Yahoo News Rishi Sunak clashes with Keir Starmer over government cash for private schools
Rishi Sunak faced a grilling from Keir Starmer on Wednesday over government cash given to private schools.
The two leaders locked horns at Prime Minister’s Questions in the House of Commons.
Mr Starmer continued to press the Prime Minister to end the “scandal” of private school charitable status.
Sir Keir told the Commons: “He talks about his record. It is simple, he can carry on being pushed around by the lobbyists, giving away £1.7 billion to private schools every year or we can put that money to good use. End the Tory scandal.
“He talks about his record. Hundreds of thousands of children leaving school without the qualifications that they need. I have made my choice, what is his?”
Rishi Sunak replied the Government was “improving school standards for every pupil in this country”.
He added: “This is about supporting aspiration, and that is what this Government is proud to do.”
The Prime Minister is under pressure to stave off a rebellion within his own party, including from Liz Truss and Boris Johnson, as MPs back law changes that would permit more onshore wind farms.
Backing onshore wind projects would directly contradict a pledge by Mr Sunak during his leadership campaign. Labour has said they would ditch the current Tory ban on new onshore wind farms.
Royal Mail staff, educators walk off the job
10:54 , Miriam Burrell
The Prime Minister is set to face questions about growing industrial action.
Royal Mail workers, university lecturers and sixth form college staff went on strike on Wednesday in one of the biggest walkouts.
More strikes are planned in the coming weeks by railway staff, NHS workers and bus drivers.
Unison general secretary Christina McAnea said: “Jeremy Hunt, Rishi Sunak and Steve Barclay must roll up their sleeves and start talking to unions about how better wages for staff can help start to turn the NHS around.”
Call in the army, says NHS boss as ambulance crews strike
10:58 , Miriam Burrell
An NHS chief has called for the army to be called in as ambulance crews and nurses strike before Christmas.
“We will really welcome their support but that won’t play a central role in keeping the ambulance service going,” Saffron Cordery, interim chief executive of NHS Providers, told the BBC.
Health Secretary Steve Barclay warned that strikes in the NHS were “in nobody’s best interests”.
Migrant crossings top 43,000 this year
11:07 , Miriam Burrell
More than 43,000 migrants have crossed the Channel to the UK so far this year, figures show.
The Ministry of Defence said 884 people were detected in 17 boats on Tuesday. This suggests an average of around 52 per boat.
The latest crossings take the provisional total for 2022 to date to around 43,500.
Coffey ‘very disappointed’ if pollution targets not out by Xmas
11:14 , Miriam Burrell
Environment Secretary Therese Coffey has said she would be “very disappointed” if delayed nature and pollution targets are not published before Christmas.
She told peers on the House of Lords Environment and Climate Change Committee that “getting the environmental targets out” is one of her main priorities.
Asked whether they will be released by the end of December, she said: “I really hope so, that’s my intention. I’ll be very disappointed if they aren’t.”
She blamed the “change of administration” for the delay.
The Government came under fire in October after Ms Coffey admitted the deadline to publish the landmark legally-binding targets would be missed.
MPs visit Taiwan amid strained UK relations
11:25 , Miriam Burrell
MPs from the Foreign Affairs Committee are visiting Taiwan, which China claims as its territory, until Saturday and meeting dignitaries amid strained UK relations with Beijing.
“President Xi (Jinping) has made it clear that (China) will use forces necessary to take this island and I think there are lessons to be learned from Ukraine,” Tobias Ellwood told Sky News from Taipei.
Asked about China’s possible reaction to British MPs visiting Taiwan, Mr Ellwood said: “China reacted very angrily, wanting to shoo any politician from coming here to see what’s going on.”
He praised Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s statement that the “golden era” of UK-Chinese relations is over but added: “We do need to go further and supporting Taiwan has got to be high on the agenda.”
Matt Hancock: 'Millions of people voted for me’
11:44 , Miriam Burrell
Matt Hancock said he knew joining I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! would be “controversial” but that ultimately “millions of people” voted for him.
During the post-series Coming Out Show, Hancock said: “When I was being grilled in the early days, I felt like people were asking me on behalf of the British public.
“I knew going in it would be controversial but I also know millions of people have voted for me.”
The Coming Out Show airs on Thursday at 9.15pm on ITV and ITV Hub.
Pictured: PM leaves Downing St
11:46 , Miriam Burrell
Rishi Sunak has left Downing St to attend Prime Minister’s Questions in the House of Commons.
What to expect from PMQs
11:52 , Miriam Burrell
Rishi Sunak is expected to be questioned about escalating strikes by Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer in the House of Commons this afternoon.
He also faces criticism from the opposition over “dinosaurs” on the Tory benches who oppose clean enegy amid the onshore wind debate among MPs.
