Prime minister’s questions: a shouty, jeery, very occasionally useful advert for British politics. Here’s what you need to know from this week’s session in POLITICO’s weekly run-through.
What they sparred about: Turns out PMQs is good for something: the two leaders at least offered a useful preview of the next election campaign Wednesday lunchtime.
Keir Starmer pressed Rishi Sunak on migration — ahead of an official stats drop Thursday that is expected to show a big rise in numbers coming to the U.K.
Labour timed a handy policy announcement to go with the clash too, promising to end a discount for employers on hiring overseas workers to jobs where there are labor shortages. The opposition boss then moved on to the (arguably) more comfortable terrain for his party of increasing training and apprenticeships for British workers.
Sunak hit back, claiming Starmer has “no ideas” on migration. And he seized on some more positive economic news for a government that’s made cutting inflation a key target and got some gentle praise from the IMF this week too.
As for the elephant in the room: Starmer opted to address the big row over Suella Braverman’s speeding ticket (Sunak announced just before PMQs that she won’t be investigated over it) only through the medium of half-hearted laughter. “The home secretary may need a speed awareness course, but he needs a reality check,” Starmer semi-roared in one of three similar jibes at the fast-driving minister, who was sat right next to the PM.
The other elephant: No one brought up Boris Johnson’s referral to the police over further suspected lockdown breaches. Does no one care about Big Dog anymore?
Bullseye: It was a bad day for backbench Tory MP Paul Bristow, who was chucked out of the Commons by Speaker Lindsay Hoyle for apparent rowdiness.
Nah, you’re alright: Asked by Tory MP Brendan Clarke-Smith if he’d visit his Bassetlaw constituency to “see the great impact of government investment,” Sunak not-so-subtly sidestepped the invitation by saying he’d “certainly” ask his office to keep it in mind. Clarke-Smith put a brave face on it.
Loudest cheer of the day: Apparently the Lib Dem-run district council in South Cambridgeshire has introduced an extended four-day week trial. Tory MP Anthony Browne used his question to the most powerful person in the U.K. to highlight this vital point of national interest. “Does the prime minister agree with me that the public sector are here to serve the public and that the Lib Dems aren’t working?” he asked, to a loud cheer from the otherwise muted Tory benches.
Loudest groan: No one sounded particularly happy to see Reclaim MP Andrew Bridgen — sacked from the Tories for comparing COVID jabs to the Holocaust — getting up to ask a question. He asked about gender education in schools.
Some actual news klaxon: Sunak told MPs that Leveling Up Secretary Michael Gove has requested an investigation into concerns raised around a freeport in Teeside. That was news to the journalists who’ve been following the row.
Totally nonscientific scores on the doors: It was clever of Starmer to focus on immigration, with the government expected to face negative headlines tomorrow. He didn’t land a body blow on Sunak — but with his party so far ahead in the polls, does he really need to? Sunak nipped the Braverman issue in the bud ahead of time, but it was a pretty low-energy performance.
Starmer 7/10 … Sunak 5/10 … Free publicity for a Lib Dem council’s successful four-day week trial 100/10.
