London politics LIVE: Starmer claims Tories let criminals ‘go free’ as Sunak brands Labour leader ‘Sir Softy’ at PMQs
Rishi Sunak and Sir Keir Starmer have clashed over the justice system and crime at Prime Minister’s Questions.
Sir Keir said there was a record backlog in the court system which meant“violent criminals go free”, while the PM hit back branding the Labour leader “Sir Softy. Soft on crime. Soft on criminals."
Mr Starmer claimed ‘thousands of criminals aren’t in prison” because of “the wrecking ball that the Tories have taken to criminal justice”.
Mr Sunak said: "What's the record since 2010, crime down by 50% under the Conservative Government. 20,000 more police officers, we've given them more powers and we've toughened up sentencing all opposed by Sir Softy over there."
The pair clashed amid a serious setback on the PM’s pledge to halve inflation by the end of the year.
Inflation stayed stuck in double figures of 10.1 per cent in March - down from 10.4 per cent in February - dashing hopes of an early end to the cost of living crisis in a major blow to hard pressed shoppers.
The blow comes as Mr Sunak is being investigated by Parliament’s standards watchdog over a possible failure to declare an interest.
A newly-published list of ministerial interests on Wednesday contained a reference to the childcare agency that Mr Sunak's wife holds shares in, following a row over the Prime Minister’s declarations.
PMQs was held for the first time since the Easter recess.
Live coverage ends
15:20 , Josh Salisbury
Thank you for joining our live coverage of Prime Minister’s Questions.
We are now ending this blog.
For an overview of today’s developments, please visit here.
Dominic Raab paid for own lawyers in bullying probe
15:03 , Josh Salisbury
Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab has forked out for his own legal team to defend himself against allegations he bullied officials, the much-delayed register of ministerial interests shows.
The declaration published on Wednesday came despite the taxpayer footing an estimated £222,000 bill for Boris Johnson's legal fees in the inquiry into whether he lied to MPs over partygate.
In the long-awaited register, Mr Raab's entry notes read: “The minister has engaged lawyers at his own expense in relation to the investigation being conducted by Adam Tolley KC."
Mr Tolley was appointed in November to lead the investigation into Mr Raab's conduct, but it is unclear when Mr Raab first engaged legal representation.
Mr Raab has denied bullying officials he worked with.
Tory MPs question lack of action on ‘secret Chinese police stations'
14:14 , Josh Salisbury
Several prominent Tory backbench MPs have questioned the Government over a lack of action over alleged secret Chinese police stations in the UK.
Conservative MP Alicia Kearns, who chairs the Foreign Affairs Committee, said she is “exasperated" about the Government's response since she raised the issue of alleged Chinese police stations six months ago.
She told the Commons: “There are four illegal police stations we know of operating in the country ... There is no question that when we are vulnerable at home to Chinese transnational repression - I hope the minister is listening - we are weaker on the world stage.”
Conservative MP Bob Seely said: “We know who these diplomats are, we don't have to wait for a court case - we're not going to be imprisoning Chinese diplomats - before we start expelling diplomats who are engaged in these practices."
Meanwhile, Conservative former minister Simon Clarke said: “When will the Government designate China, as we should, as a formal threat to the interests of the United Kingdom in our security architecture?”
China has denied the existence of any ‘secret police stations’ in the UK, claiming it “adheres to the principle of noninterference in other countries’ internal affairs, strictly observes international laws and respects the judicial sovereignty of all countries.”
PM has ‘no problem following rules' after childcare declaration
13:39 , Barney Davis
Downing Street has insisted Rishi Sunak does not have a problem following the rules as he is under investigation over his financial declarations.
The Prime Minister’s press secretary said: “Not at all, no. The Prime Minister takes his obligations to declare interests incredibly seriously, he’s followed all processes to the absolute letter.”
Downing Street declined to spell out exactly when Rishi Sunak first made a declaration of financial interest regarding the childcare agency his wife holds shares in, after the delayed list of ministerial interests was published on Wednesday.
That list contained for the first time a reference to “a number of direct shareholdings” owned by Akshata Murty.
The Prime Minister’s press secretary declined to give timings on when the declaration on Koru Kids was made but said a long-established process on ministerial interests had been followed.
“We have been very clear that the Prime Minister has taken his obligation to declare everything very seriously, he has done that for a number of years.
“Three independent advisers have reviewed those declarations so one would infer by that, that those declarations – including that of Koru Kids – have been made for a number of years.”
Around 100 alleged Chinese police stations around the world, MPs have heard.
13:27 , Barney Davis
Responding to Labour, Home Office minister Chris Philp reiterated “there is a live investigation by the law enforcement community into this matter”, adding: “As soon as the security minister is in a position to provide an update on the results of that investigation, he will do so.”