The Prime Minister may also be questioned about the autumn statement and private schools’ charitable status, as Prime Minister’s Questions begins at 12pm.
PMQs underway
12:02 , Miriam Burrell
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is on his feet in the House of Commons.
He congratulated England on winning against Wales in the World Cup match on Tuesday night.
Keir Starmer asks about school funding
12:06 , Miriam Burrell
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said Winchester College has a rowing club, a rifle club, charges over £45,000 in fees.
He asked the Prime Miniser: “Why did he hand them nearly £6m in taxpayers money in state support?”
Mr Sunak said he recently announced billions more funding for our schools.
“We’re helping millions of disadvantaged kids with their lost learning. During Covid he wanted to keep schools closed.”
School tax breaks ‘laughable'
12:10 , Miriam Burrell
Sir Keir Starmer said it’s “laugable” that the Prime Minister thinks the better route to education is tax breaks for schools.
”Trickle down education is nonsense,” the Labour leader said.
“His education minister asks how much better it would be if the Tories get rid of handouts.”
Mr Starmer said the Government gives away £1.7bn to schools every year.
“We could put that money to good use,” he said.
Operation Get Tough
12:11 , Miriam Burrell
Sir Keir Starmer said the Prime Minister is planning an “Operation Get Tough” campaign.
He asks: “How tough is he going to get with his backbenchers blocking new homes this country so badly needs?”
Rishi Sunak replied by saying the government is delivering record new homes.
PM ‘rams through’ bill that would ‘rip up’ workers rights
12:17 , Miriam Burrell
SNP MP Ian Blackford this Prime Minister asked Rishi Sunak about admitting that Brexit is cause of economic difficulty in the UK.
He accused the Prime Minister of “ramming through” a bill that would rip up European law that would protect workers rights post Brexit.
Rishi Sunak said he was proud to vote for Brexit to reduce migration and “get control of our borders”.
Rishi Sunak said Govt committed to reducing violence
12:21 , Miriam Burrell
MP Angela Richardson said the Government cannot take a single step back in efforts to tackle violence against women and girls.
Rishi Sunak said the Govenment createt the Safer Streets fund for CCTV cameras and more lights.
PM outlines moves to curb knife crime
12:24 , Miriam Burrell
MP Abena Oppong-Asare asked what the Prime Minister was doing to reduce knife crime after two 16-year-old boys were killed in Thamesmead over the weekend.
Rishi Sunak said the government is boosting the number of police offices, giving them extra powers to get knives off the streets, introducing new court orders and lifting restrictions for stop and search.
Home schooled children ‘falling through the net'
12:28 , Miriam Burrell
MP Catherine West said the pandemic caused havoc with school attendance, with 115,000 children now home educated - that’s 34 percent higher than before the pandemic -with little monitoring.
She said 9 in 10 local authorities are not able to identify these children.
When will a register of home school children be established to make sure “they’re not falling through the net”, Ms West asked.
The Prime Minister said local authorities must seek to identify home schooled violence with public guidance.
Royal Mail strikes ‘not the right approach'
12:29 , Miriam Burrell
Rishi Sunak said strikes by Royal Mail workers is “not the right approach” and is “simply unaffordable” for hard-working taxpayers.
The Prime Minister said it’s “simple not possible” for Royal Mail staff to receive the pay demands they are asking.
Labour criticises private school’s charitable status
12:37 , Miriam Burrell
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer pressed the Prime Minister to end the “scandal” of private school charitable status during PMQs.
Sir Keir told the Commons: “It is simple, he can carry on being pushed around by the lobbyists, giving away £1.7 billion to private schools every year or we can put that money to good use. End the Tory scandal.
“Hundreds of thousands of children leaving school without the qualifications that they need. I have made my choice, what is his?”
Rishi Sunak replied the Government was “improving school standards for every pupil in this country”.
He added: “This is about supporting aspiration, and that is what this Government is proud to do.”
‘Unacceptable deterioration’ in Avanti service
12:40 , Miriam Burrell
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said there has been an “unacceptable deterioration” in Avanti’s service.
MP Esther McVey mentioned the train service between her constituency and London, saying it “was always hourly, direct and took one hour 50”.
She told the Commons: “Now you’d be very lucking if you got a direct train and the journey time is… often double, and that’s not restricted to strike days, that’s day in day out on Avanti trains.”
She asked “what the Government’s going to do to sort this out”.
Mr Sunak said she was “absolutely right about the unacceptable deterioration in the quality of Avanti’s service”.
“The Transport Secretary is rightly monitoring and holding them to account. There is a plan to increase the number of trains… to more than 100 additional drivers, and restoring the full direct service between Manchester and London.”
He added the plan needs “trade union cooperation”.
14:27 , Miriam Burrell
