.” More

Rishi Sunak claimed Sir Keir Starmer “let antisemitism run rife’ in the Labour Party during a heated Prime Minister’s Questions today (13 March).Discussing alleged racist comments made about Labour MP Diane Abbott by top Tory donor Frank Hester, Sir Keir asked Mr Sunak: “What does the Prime Minister think it was about the hundreds of millions of pounds of NHS contracts given to Frank Hester by his Government that first attracted him to giving £10 million to the Tory Party in the first place?”Mr Sunak said he was “absolutely not going to take any lectures” from Sir Keir who he said “chose to serve a leader who let antisemitism run rife in his Labour Party”. More

Sir Keir Starmer claimed the Conservative party is being “bankrolled” by someone using “racist” language during a fiery Prime Minister’s Questions on Wednesday, 13 March.The Labour leader’s comments came in the wake of a continuing row over a Tory donor’s alleged comments about Diane Abbott.Frank Hester, who donated £10m to the Tories last year, allegedly made a series of incendiary comments about the MP, including that she made him “want to hate all Black women”.A statement from Mr Hester’s firm said he “accepts that he was rude about Diane Abbott… but his criticism had nothing to do with her gender nor colour of skin.” More

A Tory donor’s alleged comments about Diane Abbott were “racist” but they “don’t necessarily mean he’s a racist,” Kevin Hollindrake has said.The Conservative minister told Sky News on Wednesday (13 March): “His comments were clearly racist and wrong… I don’t think that means Frank Hester is necessarily a racist.”Mr Hester, who donated £10m to the Tories last year, allegedly made a series of incendiary comments about the MP, including that she made him “want to hate all Black women”.A statement from Mr Hester’s firm said he “accepts that he was rude about Diane Abbott… but his criticism had nothing to do with her gender nor colour of skin.” More

Ed Balls accused a Tory minister of “smearing” him during a heated conversation about a Tory donor’s alleged remarks about Diane Abbott.Graham Stuart appeared on Good Morning Britain on Tuesday (12 March), discussing Frank Hester after he was alleged to have said the MP “should be shot.”The energy minister appeared to enrage the former Labour MP by saying: “If every quote you ever said about Tories got taken out of context and plastered all over the television, you could be made to look pretty vile as well.”Mr Balls responded: This is not the normal political mockabout… Don’t just smear me.” More

**_If you are experiencing feelings of distress and isolation, or are struggling to cope, The Samaritans offer support; you can speak to someone for free over the phone, in confidence, on 116 123 (UK and ROI), email jo@samaritans.org, or visit the Samaritans website to find details of your nearest branch._**Dame Esther Rantzen made a powerful plea for assisted dying to become law during a phone call with Sir Keir Starmer.The broadcaster and campaigner, who has terminal cancer, has previously expressed her wish for an assisted death.She told the Labour leader during a phone call with ITV News on Tuesday (12 March): “What I do not want is my family’s last memory of me to be painful and for me to be begging to be assisted in dying.”Sir Keir Starmer said that he wants assisted dying to be legalised after the next election and said he is “personally committed” to a change in the law. More