PM speaking “incoherently” and dodging questions
Starmer says this must be the Oxford University debating skills we have heard about (in the Mail on Sunday article) – ignoring the question, responding “incoherently”. He says the UK is the only country putting up taxes in the G7.
PM talks about the increase in the national insurance threshold. And says “the party of Bevan” should support more money for the NHS.
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On the cost of living crisis – Starmer asks PM if denying the facts makes things worse or better?
PM says UK had the fastest growth in the G7 last year. That wouldn’t happen under Labour, he says there are 500,000 more people in paid employment now than before the pandemic began. PM says under Labour youth unemployment rose.
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‘Why are you mismanaging the economy’? – asks Starmer
Sir Keir Starmer starts by acknowledging the Angela Rayner story and says there is no place for sexism in Boris Johnson’s govt or modern Britain. He asks the PM if he agrees that there is no place for misogyny, or for looking down on people on the basis of where they come.
Starmer goes on to add the UK is set for the slowest growth in the G7. Why is Johnson mismanaging the economy?
On Angela Rayner, the PM says MPs should treat each other with respect and he acknowledged he texted with Rayner following the Mail on Sunday article.
On the economy, the PM says all countries are having problems and he repeats his classic claim that the UK would still be in lockdown if Labour was in power.
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PMQs starts
PM Boris Johnson says this is the final PMQs of this session. He says more than 20 acts of parliament have been passed including the national insurance threshold increase – which is the largest single tax cut for a decade.
He fails to mention that overall taxes are also rising to their highest level for decades.
He is focusing on delivering the people’s priorities, he says. “And there is plenty more to come in the Queen’s speech on 10 May.
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