He added: “It is worth mentioning that Chinese activity in this area is not confined to the United Kingdom. We are aware of approximately 100 alleged stations of the kind we are discussing around the world.
“It’s not unique to the United Kingdom, and as a shadow home secretary said, just earlier this week arrests were made in New York in connection with a similar investigation conducted by the FBI, similar to the investigations that we are currently conducting here.”
Sunak ‘deeply shocked and appalled’ to hear about the cases of sexual assault and abuse in the NHS
13:09 , Barney Davis
The Prime Minister said he was “deeply shocked” and “appalled to hear about the cases of sexual assault and abuse in the NHS”.
His comments came as Labour’s Rosie Duffield (Canterbury) told MPs: “This week the Women’s Rights Network published a report by criminologist Professor Jo Phoenix called ‘When we are at our most vulnerable’ revealing that between January 2019 and October 2022 which includes the pandemic lockdown, of course, there were a staggering 6,539 reported rapes and sexual assaults in UK hospital settings.
“That’s an average of 33 incidents every single week and as eight police forces did not provide any data, the real figures are bound to be significantly higher. What can the Prime Minister and his Government do to ensure that all women, staff and patients are safe in Britain’s hospitals?”
Rishi Sunak replied: “I was deeply shocked like (her) and appalled to hear about the cases of sexual assault and abuse in the NHS, and I pay tribute to her for her longstanding campaign on these issues.
“NHS organisations are responsible for protecting their staff and patients from sexual harassment and conduct. They’ve recently established a domestic abuse and sexual violence programme to build more robust safeguarding processes for protecting patients. We will work very closely with them to ensure that that is implemented and I know she will hold us to account for doing that.”
Ex-Cabinet minister accuses striking doctors of risking loss of life
12:47 , Josh Salisbury
Conservative former Cabinet minister David Davis suggested the British Medical Association (BMA) has abandoned the principle of "first do no harm".
Speaking at Prime Minister's Questions, he said: “It seems clear that the junior doctors' strike is causing serious risk of loss of life, and certainly causing harm and pain to thousands of our constituents. The first line of the Hippocratic Oath is first do no harm.
“When does the Prime Minister think the BMA abandoned this central tenet of their profession?"
Mr Sunak said: “We value the work of junior doctors, and are keen to find a fair and reasonable settlement which recognises their role and the wider economic context facing the UK.
“He's right to highlight the impact on patient safety, and that's why this Government has brought forward minimum safety legislation to ensure that patients can rely on a core level of emergency service to protect vital patient care."
Government defends record on dentistry
12:40 , Josh Salisbury
The Prime Minister defended the Government's record on dentistry, and claimed more children were now able to see an NHS dentist than in previous years.
Sir Ed Davey raised Liberal Democrat data at Prime Minister's Questions, telling MPs: “Tooth decay is the number one reason that children over four end up in hospital. Regular dental check ups could prevent that but too many parents can't get them for their child.
“Will the Prime Minister take up the Liberal Democrat plan to end this crisis and make sure people can get an NHS dentist when they need one?"
Rishi Sunak replied: “The NHS recently reformed dentistry contracts, which will improve access for patients. Dentistry received about £3 billion a year. There were around 500 more dentists delivering care in the NHS last year than the year before.
“He mentioned children, I am pleased to say that almost 45% more children saw an NHS dentist in that year compared to the year before."
SNP ask why Scots Tory leader suggested voters could back Labour
12:36 , Josh Salisbury
The leader of the SNP at Westminster, Stephen Flynn, asks why the leader of the Scottish Conservatives urged voters to back Labour instead of his own party.
Douglas Ross has since backtracked on comments he made suggesting Conservative voters could vote Labour at the next general election in seats where Keir Starmer’s party had a better chance of winning against the SNP.
In a thinly-veiled reference to arrests within the SNP, Mr Sunak replies: “We’re focused on delivering for the people of Scotland ... At the moment him and his party are focussed on other matters, we’re just going to motor on.”
Starmer: Nothing works anymore after 13 years of Tory rule
12:31 , Josh Salisbury
Finishing his final question, Sir Keir lists an array of public services he says no longer work after thirteen years of the Conservatives.
“People can see it wherever they look. Our roads, our trains, the NHS, the asylum system, policing, mental health provision, the Tories have broken them all.
“And all they’ve got left is excuses and blame. I know the prime minister would rather talk about maths lessons than the state of the country. But perhaps he can solve this equation: Why after 13 years of a Tory government are patients waiting longer than ever? Criminals walking free? Growth non-existent?
“And why, everywhere you look, nothing seems to work at all?”
