Politics latest: Keir Starmer 'bludgeons' Tories as he claims Labour inherited 'crisis everywhere' (2024)

By Jon Craig, chief political correspondent

Has Sir Keir Starmer overreacted by suspending seven Labour MPs who rebelled and voted to scrap the two-child benefit cap? Not according to the Labour leader's inner circle, obviously.

But many Labour MPs - and not just the left-wing "usual suspects" - were stunned at his response.

Read more from Sky News here:

Our deputy political editor Sam Coates says it was a "solid rather than exuberant event" for Sir Keir Starmer's first PMQs in charge.

But he says the "serious and workmanlike" tone was actually set by his predecessor.

Rishi Sunak "chose not to go on issues of greater partisan disagreement, but instead to focus on areas of agreement", adds Sam, noting how the Tory leader repeatedly praised Sir Keir's support for him over Ukraine when he was in Number 10.

He says the now "interim leader" - until the Conservatives choose a new boss in November - perhaps doesn't want to "engage in some of the more fiery approaches" and was "maybe leaving that to leadership contenders".

He also says we learned about how Sir Keir will do PMQs, namely "bludgeoning" the opposition with how the state of the public finances is "so much worse than we were expecting".

Sam says that that argument "is going to be at the heart of the debate" going forward - especially if Labour wants to do something like raise taxes.

By Gurpreet Narwan, political correspondent

Rishi Sunak's questions may have been soft but other MPs were rearing to go.

Sir Ed Davey, the leader of the Liberal Democrats, asked about the challenges facing family carers who have gone over the carers’ allowance threshold.

The prime minister said: "We have a more severe crisis than we thought as we go through the books of the last 14 years."

When grilled on illegal immigration, he accused the Tories of losing control of the country's borders.

As expected, Sir Keir Starmer found an opportunity to attack the previous government, saying the new government had found crisis and failure everywhere.

The chancellor has asked the Treasury to review state spending under the Conservatives, all of which is pitch rolling for difficult tax and spending decisions that are coming down the line.

For now, the new government can get away with blaming its predecessor - but it will not last.

As PMQs wraps up, Sir Keir Starmer has a message for the Conservative benches.

Responding to a final question from Tory MP Sir Roger Gale about planning reforms, the prime minister says the government needs to improve economic growth for the country.

"We have a housing crisis where the dream of home ownership for young people is simply gone under the previous government," he says.

He then says he is "not going to listen" to the Conservatives.

"They put their case to the electorate. The electorate rejected them profoundly," he adds.

"My advice is when you get rejected that profoundly by the electorate, it's best not to go back to the electorate and tell them they were wrong.

"It is best to reflect and change your approach and change your party."

That's a wrap on Sir Keir Starmer's first PMQs - scroll down to catch up on all the key moments.

As we approach the end of PMQs, the issue of violence against women and girls is raised by Labour's Charlotte Nichols.

"Sky News today published appalling accounts of sexual harassment and violence against women paramedics," she says, referring to our report.

"Can the prime minister please update the House on progress towards the mission to finally tackle this scourge in our society?" Ms Nichols asks.

Sir Keir Starmer thanks her for her question on what he says is "such a serious issue".

"We have made a commitment to the mission to halve violence against women and girls," the prime minister says.

"I know from my own experience dealing with these cases as a prosecutor and subsequently just how hard that will be to achieve.

"It does mean that we'll have to deliver in a different way - we'll have to roll up our sleeves and do difficult things that haven't been done in the past.

"And in answer to the specific question - we've started work already on the delivery board, and I look forward to updating her and the House on the progress that we're making on this really important issue."

Co-leader of the Green Party Adrian Ramsey stands to ask his first question at PMQs and says the UK is "one of the most nature depleted [countries] on Earth".

He welcomes the "signal" from the Labour government that they care about this "existential issue", and asks for Sir Keir Starmer to show leadership on the issue.

