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Theresa May faces Jeremy Corbyn at PMQs before EU summit on Brexit extension - live news Theresa May faces Jeremy Corbyn at PMQs before EU summit on Brexit extension - live news
(32 minutes later)
PMQs - Snap verdict:
The ongoing (if stalled) Brexit talks between the government and Labour have left UK politics in something of a limbo, as shown by PMQs. For a second week in a row, Jeremy Corbyn decided to avoid the subject more or less entirely, instead focusing all his questions on council funding and associated areas of poverty and inequality. You can view this in two ways. Brexit-worriers can point, with perfectly good reason, to Theresa May’s trip to Brussels this afternoon where she will politely ask the EU for a short extension to Brexit and wait in a separate room for them to (in all likelihood) refuse this and impose a longer delay under terms of their choosing. It is both something of a national humiliation and by some measure the most immediate political issue of the day. But on the other hand, the Labour leader could argue that poverty is a pressing crisis, and with local elections across much of England and in Northern Ireland just three weeks away, the point must be made. More pragmatically, if you’re still officially in talks with the government on seeking a Brexit consensus, hammering endlessly at May’s failures over this could be seen as uncooperative.
What was perhaps more surprising was the relative lack of Brexit questions from disgruntled Conservative MPs, of which there are plenty. A series of backbench Brexiters, including Bob Blackman, Theresa Villiers and Daniel Kawczynski asked instead about local issues. It was largely left to the SNP’s Ian Blackford to press May on a possible second referendum. Of course, MPs don’t often get their moment in the spotlight at PMQs, and it’s a good chance to raise a constituency matter. But given the predictions of outright Tory mutiny if a long Brexit delay came to pass, overall this felt unexpected.
Corbyn’s line of attack was comfortable ground for a Labour leader, but his questions were consistent and coherent, and his final peroration rousing:
The evidence is clear; the Tories have abandoned communities across the country, they’ve left towns and cities to fend for themselves after nine years of vindictive, damaging austerity... This government stands for tax cuts for the richest and swingeing cuts for the rest.Will the prime minister now admit that far from tackling the burning injustices she talked about, her government’s cruel and unfair policies have pushed councils to the brink and left those just about managing not being able to manage at all? That is her legacy.
May shot back with a series of (often half-relevant) statistics, but it can be safely chalked up as a Labour win.
Labour’s Richard Burdon asks about possible factory closures by aerospace firm GKN. May says she will look into it.
And that’s it. PMQs is over.
The Green MP Caroline Lucas says young Swedish climate change activist Greta Thunberg is visiting parliament next week, and asks if May will meet her. She does not answer this in her response.
Next is a question on fishing and Brexit from Tory David Duguid, and one on universal credit from the SNP’s Drew Hendry. After that, Tory Neil O’Brien asks about access to another drug, one to treat spinal muscular atrophy.
Labour’s Wayne David asks about what he says is falling police funding, which May rejects. Then Tory MP Shailesh Vara and May agree with each other on the economic contribution of the UK’s Indian diaspora.Labour’s Wayne David asks about what he says is falling police funding, which May rejects. Then Tory MP Shailesh Vara and May agree with each other on the economic contribution of the UK’s Indian diaspora.
Now it’s Labour’s Stephen Hepburn, who asks a slightly high-concept question criticising the government’s overall record. The Tory Eddie Hughes asks about female representation at the top of corporations.Now it’s Labour’s Stephen Hepburn, who asks a slightly high-concept question criticising the government’s overall record. The Tory Eddie Hughes asks about female representation at the top of corporations.
The answers to both are as you might expect.The answers to both are as you might expect.
Brexit again, at last. Tory Henry Smith asks whether the EU contributions for a long delay to departure could be better spent on other areas. May says she wants a brief delay.Brexit again, at last. Tory Henry Smith asks whether the EU contributions for a long delay to departure could be better spent on other areas. May says she wants a brief delay.
It is now Labour’s Luke Pollard – whose birthday it is, the Speaker, John Bercow, notes as he calls him. It’s another question about universal credit, and the problem of weekly rent given the variable payments of UC. May says the issue is manageable.It is now Labour’s Luke Pollard – whose birthday it is, the Speaker, John Bercow, notes as he calls him. It’s another question about universal credit, and the problem of weekly rent given the variable payments of UC. May says the issue is manageable.
Damien Moore, another Conservative backbencher, asks about disabled access at rail stations. May says progress is being made on the issue.Damien Moore, another Conservative backbencher, asks about disabled access at rail stations. May says progress is being made on the issue.
Now it’s the turn of Scottish Lib Dem Jamie Stone, who asks about decommissioning at the Dounreay nuclear plant, and job prospects amid this. May pledges government assistance on this.Now it’s the turn of Scottish Lib Dem Jamie Stone, who asks about decommissioning at the Dounreay nuclear plant, and job prospects amid this. May pledges government assistance on this.
Another Conservative Brexiter has a question, again not about Brexit. Theresa Villiers asks about police cuts in north London. May says this is a matter for the London mayor, Sadiq Khan.Another Conservative Brexiter has a question, again not about Brexit. Theresa Villiers asks about police cuts in north London. May says this is a matter for the London mayor, Sadiq Khan.
Labour’s Mark Hendrick asks about universal credit and its role in child poverty and food bank use, asking when the government will scrap the new benefit system. May insists UC is a route out of poverty.Labour’s Mark Hendrick asks about universal credit and its role in child poverty and food bank use, asking when the government will scrap the new benefit system. May insists UC is a route out of poverty.
Conservative backbencher and keen Brexiter Daniel Kawczynski asks about school funding differences between regions, saying his local schools in Shropshire do worse than their equivalents in London. May talks up the new schools funding formula.
Labour’s Gill Furniss is up next, asking about the role of UK companies in the ongoing Saudi military offensive in Yemen. May says Britain has strong rules on such issues, and is seeking a ceasefire in the country.
Another non-Brexit question: Conservative backbencher Bob Blackman asks about the long-running issue of homes sold under leasehold terms with escalating ground rents. May points to government action on this.
Conservative MP Andrew Murrison asks a question about waste incinerators and their impact climate change, getting a positive response from the PM.
Next, Labour’s Ronnie Campbell asks about access to a new drug for cystic fibrosis. May said work is being done on this.
The SNP’s Westminster leader, Ian Blackford, asks May if the government has offered a second referendum at any point in the Brexit talks with Labour. The PM reiterates that she does not like the plan, but does not wholly answer the question.
Blackford’s second question asks if May will accept a long delay to Brexit, and a second referendum. Again, there is no real response.
After that fairly brief if concentrated exchange on cuts, Tory MPs Antoinette Sandbach raises this week’s new government plans on internet safety, inviting May to praise it – which the prime minister happily does.
More on council funding. Corbyn says the government has “abandoned communities across the countries”, and reels off a list of closures and cuts. He asks May to admit that her government have been “cruel and unfair”.
Not unexpectedly, the PM does not. She responds with yet more statistics, and a somewhat sweeping attack on Labour.
Corbyn reiterates his point on the new council funding formula, and stresses the crisis faced by local authorities now.
May says councils have had to make “some difficult decisions” and blames the last Labour government for the deficit.
Corbyn says new council funding proposals will make the differences between poorer and richer councils even greater. The Labour leader asks why this is happening.
May rejects this, saying the new plans will be fairer, and gets in a pre-local elections message about lower council tax under the Conservatives.
Using a similar comparison, Corbyn moves on to homelessness, and to child poverty. May again responds with a barrage of part-related statistics.