Mr Sunak says that when Mr Starmer was the director of public prosecutions, he got a special pension, and accuses him of wanting to put up taxes on ordinary Brits.
“It’s one law for him and tax rises for everyone else,” he says.
Crisis in criminal justice ‘snapshot of collapsing public services’ - Starmer
12:24 , Josh Salisbury
The speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle is forced to intervene several times as Mr Sunak and Mr Starmer trade barbs about the Labour leader’s time as Director of Public Prosecutions.
Mr Sunak said that during Starmer’s time as leader of the Crown Prosecution Service, it was accused of letting down victims - pointing to historic comments made by Labour’s Emily Thornberry which attacked the running of the CPS under Starmer.
Mr Starmer says he was commended by a committee in a report presented to former Tory PM Theresa May for his work as the country’s chief prosecutor.
“Perhaps if the prime minister spent less time trying to rewrite history and more time sorting out the mess he’s made,” he says. “The crisis in criminal justice is just a snapshot for public services collapsing under his watch”.
Starmer: ‘Thousands of criminals aren’t in prison because of Government failings'
12:19 , Josh Salisbury
Starmer has pointed to his record as the former director of public prosecutions in seeking to deflect from Sunak’s accusation that he is “soft on crime”.
He says: “I prosecuted thousands upon thousands of sex offenders. He’s just shown he doesn’t understand how the criminal justice system works.
“He thinks that cracking down on crime is suspending a sentence where someone should be in prison. That shows the problem.”
He says that some criminals are getting away without jail sentences because of prison overcrowding on the Conservatives’ watch.
“In simple terms, the wrecking ball that the Tories have taken to criminal justice means that thousands of people who should be in prison aren’t,” he says.
Starmer: Government letting violent criminals go free
12:14 , Josh Salisbury
Labour leader Keir Starmer accuses the Government of creating “the largest court backlog on record”, leading to some criminals not recieving as tough a punishment as they could.
PMQs has largely been characterised so far by the two party leaders trading barbs on who is tougher on crime.
“He’s letting violent criminals go free,” he says.
In response, Mr Sunak says: “We’re cracking down on grooming gangs ... We toughened the law on sex offenders so they spend longer in prison, and he voted against it.”
Sunak: Labour leader is ‘Sir Softy’ on crime
12:11 , Matt Watts
Asked again about public services, Mr Sunak accuses Keir Starmer of being ‘Sir Softy’ on crime.
The speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle has to intervene to keep calm.
The Labour leader Sir Keir returns to the theme of public services, saying: “Either the prime minister doesn’t use the same public services as the rest of us, or he simply can’t see the damage they’ve done to our country.”
He raises the case of a people smuggler who threw boiling water over a prison officer, asking whether Mr Sunak agrees that he should’ve recieved a prison sentence.
Mr Sunak says the Goverment has toughened sentences for attacks on emergency workers.
Starmer: Tory party has broken the NHS
12:08 , Josh Salisbury
Labour’s Sir Keir Starmer rises to his feet for his first question to ask Mr Sunak about public services.
“The Tory party chair says public services are in ‘pretty good shape’,” he says. “Has the Prime Minister met with a single member of the public who agrees with him?”
Mr Sunak responds: “Because of the record investment we’re putting into public services like the NHS, we’re now getting waiting lists down.
“Because of the reforms we’ve made to our education system more children are studying in good and outstanding schools ... More funding, more reform and better outcomes for Britain.”
Mr Starmer accuses him of “living in another world” to the public.
“People are waiting more than two days for an ambulance, because they broke the NHS,” he says.
Sunak: Labour London not building enough houses
12:04 , Josh Salisbury
Prime Minister’s Questions has begun.
The first question concerns the housing crisis, with Mr Sunak asked by Labour’s Abena Oppong-Asare, the MP for Thamesmead and Erith, about housing targets.
Mr Sunak says he believes in “empowering local communities”, saying “Labour-controlled” London is not building enough houses.
Pictured: Rishi Sunak leaves No10 for PMQs
11:53 , Josh Salisbury
Ministerial register of interests released ahead of PMQs
11:51 , Josh Salisbury
Good afternoon and welcome to our live coverage of PMQs.
Just half an hour before PMQs is due to begin, a newly-published list of ministerial interests has been released by the Government.
Rishi Sunak's list of interests includes the shares in the childcare agency held by his wife but does not detail when he declared them.
Under the section for relevant interests held by Akshata Murty, the list includes “a number of direct shareholdings,” including her shares in childcare agency Koru Kids.
Speaking as he released the list, Rishi Sunak's ethics adviser Sir Laurie Magnus said he was content that “any actual, potential and perceived" conflicts of interests involving ministers “have been, or are in the process of being" resolved.
