First Prime Ministers Question Time of New Parliament
Keir Starmer marked a significant milestone Wednesday with his first PMQs as Prime Minister, and the first for a Labour leader in over a decade. Here are some key takeaways: - The tone was notably more amicable than in past sessions. The leader of the opposition, Rishi Sunak, even made a self-deprecating joke, saying Team GB wouldn't want his advice on "how to win." - Sunak focused his questions on national security, an area where both Conservatives and Labour show strong support, particularly for Ukraine. - When Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey called for more support for carers, Starmer commended Davey as a "tireless campaigner" for carers' rights. - The SNP's Stephen Flynn adopted a more confrontational approach, criticizing the prime minister over the two-child benefit cap. - Several new faces appeared in the Commons. Questions came from Green Party co-leader Adrian Ramsay and Reform UK MP Rupert Lowe, while Reform leader Nigel Farage observed the proceedings. This PMQs session highlighted a mix of unity and contention as new leaders and members engaged in the debate.
Starmer suspends seven MPs who rebelled over two-child benefit cap
Sir Keir Starmer has suspended seven Labour MPs for six months after they voted to scrap the two-child benefit cap, opposing the government. The MPs—Richard Burgon, John McDonnell, Imran Hussain, Apsana Begum, Zarah Sultana, Rebecca Long-Bailey, and Ian Byrne—joined forces with Liberal Democrats, Green Party, Plaid Cymru, the SDLP, the Alliance Party, and independent MPs like Jeremy Corbyn to support an SNP amendment to the King's Speech. Starmer's decisive action underscores his demand for loyalty within the party. Despite a majority of over 174, he quashed the rebellion with a 363 to 103 vote. Rumors of threatened suspensions before the vote quelled a potentially larger revolt. Ms. Sultana, upon her suspension, voiced her commitment to aiding vulnerable children. Another Labour MP who voted with the government expressed confidence in its commitment to reducing child poverty. The two-child benefit cap, introduced by George Osborne in 2015, restricts Universal Credit or child tax credits for families with more than two children. The policy has been linked to increasing child poverty. Although Starmer previously advocated for its removal, he reversed his stance due to financial concerns. Scrapping the cap is estimated to cost around £3 billion.
Police officer fighting for his life in hospital after motorway hit and run
A police officer who put himself in harm's way during a hit-and-run crash on the M8 is among three individuals fighting for their lives. The crash near junction 13 at Provan involved seven men, all taken to the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital and Glasgow Royal Infirmary. The 48-year-old officer and two other men, aged 43 and 39, are in critical condition. Two on-duty officers in an unmarked Volvo S90 had stopped with a Mercedes CLS on the hard shoulder when they were struck by a Mercedes A45. Three men from the A45 fled the scene. A 27-year-old man has been arrested for road traffic offenses, and the two others, aged 33 and 39, were later found. The wreckage pictures show extensive damage, with twisted metal and scattered debris. Another officer, aged 38, and a 33-year-old man are in serious condition. The eastbound carriageway remains closed for investigation. Deputy Chief Constable Jane Connors expressed support for the injured officers and public, praising their bravery. Chief Superintendent Hilary Sloan urged witnesses to come forward with any information.
Offshore wind to power 20m homes within five years, Starmer to pledge
Keir Starmer will pledge to build enough offshore wind capacity to power 20 million homes within five years using taxpayer money to develop parts of the seabed owned by the royal family. During a visit to the north-west, the Prime Minister will announce details of the government’s energy company, Great British Energy, which will receive £8.3 billion to invest in green technologies. The goal is to develop an additional 20-30GW of offshore wind power in partnership with the Crown Estate. The investment aims to attract another £60 billion from private companies to help decarbonize Britain’s power sector by 2030. Starmer emphasized that this partnership will boost energy security, create skilled jobs, and lower energy bills. Great British Energy will focus initially on offshore wind but will also invest in other technologies like carbon capture and small nuclear reactors. The publicly owned company will keep a stake in projects to return profits to the government and fund future energy projects. Officials believe this initiative, supported by the Crown Estate’s expertise, will help meet the UK’s ambitious green energy targets and gain broad public support.
