PMQs live: Kemi Badenoch mocked for not listening after basic question blunder

'Same old Tories' criticism as Badenoch goes on attack

Ms Badenoch was accused of failing to learn lessons after she attacked the Tories over local authority budgets.

The PM said her approach represents the "same old Tories" as they clashed in the Commons. Ms Badenoch said: "I'm not against any of those things, of course not, none of us are against any of those things. But he has confirmed that he does not know what is going on.

"The Prime Minister probably does not realise that on Monday the Ministry for Communities, Local Government and Housing revealed that councils will need to find an additional £2.4 billion in council tax next year. That is a lot more than £600 million.

"I know that he has been away, but did the Deputy Prime Minister who runs that department make him aware of their £2.4 billion black hole?"

Mr Starmer replied: "Let me get this straight, she doesn't want any of the measures in the Budget, but she wants all the benefits. So the budget management is back after two weeks in office. They've learned absolutely nothing. We put forward a Budget which takes the difficult decisions, fixing the £22 billion black hole, investing in the future of our country.

"They say they want all of that, but they don't know how they're going to pay for it - same old Tories."

Kemi Badenoch rapped for not listening

Ms Badenoch gave the PM an open goal when she asked a question he'd already answered.

The Tory leader - who is allowed to ask five questions at PMQs - asked: "How much extra will local authorities have to raise to cover the social care funding gap created by the Chancellor's Budget and increases in employers' NI (national insurance)?"

Mr Starmer, who had earlier taken a question from Lib Dem MP Christine Jardine on healthcare funding, replied: "It's all very well this knockabout but not actually listening to what I've said three minutes ago is a bit of a fundamental failure of the Leader of the Opposition.

"I just said £600 million. I repeat it: £600 million."

PM's savage jibe as Nigel Farage makes rare appearance in Commons

Keir Starmer delivered a savage jab at Nigel Farage.

Questioned over whether he will proscribe the Iranian National Guard, the PM responded: "I'm glad to see the member made a rare appearance in here."

He said the Iranian National Guard would be kept "under review".

Starmer gives prickly answer to question on Sue Gray

We predicted earlier that Sue Gray would probably come up.

Keir Starmer gave a prickly reply when asked if his former chief of staff's post - which she turned down - was "an invented job on taxpayers' money for one of his cronies".

Mr Starmer responded simply: "It wasn't."

Starmer hits back over Badenoch climate target jibe

Ms Badenoch made it clear that she won't be supporting the Government's new climate targets, announced at the Cop29 summit.

She told him: "I welcome the Prime Minister back from his trip to Azerbaijan where he has unilaterally made commitments that will make life more experience (sic) back home."

Ms Badenoch continued: "He has made life more expensive with his unilateral commitments but speaking of making life more expensive, will the Prime Minister confirm that he will keep the cap on council tax?"

The PM replied: "She talks of the trip to Cop. I'm very proud of the fact that we're restoring leadership on climate. That will be measured in lower bills, on energy independence and the jobs of the future." He added: "On the question of councils, she knows what the arrangements are."

Alarm over Donald Trump Jr's Ukraine threat

The Prime Minister has been asked about Donald Trump's son's claim that Ukraine's allowance will have its allowance cut off.

Quizzed by Sir Ed about Donald Trump Jr's Instagram post, which has raised alarm, Mr Starmer said: "We've been resolute and strong in our support for Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression. And I have been speaking, as he will know, in recent weeks with other leaders about how we put Ukraine in the best and strongest possible position."

Starmer hears call for GPs to be excluded from NI rise

Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey questions whether GPs and community pharmacists can be excluded from the National Insurance rise.

The PM responds: "I hear the point he makes and I understand the concerns. We've thought a huge amount on the NHS."

And he goes on: "We will ensure they get the resources tehy need." He said funding arrangements would be laid out by the Government.

Badenoch accused of resurrecting 'magic money tree'

Punchy from the Prime Minister as he accuses Ms Badenoch of resurrecting the "magic money tree".

Questioned about the impact of National Insurance contribution rises for local authorities, Mr Starmer said: "Let me get this straight - she doesn't want all the measures in the Budget but she wants the benefits.

"The magic money tree is back after two weeks in office. They've learned absolutely nothing."

