November 16, 2022
12:07 pm
Prime Ministers Questions
Catch-up
PMQs – ‘I rebut and refute any bullying claims made’ says Dominic Raab
PMQs Live – Dominic Raab stands in for PM as inflation soars
PMQs LIVE: PM made “grubby deal” with Braverman, says Starmer
What time is PMQs today? PM Rishi Sunak faces Sir Keir
PMQs live stream: Will Sunak support indyref2?
PMQs live stream: Sunak questioned on Braverman, mandates and general election
PMQs LIVE – ‘I’m a fighter not a quitter’ says Truss
PMQs Live – PM heckled, calls for her to resign
PMQs – ‘I rebut and refute any bullying claims made’ says Dominic Raab
‘It’s anti-buylling week, will he apologise’ – Rayner
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 about tax havens
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)
On Ukraine
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.
PMQs Live – Dominic Raab stands in for PM as inflation soars
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.
How to watch PMQs today
PMQs will start at its usual time of midday in the House of Commons.
You can watch online here
What should we expect from PMQs?
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.”