October 26, 2022
12:04 pm
Prime Ministers Questions
Catch-up
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 Live: PM going ahead with tax cuts for the rich – Starmer
PMQs Live – Liz Truss faces Keir Starmer in first Prime Minister’s Questions since mini-budget disaster
PMQs LIVE – cost of living, windfall tax & general election
PMQs LIVE – Calls for general election as windfall tax top topic
When is PMQs? Liz Truss to be grilled on U-turns
This week’s Prime Minister’s Questions may just be the most important task facing Liz Truss this week. The PM has not spoken in public since a brief press conference on Friday.
It has led to accusations the PM is dodging questions and refusing to answer to the disastrous mini-Budget and the many U-turns that came after.
At an urgent session in Parliament on Monday, Penny Mordaunt was forced to deny Liz Truss was “cowering under her desk” after the PM skipped an urgent question session in parliament.
She did put in a brief appearance at Parliament, sitting on the frontbenches looking pale as her new chancellor Jeremy Hunt reversed most of her mini-Budget. Truss gave the BBC an interview in which she apologised for ‘mistakes made.’
Mordaunt faced laughter and calls of “where is she” as she took the PM’s place.
Sir Keir Starmer said: “Where is the Prime Minister? Hiding away, dodging questions, scared of her own shadow. The lady is not for turning – up.”
He said of Ms Mordaunt’s presence: “I guess under this Tory Government, everybody gets to be Prime Minister for 15 minutes.”
Today, the opposition and MPs will get the chance to question the PM directly.
When is the next PMQs?
PMQs starts at its usual time of midday.
You can stream it here or follow the live blog.
Why did Liz Truss miss the urgent question?
No reason was given as to why Liz Truss missed the urgent question but Penny Mordaunt said she was away on “urgent business.”
Sir Keir said the decision showed Ms Truss had “lost all credibility”.
What’s on the agenda for this week’s PMQ?
It’s likely to heavily focus on the ripping up of her mini-Budget and the many U-turns. Almost all the plans she was elected on have now been reversed as her new chancellor tries to reassure and calm the financial markets.
The PM may be expected to apologise in parliament, not only for the economic mess but the political mess and the stress on the public.
PMQs Live: PM going ahead with tax cuts for the rich – Starmer
Tory incompetence & scapegoating the Bank of England – Blackford
SNP’s Ian Blackford says he would have thought Truss would have said that benefits will be uprated in line with inflation.
He mentions the rise in interest rates, saying it is hitting average families with mortgages with an extra £450 a month.
“Thirty-seven days into the job this is literally the cost of the PM’s incompetence,” he says.
He asks if she will give up her plan to save her chancellor by scapegoating the Bank of England?
The PM responds by saying the action the government is taking means families are not facing “gargantuan energy bills”
She says Blackford and Scottish MPs could help by building nuclear power stations and helping get more gas from the North Sea in order to deliver a more secure energy future.
Blackford responds by saying the PM is “ignoring the damage of the chaos of the mini-budget and is worried about saving the chancellor’s job”.
“Many families are now worried not just about heating their homes but keeping their homes.
“The scale of this Tory crisis is frightening.
“100,000 household a month are up for mortgage renewals – people can’t afford to pay an extra £4,500 a year in interest.”
Truss responds by saying the government is helping people heat their homes and would like to see more support delivering energy security.
“Interest rates are rising globally and they are a decision for the independent Bank of England.”
Truss going ahead with tax cuts for rich – Starmer
Starmer says PM is going forward with her £18bn of tax cuts for the richest and “those who live off stocks and shares.”
He asks why the PM expects working people to pick up the bill for unfunded tax cuts for those at the top?
He also asks if she will stick to a pledge during the Tory leadership contest that she is “not planning public spending reductions.”
Truss responds with: “What our budget has delivered is security for families for the next two winters.
“It’s made sure we’re going to see higher economic growth, lower inflation and more opportunities.
“The way we’ll get our country growing is through more growth, more jobs and more opportunities – not through higher taxes, higher spending and his friends in the union stopping hard working people get to work.”
