Farage claims handover of Chagos Islands to Mauritius strongly opposed by incoming Trump administration
In the Commons Stephen Doughty, a Foreign Office minister, is now responding to the urgent question on the Chagos Islands. It was tabled by Nigel Farage, the Reform UK leader, and he said that from his time in the US last week, talking to Donald Trump’s team, he says they regard the deal with Mauritius, giving it sovereignty of the Chagos Islands, with “outright hostility”.
He says Diego Garcia, the main island in the Chagos Island and the home of a UK/US military base, was described to him as “the most imporant island on the planet” for US security. He claimed the deal would pose a threat to its future.
I will post more from the UQ after my PMQs snap verdict.
Key events
PMQs – snap verdict
That was a good PMQs for Keir Starmer. He easily saw off the rightwing opposition leader – or, rather, both of them.
The hit on Nigel Farage was the neatest, and the funniest. The Reform UK leader, who on the basis of today’s interventions also doubles up as MP for Mar-a-Lago, not MP for Clacton, asked a perfectly reasonable question about proscribing the IRRG, but Starmer shot him down with a joke. (See 12.30pm.) It was slighly hypocritical, given that Starmer is fast appointing the point where an MP at PMQs is going to welcome the fact that he’s making a rare visit to the UK (a gag told about Tony Blair, when his globetrotting went too far). But the putdown was genuinely funny, and so that did not matter.
In the past Starmer has sometimes seemed a bit wary of treating Farage with disdain in the chamber. But maybe he has decided it is safe to hit him hard after all.
Starmer also won quite comfortably against Kemi Badenoch, although that probably was more to do with her performance, rather than his. PMQs is not easy, and the new Tory leader seems a long way off working out how to use it to embarrass or unsettle the PM. Labour MPs were heckling her at one point for using a script, but there is nothing wrong with having questions written down. What is important, though, it to work out how to use a question, to either lure the PM into a response that will open them up to criticism, or to make their refusal to engage look weak and weasly. Badenoch did not really manage this with any of her questions, and so all we were left with was a broad-brush shouting match. Starmer did best because his payoff line was the more persuasive partly, again, because humour was involved. (See 12.14pm.) Other opposition leaders have used wit to great effect at PMQs, but humour doesn’t seem to be one of Badenoch’s strong points.
Otherwise, PMQs was interesting – or depressing – because it provided fresh evidence that this intake of government backbenchers is worse than previous ones when it comes to asking soft, planted questions. Here is my colleague Peter Walker making this point.
Two thoughts on #PMQs. Felt like another win for Starmer. It takes time to get the hang of it & Badenoch still felt a bit unfocused (& slightly patronising). Also, while planting obsequious questions with governing party backbenchers isn’t new, under Labour they are *ubiquitous*.
Kate McCann from Times Radio noticed this too.
One of the worst PMQs sessions I’ve been to in some time. Lots of planted questions, no real answers… MPs also voting with their feet and leaving early. Definitely less packed than in recent weeks.
As an MP, if you had the opportunity to ask the PM a question why would you read out something handed to you by whips? (A planted question). There must be hundreds of issues and awful cases raised by constituents – have always thought it’s such a waste.
Farage claims handover of Chagos Islands to Mauritius strongly opposed by incoming Trump administration
In the Commons Stephen Doughty, a Foreign Office minister, is now responding to the urgent question on the Chagos Islands. It was tabled by Nigel Farage, the Reform UK leader, and he said that from his time in the US last week, talking to Donald Trump’s team, he says they regard the deal with Mauritius, giving it sovereignty of the Chagos Islands, with “outright hostility”.
He says Diego Garcia, the main island in the Chagos Island and the home of a UK/US military base, was described to him as “the most imporant island on the planet” for US security. He claimed the deal would pose a threat to its future.
I will post more from the UQ after my PMQs snap verdict.
Starmer refuses to promise extra Commons time for assisted dying bill, if 2nd reading passes, so issues debated properly
Alec Shelbrooke (Con) says the assisted dying bill will be one of the most consequential pieces of legislation considered by MPs. He is worried about the short period of time set aside for the debate. Will the PM commit to giving the Commons two days to debate the bill on the floor of the house at report stage – “16 hours of protected time’” – so the issues can be considered in full.