The PM says he is "committed to nature recovery", but turns the question round to the leading Green figure.

He asks Mr Ramsey to "show some [leadership]" himself over what Sir Keir calls his "extraordinary" position to oppose "vital clean energy infrastructure in his own constituency".

The Labour leader says his government will lay down plans to build these green technologies across the country, shaking up the planning system, and he calls on the Green Party to support them.

Reform MP Rupert Lowe asks the prime minister about immigration.

He says his constituents in Great Yarmouth "have little doubt" that "uncontrolled" immigration has "damaged and disrupted their community".

He asks Sir Keir Starmer if he agrees that "importing millions of people with no thought has failed" the country.

The PM says it is the previous government "lost control of our borders" and record numbers of people have crossed the channel.

"It is a serious issue that requires a serious answer," he adds, pledging to create a border security command that "takes down the gangs that are running this vile trade".

By Gurpreet Narwan, political correspondent

The "Leader of the Opposition, Rishi Sunak".

It will take a bit of getting used to but from the amused look on Labour MPs' faces, it's a phrase they will happily hear over and over again.

Rishi Sunak looks far more relaxed in his new role. Gone is the tense sternness we have grown accustomed to.

Instead, he made a self-deprecating joke about how Team GB should take no advice from him about winning. MPs clearly found it endearing.

The exchange that followed between the two was remarkably genteel.

Mr Sunak’s questions were focused on foreign policy, chiefly on Ukraine. He maintains that the Labour leader could rely on his full support in this area. It is a topic both leaders have consistently agreed on and it lifted the tone of the conversation in the Commons.

Much has been said about the peaceful transfer of power in the UK and, ultimately, the goodwill on both sides. Here was another example of it in action.

Next up is the SNP's Pete Wishart, who again brings up the issue of the two-child cap on benefits.

He says the new prime minister has "achieved something we didn't think would be possible in such a short period of time... a significant rebellion", and points to the suspension of seven Labour MPs "all for standing up against child poverty".

Mr Wishart asks Sir Keir if his "honeymoon" is already over.

The PM points to the huge losses the SNP experienced at the last election, saying "I really don't think lectures on what the people of Scotland are thinking."

SNP's Stephen Flynn rises next, thanking the prime minister for "ending Tory rule".

"Last night, Labour MPs from Scotland were instructed to retain the two-child [benefit] cap, which forces children into poverty. So, prime minister, what changed?" he asks.

Sir Keir Starmer says his government have already taken steps to address child poverty, including breakfast clubs and abolishing no fault evictions.

This comes after the Labour leader suspended seven of his own MPs from the parliamentary party after they voted against the government to call for the scrapping of the two-child benefit cap.

He ends his answer with a stab at Mr Flynn's party.

"I would just say this before he lectures everyone else - he should explain why, since the SNP came to power, there are 30,000 more children in poverty in Scotland."

Political correspondent Gurpreet Narwan says:

Labour's Nadia Whittome, MP for Nottingham East, just asked the prime minister if he will meet with transgender children, who have been affected by the ban on puberty blockers. She shook her head at his response as he referred to the Cass review.

This is just one of several issues that threatens to create divisions in the Labour Party and - despite the party's huge majority - it is a reminder of the internal tensions that exist.

Ms Whittome refrained from asking about the two-child benefit cap despite earlier attacking the prime minister's decision to suspend seven left-wing MPs yesterday after they defied the whip to support an amendment to scrap the limit. She was one of 42 Labour MPs who abstained from the vote.

So far Starmer has skirted this issue, which has been hanging over his first PMQs.

It did not last. Queue Stephen Flynn, of the SNP, which tabled the amendment on the cap yesterday. He asked Starmer why Labour had gone back on its mission to alleviate child poverty.

Starmer was prepared and quickly listed a series of initiatives the party has taken, including breakfast clubs. He had an attack of his own ready, asking why there are now 30,000 more children living in poverty in Scotland since the SNP came to power in Holyrood.