Starmer’s final question sees him say less than 1% of those arriving on small boats have been processed and the asylum system is broken.
He says that after 13 years of the Conservatives in power, trafficking gangs are “laughing all the way to the bank”.
The government, he adds, is offering “all talk and no action,” and the “same old gimmicks and empty promises”.
Starmer hits back and says Labour does not want open borders – and it is the Conservatives that have “lost control of the borders”.
He says if the prime minister were “serious,” he would be stealing Labour’s own plan for small boats, saying the government’s plan is “all talk”.
“If he was serious… he would smash the gangs, sort out the returns and clean up the utter mess.”
He then asks Sunak when he will achieve his plan to stop the boats.
PM makes a controversial statement saying Labour is on the side of the people smugglers as they fail to recognise there is a global migration problem.
The UK will remain compassionate says PM but the new bill makes it clear people who arrive illegally will be deported.
Labour’s policy is open door immigration and unlimited asylum, PM says.
Starmer begins saying by referring to “five utter failures” in the Conservatives’ migration policies while in government.
“The problem just gets worse with every new gimmick”, the Labour leader says, referring to the government’s latest asylum proposals.
He asks if Sunak agrees with an assessment by the home secretary that there has been “inadequate” action on the issue.
PM Sunak confirms he will publish his tax returns soon, including his US tax returns.
PM praises International Women’s Day. He says his government is making “huge strides” for the equality of women. He announces a new women and girls strategy.
PMQs kicks off. PM Sunak is set
PM Rishi Sunak will face off against Labour’s Sir Keir Starmer in the latest edition of Prime Minister’s Questions (PMQs), with the government’s controversial new plans to deal with illegal channel crossings set to dominate the session.
Home Secretary Suella Braverman announced the Illegal Migration Bill on Tuesday. The bill would mean asylum seekers arriving in the UK illegally will be detained without bail or judicial review for 28 days before being “swiftly removed” to their home country or a “safe third country” such as Rwanda.
The PM has said he is “up for the fight” against those opposed to the policy – which has been widely and internationally condemned.
PMQs starts at its usual time of 12 noon in the House of Commons.
You’ll be able to watch it on a live stream on this page, while it is also broadcast live on the UK Parliament YouTube channel.
The controversial bill will undoubtedly be top of the agenda as the PM is set to be challenged over how the legislation will work in practice and how it might stand up to the expected legal challenges.
The PM has already stated that he is “confident” the government will win the legal battles over the measures.
Labour has described the proposed policy as a “con” that was no more likely to be successful than prior Tory efforts to tackle the migration crisis.
In a letter to Tory MPs, Suella Braverman said there is more than a 50 per cent chance the legislation may not be compatible with the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR).
The bill means asylum seekers arriving in the UK illegally will face a lifetime ban on returning once deported and will never be allowed to settle in the UK or gain citizenship.
The Bill’s feasibility has been questioned as plans such as forcibly removing asylum seekers to Rwanda are mired in legal challenges.
Mr Sunak told a Downing Street press conference that migrants arriving in the UK illegally will be removed “within weeks” and that the Bill will apply “retrospectively” if passed.
The UN’s refugee agency, the UNHCR, said it was “profoundly concerned” by the Bill and that, if passed, it will amount to an “asylum ban”.
Prime Ministers Questions
Catch-up
Rayner now mentions the formal complaints that have been made against Dominic Raab.
‘In anti-bullying week, will he apologise?, she asks.
Raab responds by saying he’s “confident that I behaved professionally throughout” his time as minister.
Rayner responds by saying Raab had to demand an investigation into himself because the PM is “too weak to get a grip.”
“The deputy prime minister knows his behaviour was unacceptable, so what’s he still doing here?” she asks.
Raab responds by saying: “I will thoroughly rebut and refute any claims made,” he states, reiterating that Rayner “hasn’t put a specific point to me”.
“If she wants to I’ll be very happy to address it,” he says.
Rayner now asks about the lack of details about when the bullying allegations will be investigated. Rayner says the government has “no ethics, no integrity, no mandate”.
“When will they appoint an independent ethics adviser and drain the swamp?”, she asks.
Raab replies that “the recruitment of the new ethics adviser is already under way and taking place at pace,” to laughter from the Labour benches.