He says, without that assurance, “people like myself may decline a second reading over fear that we may not get to debate these issues in full”.
Starmer says it will be a free vote. Every MP needs to decide how they will vote. He says he thinks “sufficient time” has been allocated to the bill.
And that is the end of PMQs.
Jo White (Lab) asks if the government will continue to smash the people smuggling gangs.
Yes, says Starmer. He says the government has returned 9,400 people with no right to be here. He goes on:
They talked about getting the flights off. We’ve got the flights off deportation flight. And so that’s why we’re investing another £75m pounds in the smashing the gangs.
We’re absolutely determined to give a serious response for a serious question, not a gimmick that achieved absolutely nothing.
Alex Brewer (Lib Dem) asks about chalkstream rivers in her constituency, and how to protect them from river pollution.
Starmer says the government has taken immediate action to improve water quality, including setting up a water commission.
James McMurdock (Reform UK) asks about the interest rate councils have to pay for borrowing. He asks for it to be cut.
Starmer says the government has decided to cut a premium borrowing fee imposed on councils.
Juliet Campbell (Lab) asks about flood prevention in Broxtowe.
Starmer says the last government left flood defences in their worst state on record. This goverment is increasing investment in them, he says.
Starmer mocks Farage for spending so much time in US
Nigel Farage (Reform UK) says the PM will want to congratulate Donald Trump on his victory last week.
(Starmer did – last week)
Farage goes on. Will the UK proscribe the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, which would mend fences with the Trump administration “given that the whole of his cabinet have been so rude about him over the last few year”.
Starmer starts with a joke.
I’m glad to see the honorable member making a rare appearance back here. He’s spent so much time in America recently I was half expecting to see all the immigration statistics.
He goes on to say Farage has made a serious point about Iran.
Ayoub Khan (Ind) asks what Starmer’s definition of genocide is.
Starmer says it would have been wise to start a question like this with a reference to what happened on 7 October last year. He knows what has happened, which is why he has never called what is happening in Gaza genocide, he says.
Lincoln Jopp (Con) asks Starmer to confirm that Sue Gray saying she won’t take the job as envoy to the nations and the regions shows Starmer invented a job for one of his cronies. And, if he did not, will he appoint a new one?
Starmer says it wasn’t a crony job.
Catherine Fookes (Lab) ask Starmer to condemn Tories who have criticised the level of the national living wage. Starmer is happy to do so, saying the government is proudly on the side of working people.
Neil Shastri-Hurst (Con) says more schools are closing because of the introduction of VAT on private school fees.
Starmer says he understands the concerns of people who save to send their children to private schools. But all parents want the best for their children, he says. He says he won’t tolerate state schools not being able to afford teachers.
Jacob Collier (Lab) says his constituency has the best pubs in the country. Will the PM ensure pubs have a seat at the table when business rates are reformed.
Starmer says pubs are an important part of our community. The budget cut duty on beer by 1p a pint, he says.
Gavin Robinson (DUP) asks about a constituent whose son has been taken away from her and is in Lebanon.
Starmer says this is a complex situation. He will set up a meeting for Robinson, he says.
Starmer says child poverty went up under the Tories. Under the budget, working people won’t pay a penny extra through their payslips, or at the petrol pumps.
Ed Davey, the Lib Dem leader, asks if GPs, pharmacies and other healthcare provides will be exempt from the national insurance rise.
Starmer says the government will ensure GPs get the resources they need. The funding arrangements will be set out later this year, he says.
Davey says Donald Trump Jnr has posted on Instagram saying Ukraine will lose its allowance. If the US does withdraw support, will the UK and its allies step up, using frozen Russian assets.
Starmer says the UK has been resolute in supporting Ukraine. He says he has been discussing how to put it in the strongest possible position with allies.
Badenoch asks why the government is approving a four-day week for councils. That is the same pay for less work, he says.
Starmer says questions based on what the government is actually doing are better. He goes on:
What did they deliver in 14 years? Low growth, stagnant economy, a disastrous mini-budget, a £22bn black hole, and now she wants to give me advice on running the economy. No, thank you very much.
Badenoch asks about Kelly, who runs an after school club business. She says the NI rise in the budget will cost her £10,000.
Starmer says he would tell Kelly the government is fixing the mess left by the previous administration.
