PMQs as it happened: Cameron faces questions on EU referendum
Prime Minister set to be grilled over division within party over Europe
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- PMQs begins at 12pm amid a growing Tory row over the EU
- Michael Gove says Cameron's EU reforms are not legally binding
- Jeremy Hunt's claim of 6,000 NHS weekend deaths was 'inaccurate'
- What does business think about Britain’s membership – and why?
- Britain is deeply Eurosceptic but will still decide to stay, says poll
Ahead of Wednesday's PMQs, Michael Gove has claimed that David Cameron's deal changing Britain's relationship with the European Union is not legally binding and could be overturned by a prominent European court.
The Justice Secretary rejected the Prime Minister's claim that the package was irreversible, warning that the European Court of Justice is not bound by the settlement without treaty change.
Downing Street moved quickly to dismiss Mr Gove's claim with a statement insisting the agreement "has legal force" and must be taken into account by the court.
As Mr Gove made his first major intervention in the referendum campaign since backing Brexit, his wife told of the "agonising" struggle he faced as he put his Euroscepticism ahead of a close friendship with the Prime Minister.
The Cabinet minister insisted the EU has held Britain back and said the nation would recover its "mojo" outside the 28-member bloc.
He insisted the Prime Minister, who has claimed the deal is "already legally binding and irreversible", has not misled voters.
Welcome to The Independent's live blog for Prime Minister's Questions, the first showdown between David Cameron and the Commons since he presented his deal for EU reform and a date for the referendum.
With Jeremy Corbyn, of course, there is no guarantee that the EU will form a major part of his questioning. The Labour leader can be expected to be hot on any rowdiness from the opposition benches, however, after Mr Corbyn was shouted down with a football chant during his rebuttal to Mr Cameron's presentation of the EU deal earlier this week.Another possible line of attack could be the vote on disability benefit cuts last night, which saw the Tories push through the controversial £30-a-week reduction by a narrow margin despite its defeat in the House of Lords.Either way, the growing fractures in the Tory party over the EU vote are sure to get an airing at some point.
Cameron's first point is to send out condolences to the worker killed and those missing in Didcot after the incident at the power station there last night. He says the Health and Safety Executive will be carrying out a "full investigation into what led to this tragedy".
First question from Wiltshire MP Claire Perry, who asks about delays to the resettlement of Syrian refugees.Cameron says the Government has delivered the promised 1,000 places since Christmas. "We will continue to invest in Syrian refugee camps," he says.
Corbyn uses his first question for junior doctors - asking about what the imposition of a contract will do to doctors' morale.
Cameron insists it is a "good deal".Corbyn says it is based on "misrepresented research" on mortality rates at the weekend.Is the PM being "rash and misleading" with these figures, he asks,
Cameron says the dispute over junior doctors has been "plagued by inaccuracies" and accuses the BMA of misleading doctors on pay "cuts".The figure on excess deaths were actually understated, Cameron says - they are 11,000 not 6,000. Hunt was "guilty - of understatement", the PM says.
Corbyn says it is "worth reflecting" on the lack of a dispute with doctors in Scotland and Wales.He says public of England are on the side of the junior doctors, not the Secretary of State.Corbyn says government must reach an "honourable agreement" with doctors.
Corbyn asks if Mr Cameron will be complaining about the NHS services in his own constituency.
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