Ms Badenoch claims the Budget was drawn up to "milk the public sector".

Badenoch goes on attack over climate change measures

Kemi Badenoch opens with a jibe about "planted questions" by backbenchers.

She goes on the attack about climate change, saying Mr Starmer has "has unilaterally made commitments that will make life more expensive for everyone back home."

Mr Starmer hits back, saying the Government's measures will drive down household energy bills.

Starmer opens by talking about Cop29 summit

Keir Starmer opens by telling MPs about his trip to Azerbaijan for the Cop29 summit.

He told the Commons: "My focus as ever is on British energy security and the jobs of the future that should be the issue of central concern to people in this country."

New 'red line' on assisted dying revealed by Wes Streeting

Medics will be allowed to opt out of work on assisted dying if it becomes law, the Health Secretary has said.

Wes Streeting said this will be a "red line" - as he suggested new regulations could cause resources to be redirected from other NHS services. MPs are set to debate a controversial new Bill which would make assisted dying legal after it was put forward by Labour backbencher Kim Leadbeater.

Mr Streeting - who does not support assisted dying - told Times Radio: "It would be a big change. There would be resource implications for doing it. And those choices would come at the expense of other choices. And of course, we'd need to work through with the medical profession what would be a very new way of working.

"No one should be compelled, for example, to take part in assisted dying if they've got moral or ethical objections as clinicians. That certainly would be one of my red lines."

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Will there be any Sue Gray jibes from the Tories today?

We can probably expect Ms Badenoch to make some digs about former Downing Street chief Sue Gray.

Yesterday No10 said Ms Gray had "decided not to take up the role" as envoy to the nations and regions. Asked whether the job offer was withdrawn or if Mr Starmer's former chief of staff walked away, a Number 10 spokeswoman said: "As we said at the time, the appointment had been agreed and you had the focus for the new role and the original statements from both the Prime Minister and Sue Gray.

"Subsequent to that, we confirmed that she was taking a break between roles and taking up duties and, as I said, I can update that she has since decided not to take up the role."

Kemi Badenoch less popular than last four Tory leaders when they arrived, poll shows

Kemi Badenoch is less popular than Liz Truss, Rishi Sunak, Theresa May and Boris Johnson were when they took office, polling shows.

According to YouGov 21% of voters have a favourable opinion of her. This is lower than Mrs May (48%), Mr Sunak (34%), Mr Johnson (33%) and even Ms Truss (26%) when they became Tory leader.

The poll shows 41% have an unfavourable opinion of her - which is lower than all but Mrs May.

Keir Starmer has been busy on the world stage

Keir Starmer has been pushing Western allies to step up support to put Ukraine in the "strongest position" possible before Donald Trump takes office.

The return of Mr Trump to the White House means there is uncertainty over the level of US support for Kyiv from January when the president-elect takes office.

The PM said he had been having discussions with other leaders about how to shore up support for Volodymyr Zelensky's forces. Mr Starmer held talks with France's Emmanuel Macron on Monday and is reported to be pushing for outgoing US President Joe Biden to release £15.6 billion in funds for Ukraine before he leaves office.

The Prime Minister hopes to talk face-to-face with the president at the G20 summit next week, The Daily Telegraph reported. The Biden White House could also be pushed to give permission for Ukraine to use UK-supplied Storm Shadow missiles to strike targets within Russia.

How was Kemi Badenoch's first PMQs?

Ms Badenoch used her first PMQs session to launch a misleading attack on the Government over defence spending.

The new Tory leader, who took charge of the warring party days earlier, told MPs there was nothing in the new Budget on defence spending. In fact Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced an additional £2.9billion for the Ministry of Defence and said the Government would "set a path" to spending 2.5% of GDP on defending the country.

Ms Badenoch told the Commons: "His Chancellor's Budget did not even mention defence. The Chancellor's budget last week was a copy and paste of Bidenomics. It turns out that a high spending, high borrowing, high inflation approach is less popular than she may have thought."

The PM shot back: "The one thing I learned as leader of the opposition it is a good idea to listen to what the Government is actually saying. I think she said defence wasn't mentioned in the Budget.

"It was seven days ago and it is absolutely clear and central to the Budget." He said that the Government is committed to bringing defence spending to 2.5% - and pointed out that the last time this was achieved was under the last Labour government.