July 20, 2022
11:55 am
Prime Ministers Questions
Catch-up
PMQs LIVE – End of the union? calls for indyref2 & general election
PMQs LIVE – Why did Sunak and Liz pull out TV debate?
PMQs – Boris Johnson faces last ever grilling from Sir Keir
PMQs Live – Scotland can’t afford cost of living with Westminster
PMQs Live – Rowdy scenes as non dom rules questioned
PMQs Live – PM to face humiliating grilling from Sir Keir
Sajid Javid delivers brutal resignation speech in Commons
PMQs Live – ‘Pathetic spectacle’ – Brutal PMQs for Boris as more resignations roll in
PMQs Live – 06/07 – PM faces tough questions over Chris Pincher
Starmer: ‘Sinking ships fleeing the rat?’
Starmer says it sums the PM up that he tolerated “awful behaviour, unacceptable in any walk of life”.
The Labour leader derides those ministers resigning now after defending so much previously.
He asks: “Isn’t this the first recorded case of the sinking ships fleeing the rat?”
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Stamer wants PM to apologise for Pincher
Starmer sticks to the issue of Chris Pincher. He says when a young man complained about Pincher to a government whip she asked if he was gay. And apparently, she said that him being gay means it’s not straightforward.
Starmer says this comment is sickening.
He asks the PM for an apology.
The PM responds: “I regret very much that the member for Tamworth continued to hold office after the complaint was made against him in the Foreign Office.”
“It was resolved in the Foreign Office,” he says.
He says in hindsight he should have realised Pincher would not change.
“We want to help people with the things that matter to them, like cutting their taxes,” he says.
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Starmer presses on Pincher allegations
Starmer reads a testimony about one of the allegations against Pincher – the whole of the Commons falls silent.
Starmer makes clear, the whole of the government’s front bench is to blame for defending the PM for promoting Pincher.
Starmer then asks the PM whether he described Chris Pincher as “Pincher by name, Pincher by nature”. Yes or no?”
The PM refuses to answer saying he is “not going to trivialise what happened … because very serious complaints have been raised against [Chris Pincher].
He says that a complaint was raised and resolved while he was in the FO and that the fact Pincher remained in government is a massive regret for him.
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The PM says Chris Pincher no longer has the Tory whip and when he found out about the allegation, Pincher lost his status as a Tory MP and now is the subject of an independent investigation.
The PM says he abhors bullying or abuse of power.
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Why was Chris Pincher given position of power?
Labour’s Keir Starmer kicks off by referring to Chris Pincher (arguably the man who may be the downfall of the PM). Starmer goes on to list the allegations against Chris Pincher, saying it’s a reminder to those “propping up” the PM how serious the situation is.
He says the PM promoted Pincher despite knowing the allegations and asks why Pincher was put in a position of power despite knowing the allegations.
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The PM kicks off this week’s PMQs.
He begins by saying the government is implementing the “biggest tax cuts for a decade” – he says 13m people in the UK will benefit from it. He adds a typical worker will be £330 better off each year.
He wishes the best of luck to the England and Northern Ireland teams competing in the Women’s Euros.
When the PM mentions having ministerial meetings later today – the opposition benches let out some big laughs.
PMQs live – PM faces grilling after shock resignations
Politics LIVE today – what to watch
Today will be a massive day for the prime minister as he faces a grilling at the dispatch box at midday for PMQs – following the resignations of Rishi Sunak and Sajid Javid and a wave of juniors who have also quit. This morning has seen other Tories quit their roles and several issue letters withdrawing their support of the PM. But PMQs isn’t the only massive political event of today.
- PMQs live at Midday – watch here
- Sajid Javid will give an address in the Commons following PMQs
- 3 pm the PM will be in a committee meeting – the number one subject will be integrity.
PMQs today
PM Boris Johnson will face tough questions from Labour’s Keir Starmer today, in this week’s Prime Minister’s Questions – as pressure mounts on the PM and his government following last night’s shock resignations from health secretary Sajid Javid and chancellor Rishi Sunak and then the flurry of junior ministers and aides who have also quit.
The mass exodus comes following Boris Johnson’s televised interview on Tuesday evening in which he attempted to defuse the pressure around his handling of the Chris Pincher scandal.
MPs in more middle-ranking and lower-ranking Governments followed Sunak and Javid in resigning last night and into this morning, as the PM’s supporters rallied around him as he made a hasty cabinet reshuffle last night to appoint Nadhim Zahawi as the new Chancellor and Steve Barclay has replaced Sajid Javid as health secretary.
What time is PMQs?
The PM will face the Labour leader across the dispatch box at the usual time of 12 midday, and we’ll be live streaming the session here. Or you can follow along with TEXT updates.
What’s expected to be on the agenda? – Sunak and Javid shock resignations
This week’s PMQs are set to be dominated by the current crisis facing the government after the shock resignations of Rishi Sunak and Sajid Javid, and the PM’s handling of the Chris Pincher scandal.
Boris Johnson will not quit despite being urged by MPs at Downing street
Chancellor Rishi Sunak and Health Secretary Sajid Javid quit Boris Johnson’s cabinet, piling pressure on the PM.
Boris Johnson will not quit MPs at Downing street
But the PM is determined to see these resignations off and scrambling to make his cabinet after losing two heavyweights.
Fuelled by the fact the PM won a vote of confidence in his leadership last month and is safe from another vote for a year unless rules are changed.
Chris Pincher: What we know so far, why the PM’s story keeps changing and media reaction!
MPs at Downing Street for a reshuffle
Following the resignation of Rishis Sunak and Sajid Javid the PM frantically reshuffled the cabinet with Steve Barclay said to be in line for health secretary.
Senior cabinet and ministers have been seen in No 10 this evening, including education secretary Nadhim Zahawi and Lizz Truss as well as other MPs at Downing Street for the reshuffle.
Johnson says he’ll miss working with Sunak
In a letter to former chancellor Rishi Sunak, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson says he is sorry to receive Sunak’s letter resigning from the government.
He says Sunak provided “outstanding service to the country through the most challenging period for our economy in peacetime history”.
He mentions the furlough scheme Sunak coordinated during the height of the Covid pandemic and says Sunak’s efforts “primed the economy for a rapid recovery once the immediate dangers of the pandemic receded”.
Johnson adds “I have enormously valued your advice and deep commitment to public service and will miss working with you in government“.
Starmer says ‘Tory party is corrupted’
Starmer says Tory cabinet ministers have been complicit with Prime Minister Boris Johnson, while he “disgraced his office and let down his country”.
“The Tory party is corrupted, and changing the man at the top won’t fix it. We need a real change of government and a fresh start for Britain”, he says.
The Prime Minister perhaps in hubris will not bow down to public pressure and his close aides have commented ‘Boris Johnson will not quit’.
Nadhim Zahawi appointed chancellor
No 10 confirms Nadhim Zahawi appointed the new chancellor and Steve Barclay will be replacing Sajid Javid, becoming the new secretary of state for health and social care.
Michelle Donelan is the new secretary of education, replacing Nadhim Zahawi’s old role.
