[News]
Starmer says UK ‘can’t just tax our way to growth’, as he brushes off Green party’s call for wealth tax
Adrian Ramsay, the Green party’s co-leader, says there is growing support for a wealth tax. So will Starmer stand by his call for those with the broadest shoulders to pay the heaviest burdern?
Starmer says he won’t take lectures from a party proposing unfunded spending commitments worth £80bn. And he says “we can’t just tax our way to growth”.
Key events
Adrian Ramsay, the Green party co-leader, also raises a point of order. He says Starmer claimed the Green manifesto contained £80bn of spending commitments that were not funded. But they were, he claims. He asks how he can correct the record.
Hoyle says Ramsay has made his point.
Lee Anderson, the Reform UK chief whip, asks a point of order. He says he could not hear a word of Nigel Farage because of all the heckling that he was getting. He claims Reform UK “do not subscribe to this sort of dog whistle politics”.
(Dog whistle is probably the wrong term. Humans cannot hear dog whistles. But they could hear the heckling easily.)
Lindsay Hoyle, the Speaker, says he thinks Farage is capable of fighting his own battles.
Cameron Thomas (Lib Dem) invites Starmer to join him at the Tewksbury medieval festival, or the town’s live musical festival.
Starmer thanks Thomas for the invite.
But if I want to see people stuck in the past and fighting each other, I’ll probably go to the next meeting of the shadow cabinet.
And that was the final question.
Ben Lake (Plaid Cymru) asks about a constituent who was jailed for five years before being freed after it was established he was the victim of a miscarriage of justice. But he cannot get compensation because of a law p***ed in 2014 saying people will only get compensation if they can prove their innocence.
Starmer says this issue has been raised at PMQs before (by David Davis). He says the government will look at it.
Patrick Hurley, Labour MP for Southport, asks the PM to pay tribute to three police officers, in the public gallery today, who were first on the scene last year when the Southport stabbings took place.
Starmer says he has met some of these officers. It is “humbling” to see their bravery, he says.
Melanie Onn (Lab) asks the governemnt to crack down on criminals using bogus shops on the high street for money laundering and tax evasion.
Starmer thanks Onn for raising the issue, saying the government will have more to announce on this.
Ian Roome (Lib Dem) says over the past week he has spoken to five people in his North Devon constituency who have had to remove their own teeth with pliers because they could not get an NHS dentist.
Starmer says that is another ‘“shameful legacy” from the last government. The government is hiring more NHS dentists. But it can only do that because of the investment in the budget the opposition opposed.
Catherine Fookes (Lab) asks Starmer to back plans for a new rail station in her Monmouthshire constituency.
Starmer says the government is looking at plans for this.
Jess Brown-Fuller (Lib Dem) says the Send system is broken and adversarial. The EHCP process is long and often degrading. She urges Starmer to introduce a national body for Send.
Starmer accepts that the system is broken. The government will share its plans with the house. It wants the greatest support possible for those plans, he says.
David Davis (Con) says there are 50 veterans who could be unfairly prosecuted for alleged offences during the Troubles as a result of the government’s plans to repeal the Tory bill that would have offered them immunity.
Starmer says the previous legislation was found to be unlawful. He says the government wants to find a way of dealing with these legacy issues that is lawful and proportionate.
Starmer says UK ‘can’t just tax our way to growth’, as he brushes off Green party’s call for wealth tax
Adrian Ramsay, the Green party’s co-leader, says there is growing support for a wealth tax. So will Starmer stand by his call for those with the broadest shoulders to pay the heaviest burdern?
Starmer says he won’t take lectures from a party proposing unfunded spending commitments worth £80bn. And he says “we can’t just tax our way to growth”.
Nigel Farage, the Reform UK leader, says people voted for Brexit ..
“Because they were lied to,” another MP shouts.
Farage goes on. He says people wanted to stop illegal migration.
Starmer says the government is fixing the mess it inherited.
He has serious proposals for serious problems. He goes on:
He goes on:
[Farage’s] proposal, for 10 years, wagging the Tory dog, has been to break everything and claim that’s how you fix things, to stick two fingers up at your neighbours and then expect them to work with us. And he votes against the borders bill, which gives more powers to our law enforcement.
Davey asks if Starmer agrees any new money for the French to help them deal with small boats should be conditional on them accepting a returns agreement.
Starmer says he will be discussing this with President Macron.
Ed Davey says his MPs will back Labour’s plans for Send reform if they p*** 5 tests set by Lib Dems
Ed Davey, the Lib Dem leader, says the special educational needs and disabilities (Send) system has been neglected. But Labour MPs are planning another rebellion over the reform plans.
He says the Lib Dems have “72 votes to help”.
He asks Starmer to consider the five tests of Send reform published by the Lib Dems today.
Starmer says the government wants a new system that helps every child.
Here are the five tests set out by the Lib Dems in a press release.
1. Putting children and families first
Children’s rights to SEND ***essment and support must be maintained and the voices of children and young people with SEND and of their families and carers must be at the centre of the reform process.
2. Boosting specialist capacity and improving mainstream provision
Capacity in state special provision must be increased, alongside improvements to inclusive mainstream provision, with investment in both new school buildings and staff training.
3. Supporting local government
Local authorities must be supported better to fund SEND services, including through:
-The extension of the profit cap in children’s social care to private SEND provision, where many of the same private equity backed companies are active, and
-National government funding to support any child whose ***essed needs exceed a specific cost.
4. Early identification and shorter waiting lists
Early identification and intervention must be improved, with waiting times for diagnosis, support and therapies cut.
5. Fair funding
The SEND funding system must properly incentivise schools both to accept SEND pupils and to train their staff in best practice for integrated teaching and pastoral care.
We would welcome the chance to discuss these principles and priorities with you further. Together with our Liberal Democrat colleagues, we are eager to work with you on a cross-party basis, to make sure that the forthcoming reforms truly deliver for children with SEND and for their families.
[English News]
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