Starmer rejects Lib Dem call for him to lead economic ‘coalition of willing’ fighting trade war against US
Ed Davey, the Lib Dem leader, says Starmer has shown commendable leadership over Ukraine, with his plan for a military coalition of the willing. Will he now lead an economic coalition of the willing standing up to the US? (See 9.26am.)
Starmer says Davey is always trying to make him take a false choice between the US and Europe.
I think that’s the wrong choice on defence, on security intelligence, for reasons that we’ve rehearsed across this chamber. I also think it’s wrong on trade and the economy.
We have a balanced trade relationship with the US, and I believe that our interests are best served by calmly trying to secure a deal which is in our national interest, whilst at the same time preparing and leaving all options on the table.
Key events
Alberta Costa (Con) says there is a parole board hearing coming up for Colin Pitchfork. Does Starmer agree that people who brutally rape and murder young women, like Pitchfork, should normally spend most of their natural life in prison.
Starmer thanks Costa for raising this. He says as DPP he dealt with cases like this, and he knows the impact they have on families.
Greg Smith (Con) asks about the “jobs tax”, and says it has led to a firm in his constituency already having to lay off staff.
Starmer says he would be happy to explain to Smith’s constituents how the Tories left a £22bn black hole in the nation’s finances, and crashed the economy.
Imogen Walker (Lab) says one in six Scots are on a waiting list. But in England waiting lists are coming down. Does the PM agrees the SNP is to blame, and they should stop blaming everyone else?
Starmer says waiting lists in Scotland have risen 46% in a year. He had to check the figure because it was so staggering, he says. Scotland’s NHS is in “desperate need for reform”. But the SNP has no plan and no strategy, he says.
Luke Murphy (Lab) asks about GP services.
Starmer says the government is scraping unnecessary targets for GPs, bringing back the family doctor, and encouraging online appointments to end the 8am scramble for appointments.
Jack Abbott (Lab) says a school in Ipswich will be one of the first benefiting from a breakfast club.
Starmer says 750 breakfast clubs are opening this month. This will save working families £450 a year, he says.
And he says the government has today announced funding for 300 school-based nurseries.
Ian Roome (Lib Dem) asks about North Devon hospital, and asks if the operating theatres can be kept open after 2027.
Starmer says the Tory promised to upgrade the hospital was never funded.
A minister will be visiting the hospital, he says.
Gavin Robinson, the DUP leader, asks what will happen if the tariffs imposed by President Trump on the EU, and the EU’s retaliatory tariffs, have an impact on Northern Ireland imports from the US because of the post-Brexit deal. (That is because the would count as imports to the EU, not imports to the UK, which will not impose retaliatory tariffs.)
Starmer says this is a serious issue. He says the government wants to protect Northern Irish businesses, and is taking a “calm and pragmatic” approach.
He does not go into details about how this might be achieved.
Davey asks about the private equity firm KKR taking a stake in Thames Water. He says he hopes this won’t lead to more pollution.
Starmer says the Tories had an appalling record on water. He says the Water Act will lead to improvements.
Starmer rejects Lib Dem call for him to lead economic ‘coalition of willing’ fighting trade war against US
Ed Davey, the Lib Dem leader, says Starmer has shown commendable leadership over Ukraine, with his plan for a military coalition of the willing. Will he now lead an economic coalition of the willing standing up to the US? (See 9.26am.)
Starmer says Davey is always trying to make him take a false choice between the US and Europe.
I think that’s the wrong choice on defence, on security intelligence, for reasons that we’ve rehearsed across this chamber. I also think it’s wrong on trade and the economy.
We have a balanced trade relationship with the US, and I believe that our interests are best served by calmly trying to secure a deal which is in our national interest, whilst at the same time preparing and leaving all options on the table.
Badenoch says the Labour government lost the country’s most experienced trade negotiator. She asks what Starmer is doing to protect the car industry.
Starmer says Badenoch was trade secretary. He says she cannot criticise Labour for not having a trade deal with the US when she did not negotiate one.
Badenoch says the UK had the fastest growing economy in the G7 when the Tories left office.
Starmer accuses Badenoch of talking the country down. He says growth is forecast to rise over the course of this parliament.
