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PMQs – snap verdict
That was very missable. Alex Burghart, who was standing in for Kemi Badenoch, started well, with a very short, direct question, but after that it rapidly got worse.
He used his first three questions to focus on inflation, trying to make an argument about Labour letting price rises get out of control, but inflation at 2.3% is hardly the Weimar Republic and Angela Rayner quite easily knocked him back with a reminder of his ministerial job title under Liz Truss and a reference to the inflation rate under the Tories.
Burghart was on stronger ground talking about farmers, but at that point he started shouting furiously, conveying strong “madman on the bus” vibes to anyone watching on TV. (He was shouting because in the chamber the background noise is so loud that rookie speakers feel they have to shout to be heard; the experienced ones know that the microphones will do the work for them.)
On farmers, Rayner’s comments did not go beyond anything said by ministers yesterday, and it still does not feel as if the governement is winning the argument with the farming sector. But Burghart’s hyperbole was just playing to the base, and wasn’t persuasive either.
He was also one of several MPs to have a go at Rachel Reeves over her minor CV embellishment (“this morning we had City economists, real economists, saying that next year inflation would hit 3%”) but this just smacked of desperation. Reeves is a real economist.
At least, from Kemi Badenoch’s point of view, Burghart did not upstage his party leader. For that reason alone, he might even get invited back.
Key events
Rayner accuses critics of ‘scaremongering’ about impact of inheritance tax extension for farmers
In her reply at PMQs to Daisy Cooper, the deputy Lib Dem leader, Angela Rayner claimed there has been “scaremongering” about Labour’s plans to extend inheritance tax to cover some farms.
Cooper asked:
Somebody else who was very worried about the budget is Cathy. Cathy is a farmer in my constituency of St Albans, and she told me yesterday that she thinks the government changes simply do not make sense.
The changes mean that her family may have to pay a bill which will force them to sell land, which makes food production unviable. At the same time, the government has not closed the land buying tax loophole that can be exploited by equity firms and the super wealthy.
And Rayner replied:
I’m sorry to hear that Cathy is distressed by the – what I would say is scaremongering – around what the Labour party is doing.
The budget delivered £5bn for farming over the next two years, a record amount. The last government failed to spend £300 million on farmers, and our plan is sensible, fair and proportionate, and protects the smaller estate while fixing public services that they rely on.
At a post-PMQs briefing, asked who Rayner was referring to when she talked about scaremongering, a No 10 spokesperson said:
You have the deputy prime minister’s own words.
I think obviously the prime minister in his press conference yesterday recognises that there are concerns amongst farmers about the policy and that is why the government has a job to do to communicate the policy and our expectation, which is that the vast majority of farmers will be unaffected by the change.
PMQs – snap verdict
That was very missable. Alex Burghart, who was standing in for Kemi Badenoch, started well, with a very short, direct question, but after that it rapidly got worse.
He used his first three questions to focus on inflation, trying to make an argument about Labour letting price rises get out of control, but inflation at 2.3% is hardly the Weimar Republic and Angela Rayner quite easily knocked him back with a reminder of his ministerial job title under Liz Truss and a reference to the inflation rate under the Tories.
Burghart was on stronger ground talking about farmers, but at that point he started shouting furiously, conveying strong “madman on the bus” vibes to anyone watching on TV. (He was shouting because in the chamber the background noise is so loud that rookie speakers feel they have to shout to be heard; the experienced ones know that the microphones will do the work for them.)
On farmers, Rayner’s comments did not go beyond anything said by ministers yesterday, and it still does not feel as if the governement is winning the argument with the farming sector. But Burghart’s hyperbole was just playing to the base, and wasn’t persuasive either.
He was also one of several MPs to have a go at Rachel Reeves over her minor CV embellishment (“this morning we had City economists, real economists, saying that next year inflation would hit 3%”) but this just smacked of desperation. Reeves is a real economist.
At least, from Kemi Badenoch’s point of view, Burghart did not upstage his party leader. For that reason alone, he might even get invited back.
Helen Morgan (Lib Dem) asks about a constituent with cancer, whose diagnosis was delayed. When will diagnosis times improve?
Rayner says people are waiting far too long. That is why the government is investing more in the NHS.
Graham Stuart (Con) says in June a chief constable was sacked for misrepresenting her CV. And a nurse was jailed for something similar. Does Rayner agree that these punishments are right?
Rayner says she knows where Stuart is going with this. She says the chancellor has shown more competence in the last four months than all four of her Tory predecessors.
Paula Barker (Lab) says the Tories promised an employment rights bill, but never delivered. Does Rayner agree her employment rights bill is the biggest upgrade for workers in a generation?
Rayner says she and Barker used to be Unison convenors. She says the government is delivering on its promise to make work pay.
Lincoln Jupp (Con) asks about Spelthorne litterpickers, who do great work in his constituency. They have won an award for their service. Will Rayner congratulate them for what they do?
Rayner says she agrees absolutely. Volunteers play a very important role, she says.
Edward Leigh (Con) says it is red Wednesday, when people persecuted for their beliefs are remembered. Will the PM appoint a new envoy on religious belief, so the UK can defend religious belief minorities?
Rayner says the government is committed to defending freedom of religious belief.
She says envoy roles are still being considered.
Yuan Yang (Lab) says thousands of families in her constituency have move into developments with unfair property charges. How will the leasehold reform bill address this?
Rayner says the leasehold and freehold reform bill will being in more transparency over these charges.
Jonathan Hinder (Lab) asks about neighbourhood policing.
Rayner says the government wants to ensure every community gets a named local officer.
Lewis Cocking (Con) asks Rayner if she will support efforts to get a banking hub for Broxbourne.
Rayner says the government has committed to more banking hubs.
Fred Thomas (Lab) asks how Plymouth will benefit from government investment in health.
Rayner says every corner of the UK will see benefits. She offers Thomas a meeting with a minister to discuss Plymouth.
Liz Saville Roberts, the Plaid Cymru leader at Westminster, says care providers in her constituency have said the national insurance increase poses a threat to them worse than Covid.
Rayner says she values the work care providers do. Extra support has been put in place. She says tax benefts for charities are among the best in the world. And there is more support for the health sector, she says.
Simon Opher (Lab) asks what the government will do to improve maternity services.
Rayner says the Darzi report said the NHS was broken under the previous government. All mothers and babies should receive safe and compassionate care, she says.
Saqib Bhatti (Con) asks why the government has declared war on farmers.
Rayner says she does not accept that.