UK politics live: Starmer refuses to rule out further tax rises at fiery PMQs – UK Times

Kemi Badenoch has challenged Sir Keir Starmer to resign, pointing to a petition signed by 2 million people calling for a general election in the UK.

After the prime minister told the Commons at PMQs that Ms Badenoch’s party hasn’t “got a clue what they’re doing”, the Tory leader responded: “If he wants to know what the Conservatives would do, he should resign and find out.”

“There’s a petition out there – 2 million people asking him to go. He’s the one who doesn’t know how things work, it’s not government that creates growth, it is business. Businesses say they are cutting jobs because of the chancellor’s budget”, she added.

Hitting back, Sir Keir said: “We had a massive petition on the fourth of July in this country.”

“We spent years taking our party from a party of protest to a party of government, theyre hurtling in the opposite direction”, the PM added.

Kemi Badenoch just rattled off a pun-riddled question which culminated in her dubbing Angela Rayner a “ginger nut”.

Referring to the boss of McVitie’s bakery products’ parent firm Pladis saying the case for investment in the UK is getting harder to see, Ms Badenoch said: “Let me give him another example of a real business.

“Following his Budget, the head of McVitie’s has said that it has been harder to understand what the case for investment in the UK is.

“So while the PM has been hobnobbing in Brazil, businesses have been struggling to digest his budget.” She added: “Isn’t it the case the Employment Rights Bill shows that it is not only the ginger nut that is causing him problems?”

Keir Starmer has refused to repeat Rachel Reeves’ commitment to not pushing through any further tax hikes.

The prime minister was asked by Kemi Badenoch if he could repeat the chancellor’s statement to the Confederation of British Industry (CBI), when she said: “I’m clear I’m not coming back with more borrowing or more taxes.”

The PM said he was “fixing the foundations” of the economy, but would not repeat the pledge.

And he hit back, saying Ms Badenoch herself would not repeal his national insurance hike in the Budget.

Firstly the prime minister comments on the ceasefire that was struck between Israel and Hezbollah last night.

Sir Keir said: “We must seize this opportunity to build trust, de-escalate tensions and push for a wider ceasefire.”

Keir Starmer is on his feet and PMQs has begun…

William Hague has beaten Peter Mandelson to become chancellor of the University of Oxford.

The former Conservative Party leader has been elected, it has been announced.

Earlier this month he warned that the Labour grandee could not be UK ambassador to the US and chancellor.

Sir Keir Starmer may be softening his stance on changes to inheritance tax, according to the boss of the National Farmers’ Union (NFU).

After a meeting in No 10 with the prime minister on Monday, NFU president Tom Bradshaw claimed there was “a more conciliatory tone” regarding the controversial change which some have dubbed a “tractor tax”.

Mr Bradshaw added: “We are trying to give it a bit of room to breathe. He hasn’t guaranteed me anything but I think there is a general softening of lines and I don’t want to stoke the fire.”

Domestic abusers will be subjected to strict new restraining orders to stop them from harassing their victims under new measures being rolled out by the government.

Domestic abuse protection notices and orders (DAPNs and DAPOs), which are being launched on Wednesday, are due to be tested out in parts of England and Wales before being implemented across the country.

Along with imposing exclusion zones, the orders can make positive requirements of abusers such as attending behaviour change programmes. Breaching the requirements of an order will be a criminal offence punishable by up to five years in prison.

Dame Esther Rantzen has urged “as many MPs as possible” to attend Friday’s debate and listen to the arguments on both sides to make their minds up on assisted dying.

The broadcaster and Childline founder, who is terminally ill, has been a high-profile voice in the conversation for the past year, repeatedly calling for a change in what she has described as the “cruel” current law.

In an extract from a letter, released through pro-change campaign group Dignity in Dying, Dame Esther said: “This is such a vital life and death issue, one that we the public care desperately about, so it is only right that as many MPs as possible listen to the arguments for and against, and make up your own minds, according to your own conscience, your personal thoughts and feelings.”

Parliament will vote on an assisted dying bill this Friday for the first time in nearly a decade.

Labour MP Kim Leadbeater proposed the Private Members Bill in mid-October, which will legalise assisted death under certain conditions for terminally ill adults in England and Wales.

The Independent analysed public statements from all 650 MPs, in addition to news reports and other available information, to find which MPs will likely vote for or against the assisted dying bill this week. The analysis will be updated as more MPs come forward.

The bill is open to a “free vote”, meaning that the party whips will not dictate whether to support or oppose the bill. Individual MPs are free to vote based on their own values and opinions of their constituents, regardless of whether they are Labour, Tory, or otherwise.