In full: Starmer's final PMQs before local election wipeout

Key Concepts

• Universal Credit: A social security payment for people on low incomes or out of work.
• No-Fault Evictions (Section 21): Legal provisions allowing landlords to evict tenants without providing a specific reason; the government announced their abolition.
• National Wealth Fund: A government-backed investment vehicle designed to co-invest with private capital in strategic sectors.
• Intensive Recovery Program (NHS): A targeted intervention strategy for underperforming NHS trusts.
• Cobra: The UK government’s emergency response committee (Cabinet Office Briefing Room A).
• International Humanitarian Law (IHL): The body of law that governs the conduct of armed conflict.

1. Government Performance and Legislative Achievements

The Prime Minister (PM) defended the government’s record during the current parliamentary session, highlighting:

• Workers' and Renters' Rights: Claimed the "biggest upgrade" in a generation for both groups.
• Child Poverty: Asserted that the current administration has done more than any predecessor to lift children out of poverty.
• Legislative Volume: Reported the passage of 60 bills, covering diverse areas from animal welfare to space industry indemnities.
• NHS Progress: Cited the lowest waiting lists in three years, improved ambulance response times, and a £29 billion investment in the NHS alongside £2 billion for life sciences.

2. Economic and Welfare Debates

The Leader of the Opposition (Kemi Badenoch) challenged the PM on economic management:

• Welfare Spending: Argued that welfare spending now exceeds income tax revenue, citing 1.5 million more people on Universal Credit since the government took office.
• Defense Spending: Criticized the lack of a long-term defense investment plan, referencing Lord Robertson’s warning that Britain cannot be defended with an "ever-expanding welfare budget."
• PM’s Rebuttal: The PM countered that the government has increased defense spending to its highest sustained level since the Cold War and accused the opposition of "hollowing out" the armed forces during their previous tenure.

3. Foreign Policy and Global Security

• Middle East Conflict: The PM emphasized his role in chairing Cobra meetings to manage the implications of the conflict in the Middle East, accusing the opposition of prioritizing "baseless political stunts" over national security.
• International Law: A backbencher questioned the closure of the International Humanitarian Law unit and the cessation of funding for a database tracking human rights incidents. The PM clarified that the work is being restructured rather than ended.

4. Specific Constituency and Sectoral Issues

• LGBT Veterans: The PM confirmed that the Security Minister is reviewing a scheme to provide compensation to security service personnel dismissed in the 1980s due to their sexuality, following the precedent set by the "Terry Ethean" scheme for armed forces veterans.
• Life Sciences: Announced a £300 million investment by AstraZeneca in UK life sciences, facilitated by a pharmaceutical arrangement with the US.
• Infrastructure: Discussed the reopening of Doncaster Sheffield Airport, with the PM criticizing local Reform party councillors for potentially jeopardizing the project.
• Environmental Health: Addressed a constituent's concern regarding a landfill site in Calne causing air quality issues, promising to intervene with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) and the Environment Agency (EA).

5. Notable Quotes

• Leader of the Opposition: "We cannot defend Britain with an ever-expanding welfare budget." (Attributed to Lord Robertson).
• Prime Minister: "This Friday, no-fault evictions will be scrapped once and for all."
• Prime Minister: "I changed my party and I won a general election."

6. Synthesis and Conclusion

The session was characterized by a sharp divide between the government’s narrative of "delivering change" through legislative reform (renters' rights, NHS investment, and worker protections) and the opposition’s narrative of "chaos," economic mismanagement, and a ballooning welfare state. While the PM focused on his mandate and the practical outcomes of his legislative agenda, the opposition focused on the perceived loss of credibility, internal party instability, and the fiscal burden of current welfare policies. The session concluded with both sides preparing for upcoming local elections, with the PM maintaining a focus on his government's "mission" to strengthen the economy, energy security, and defense.