Starmer defends Rayner over stamp duty controversy as Badenoch calls for her to go – UK Politics live – UK Times

Metropolitan Police commissioner Sir Mark Rowley has backed officers as the force faces criticism over the arrest of comedian Graham Linehan, but has said they should not be responsible for “policing toxic culture wars debates”.

Mr Linehan’s arrest was one of the key talking points at PMQs today after the anti-trans comedian was detained over alleged hate speech online.

Answering a question on the arrest, the PM said “we must ensure the police focus on the most serious issues”.

The Prime Minister took the opportunity to slam Nigel Farage’s absence from the Commons during PMQs today.

When asked about the Reform leader’s opposition to the Online Safety Bill, Starmer pointed out Farage was not present and instead had flown to the US to speak in Congress, accusing him of being “unpatriotic”.

Kemi Badenoch used her platform at PMQs this afternoon to quiz the Prime Minister on the economy.

She claimed Chancellor Rachel Reeves has “maxed out the country’s credit card” and Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is “dragging the country down”.

“He cannot say why borrowing is higher under him. I will tell him why it is higher – it is because the Chancellor changed the fiscal rules so she could borrow record amounts,” she said.

“She maxed out the country’s credit card, and that has pushed up borrowing costs. These are their bad choices.”

Responding, Sir Keir said: “She comes straight back to talk the country down at every opportunity. She doesn’t welcome the highest growth in the G7. What about the 380,000 jobs we’ve created? She could have welcomed that.”

Mrs Badenoch replied: “He is dragging down the country, he is dragging it down. How can he stand there and say that he’s creating jobs? Unemployment has gone up every single month under this Labour Government.

“And if he doesn’t know why borrowing costs are going up, another reason is that markets can see he is too weak to control spending.”

Sir Keir then referenced a quote from Mrs Badenoch in the Sunday Times, saying she “inherited a giant mess and I’m cleaning it”, and said: “I know exactly how she feels.”

PMQs has now ended and MPs are leaving the chamber.

Sir Keir Starmer has now taken the final question over flags and national banners.

When asked if he would take steps to ensure flags are flown “on every government and public building,” he said the flag “belongs to all of us”.

“I was the Labour leader that out the Union Jack on the membership card,” he said. “It belongs to all of us. We should be proud of it and value it.”

The Independent’s political editor David Maddox

Overnight with the arrest of anti-trans comedian Graham Linehan over alleged hate speech made it a fair bet that free speech would be a prime topic in PMQs today.But with questions whirling around Angela Rayner and problems with the economy Sir Keir Starmer appears to have dodged the bullet.

It eventually cropped up at the end of PMQs with a question from Tory Windsor MP Jack Rankin where he was challenged to support free speech.The issue may get more airing with Nigel Farage in Washington DC today when he appears before a Congressional committee.Sir Keir did manage to get in a jibe about “the member of Clacton going to Washington to bad mouth this country.”

Facing questions about the recent arrest of Graham Linehan, the Prime Minister said “we must ensure the police focus on the most serious issues”.

“We have a long history of free speech in this country – I am very proud of that and will always defend it,” he added.

Sir Keir Starmer has accused new Green Party leader Zack Polanski of making “very strange comments” about women as he defended his party’s place as the party of progress.

“There is only one party delivering fairly and tackling the climate crisis, and that is Labour,” he added.

His comments come after reports Polanski claimed he could help women increase the size of their breasts using his mind while working as a hypnotherapist.

The Independent’s political correspondent Millie Cooke

Sir Keir Starmer has called out Nigel Farage for missing Prime Minister’s Questions, accusing the Reform leader of being unpatriotic.

Responding to a question about the Online Safety Act, which Mr Farage has publicly opposed, the prime minister said: “The honourable member for Clacton is not here representing his constituents in the house he was elected to.“No, he has flown to America to badmouth and talk down our country.”He claimed the Reform leader has gone to the US to “lobby the Americans to impose sanctions on this country which will harm working people”.

“You cannot get more unpatriotic than that. It’s a disgrace”, Sir Keir added.

Facing questions on the cost of childcare, Sir Keir Starmer said he was “very proud” to announce measures that could save families £7,500 a year on nursery fees.

He said the measures will make sure “every single child” aged four gets to reception with a “fair chance” of going as far as possible.