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Rayner signals UK would not join US if it were to attack Iran, saying government wants diplomatic solution
Daisy Cooper, the deputy Lib Dem leader, says the Lib Dems were proud to lead the campaign against the Iraq war in 2003. Given the reports President Trump might join a war against Iran, can the government rule out the UK following?
Rayner says the UK agrees with Trump that Iran must not have nuclear weapons. But the government wants a diplomatic approach, she says.
Cooper asks about the proposed Pip cuts. Analysis suggests 1.3 million disabled people could lose some support.
Rayner says Labour is the party of work. Those who want to work should be able to work. And those who can’t should be protected, she says.
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Nick Timothy (Con) says says Channel crossings are up 30%. When will they start to fall? And if they don’t, will the home secretary be fired.
Rayner says the Tories have not backed Labour’s measures on this. And she says Timothy should apologise for the Tories’s record on this, which was “abysmal”.
Pete Wishart (SNP) asks if Labour MPs who vote against the disability cuts will lose the whip?
Rayner does not address the question, and instead just argues Labour’s record is better than the SNP’s.
Jodie Gosling (Lab) asks about a decision to remove fire engine cover for Nuneaton.
Rayner says the fire minister will discuss this with Gosling further. But this is a matter for Warwickshire county council, now led by Reform. Nigel Farage should explain why Reform are cuttinng services, she says.
Sarah Champion (Lab) says victims of grooming gangs are being denied compensation for technical reasons.
Rayner says victims deserve support. She says the government is making it easier for them to get compensation in the civil courts.
Rayner signals UK would not join US if it were to attack Iran, saying government wants diplomatic solution
Daisy Cooper, the deputy Lib Dem leader, says the Lib Dems were proud to lead the campaign against the Iraq war in 2003. Given the reports President Trump might join a war against Iran, can the government rule out the UK following?
Rayner says the UK agrees with Trump that Iran must not have nuclear weapons. But the government wants a diplomatic approach, she says.
Cooper asks about the proposed Pip cuts. Analysis suggests 1.3 million disabled people could lose some support.
Rayner says Labour is the party of work. Those who want to work should be able to work. And those who can’t should be protected, she says.
Rayner says the government is fully committed to a Hillsborough law. It is focusing on getting the measures right.
Philp asks about a paeodophile from Zimbabwe who cannot be deported because of the Human Rights Act. It needs to be scrapped, he says.
Rayner says the Tories have 14 years of failure on this issue.
Philp accuses Rayner of “brass neck”. And he says Rayner was not listening; the Rwanda scheme never started. Illegal immigrants in Calais were saying they wanted Keir Starmer to be elected.
When Australia launched its scheme, it worked within months.
He says the Home Office is offering above-market prices to landlords to find housing for illegal immigrants?
Rayner says immigration increased four-fold under the Tories. And 400 hotels were being used under the Tories; that is now down to 100. She says under the Tories £1m a day was “spiffed” up the wall (not quite Boris Johnson’s word).
Philp says the government has admitted that the situation in the Channel is deteriorating. Will the government commit to a removals deterrent?
Rayner says, if the Tories think the Rwanda scheme worked, they need to explain why more than 40,000 people arrived after the scheme was announced.
Philp claims Starmer smeared victims too.
He says the Casey report said some offenders were asylum seekers. Does the government accept that the small boats crisis is a public safety crisis.
Rayner ways Philp was a Home Office minister when immigration soared. And the last government spent £700m on a Rwanda policy that led to just four people being deported.
Philp says scandals must never be covered up because of the ethnicity of offenders.
He says Keir Starmer smeared victims in January when he said this was a far-right bandwagon.
Rayner says Starmer did not just raise issues. He acted on them as DPP in 2012.
She says Starmer was talking specifically about Tory ministers who did nothing about this issue.
Chris Philp says the Tories are also calling for de-escalation in the Middle East.
He says yesterday he and Kemi Badenoch met with victims of the grooming gang scandal. He says gangs of predominately Pakistani men were to blame, and the crimes were covered up. He says the inquiry must cover all towns affected. It must be set up before the summer recess, and victims must be involved.
Rayner thanks Philp for his tone, and for putting the interests of victims and survivors first.
The government will take plans for a national inquiry forward “at speed”.
She says she hopes all MPs put the victims first.
Olivia Bailey (Lab) asks about housing.
Rayner says she can announce a national housing bank, backed by £16bn of public finance.
Adrian Ramsay, the Green party co-leader, asks Rayner if the government will commit to giving MPs a vote on any decision to offer military support to Israel.
Rayner says there is a clear potential for “rapid worsening” of the situation in the Middle East. She says jets have been transferred to supply contingency support for British forces. The government will act in the national interest, she says.
Angela Rayner starts by saying she has been asked to reply. Keir Starmer has been at the G7. She says the UK is working with partners to urge de-escalation in the Middle East, to get a ceasefire in Ukraine and to work in the national interest.
Here is the list of MPs down to ask a question.