Rayner asks Raab whether he accepts that every pound hidden in tax havens is a pound lost from the pockets of working families.
Raab responds that the government wants “people to come to this country” and to create jobs for British people.
He says the government’s approach to non-dom status and incentives for big tech companies are enabling business people to come to the UK.
Rayner says working people are paying the price for the government’s choices, and says they’re choosing to protect corporate profits and not household incomes.
Raab responds that Rayner knows unemployment remains at the 50-year low in the UK and stands at “half the level left by the last Labour government”. – (BBC)
Rayner begins on Ukraine, asking whether Raab agrees that the fact that Russia is launching missile attacks on Ukrainian civilian infrastructure shows the “utter contempt” President Putin has for the international order. – (BBC)
Raab responds to Angela Rayner’s first question, saying he “100%” agrees that Russia launching missile attacks on Ukrainian civilians shows Putin’s “utter contempt”. – (BBC)
Dominic Raab says the UK stands in solidarity with Poland and is working with allies to find out what happened.
Labour’s Clive Betts asks about integrity and whether Raab believes that all ministers should follow certain principles. He asks the PM if he agrees no minister who has had a complaint of bullying upheld against them should serve in government.
Raab says he behaved professionally throughout and as soon as he was notified about formal complaints against him he asked the PM to set up an independent investigation.
This week’s PMQs will be dominated by the economy as inflation has risen to 11.1%.
Dominic Raab will be standing in for the prime minister who is attending the G20 summit in Bali.
PMQs will start at its usual time of midday in the House of Commons.
You can watch online here
Labour’s Angela Rayner is likely to question Dominic Raab over the economy, with Thursday’s Autumn statement looming, amid rising inflation and a cost of living crisis.
The deputy PM is likely to be questioned over allegations that he bullied junior colleagues. Labour’s Rayner has already called for an independent investigation into Raab. “Rishi Sunak clearly knew about Dominic Raab’s reputation when he reappointed him to his Cabinet,” she said.
PM Rishi Sunak has so far stood by his deputy, saying: “I don’t recognise that characterisation of Dominic and I’m not aware of any formal complaints about him.
“Of course there are established procedures for civil servants if they want to bring to light any issues. I’m not aware of any formal complaint about Dominic.”
This week’s PMQs will be dominated by the economy as inflation has risen to 11.1%.
Dominic Raab will be standing in for the prime minister who is attending the G20 summit in Bali.
PMQs will start at its usual time of midday in the House of Commons.
You can watch online here
Labour’s Angela Rayner is likely to question Dominic Raab over the economy, with Thursday’s Autumn statement looming, amid rising inflation and a cost of living crisis.
The deputy PM is likely to be questioned over allegations that he bullied junior colleagues. Labour’s Rayner has already called for an independent investigation into Raab. “Rishi Sunak clearly knew about Dominic Raab’s reputation when he reappointed him to his Cabinet,” she said.
PM Rishi Sunak has so far stood by his deputy, saying: “I don’t recognise that characterisation of Dominic and I’m not aware of any formal complaints about him.
“Of course there are established procedures for civil servants if they want to bring to light any issues. I’m not aware of any formal complaint about Dominic.”
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is set to face a grilling from MPs today – at this week’s Prime Minister’s Questions.
The PM faces his third PMQs session where Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer is set to question him on the allegations around Gavin Williamson and his eventual resignation from Cabinet.
The PM has returned from the COP27 summit in Egypt where he met other world leaders for the first time since becoming the prime minister.
If the previous PMQs are anything to go by – this session will be another lively exchange between the PM and the Labour leader.
Sunak will be flanked by his cabinet ministers Dominic Raab and the controversial Suella Braverman – there may even be questions on Matt Hancock who recently entered the ITV reality show I’m A Celebrity … Get Me Out of Here!
This week’s biggest scandal in UK politics has been the allegations made against Sir Gavin and his subsequent resignation – Labour is questioning the leadership and judgement of the prime minister.
Recent polls show a large lead for Labour – so today’s PMQs could be another defining chapter for the Tories.
Both sides will need to bring high energy to the session.
PMQs gets underway in the House of Commons at 12 pm each Wednesday afternoon. The session lasts around 30 minutes, usually finishing at around 12.30 pm.
Today’s Prime Minister’s Questions can be viewed on the UK Parliament Youtube channel here – WATCH LIVE
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