Rishi Sunak faces new Rwanda revolt from Tory left in fresh party turmoil - live
Moderates say they could join right-wing MPs in pushing PM to change migrants deportation bill
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Rishi Sunak has been hit by a fresh headache on his flagship Rwanda bill, as senior Conservatives on the left said they would join right-wing rebels in pushing for changes ahead of an expected second vote in January.
The embattled PM had believed he could count on Tory MPs in the moderate “One Nation” wing, as he fights to appease their rivals on the right who are demanding tougher deportation legislation.
Justice Secretary Alex Chalk suggested the government would not cede to right-wingers by toughening up the bill, despite their threats to vote it down.
But, as No 10 prepares for crunch talks with the right-wingers over Christmas, senior Tory moderates told The Independent they were considering how to amend the bill to soften it.
Earlier, Sir Keir Starmer mocked Tory MPs who criticised Rishi Sunak in the press in PMQs.
The Labour leader goaded the Tory benches, saying: “Come on, come on. Who was it who said he’s a really bad politician? Hands up.”
Meanwhile, Mark Drakeford announced he was standing down as Welsh Labour leader, triggering a contest to find his successor.
Keir Starmer pays tribute to Mark Drakeford: ‘Titan of Welsh politics’
Sir Keir Starmer described Mark Drakeford as a “titan of Welsh politics” as he paid tribute to the Welsh first minister at Prime Minister’s Questions. Mr Drakeford announced he is standing down as the county’s Labour leader on Wednesday 13 December, triggering the contest to find his successor. He said he would continue to work “tirelessly” for a Labour government to “start repairing the huge damage which has been inflicted by the Tories over the last 13 years” at a press conference in Cardiff. “Mark committed his life to public service and lives his values every day. Quietly and patiently, Mark has been a titan of Labour and Welsh politics,” Sir Keir said.
Tory minister takes brutal swipe at David Cameron over China
A Conservative cabinet minister took a swipe at David Cameron over his past support for closer ties with China in the latest sign of Tory infighting.
Security minister Tom Tugendhat appeared to mock the changed stance by the foreign secretary – who once hailed a “golden era” of UK relations with Beijing while he was PM.
Mr Tugendhat – one of the Tory party’s leading “hawks” on the Chinese government – re-posted a Foreign Office tweet showing Lord Cameron with Sebastien Lai.
Tory minister takes brutal swipe at David Cameron over China
Tom Tugendhat appears to mock foreign secretary for hailing ‘golden era’ in relations with Beijing
Mark Drakeford to stand down as Labour first minister of Wales
The first minister of Wales Mark Drakeford has announced he is standing down as the country’s Labour leader – triggering a surprise winter contest to find his successor.
The 69-year-old Labour politician, who has been Welsh leader since December 2018, said he hoped his replacement could be in place before Easter 2024.
At a news conference in Cardiff, Mr Drakeford said he would remain as first minister until then “in the full sense of that job”.
Mark Drakeford to stand down as first minister of Wales
‘It has been a great privilege to serve as leader of this party,’ Welsh first minister says
Starmer dubs Sunak ‘nativity donkey’ – and says Tories lack ‘wise men’
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer mocked Rishi Sunak over the Tory Christmas party.
“Apparently he’s holding a Christmas party next week ... how’s the invite list looking?”
He added: “They’ve obviously found the donkey for their nativity – the search for three wise men may take longer.”
Starmer accuses Tory backbenchers of ‘pretending to be members of the Mafia'
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has accused Conservative backbenchers of “pretending to be members of the Mafia”.
Speaking in the Commons, Sir Keir said: “Nearly 140,000 children are going to be homeless this Christmas, that is more than ever before, that is a shocking state of affairs and it should shame this Government.
“Instead of more social housing, house building is set to collapse. Instead of banning no fault evictions, thousands of families are at risk of homelessness.
“Rather than indulge in his backbenchers swanning around in their factions and their star chambers pretending to be members of the Mafia, when is he going to get a grip and focus on the country?”
In response, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said: “Rough sleeping in this country is down by 35% thanks to the efforts of this Government, hundreds of thousands of fewer children in poverty today thanks to this Government.
“And when it comes to home building again ... we just had the data this last week, within the last year an almost record number of new homes delivered, more than in any year of the last Labour government.”
Rishi Sunak was urged to find a better system of economic forecasting as a means of reducing the tax burden.
Greg Smith, Tory MP for Buckingham, told the Commons: “The tax cuts in the autumn statement were extremely welcome. But in order to go further and to get the tax burden as low as it possibly can be, accurate and robust economic modelling is required.
“The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) have been habitually wrong and we have the spectacle last week of the head of the OBR saying that his latest forecast might be £30 billion out. Will he commit to finding a better system of financial modelling so we can get taxes lower?”
The Prime Minister replied: “As he knows, the OBR has brought greater transparency and independence to the forecasting on which Government policy is based. But he is right and it is required to produce an assessment of its accuracy of its fiscal and economic forecast at least once a year.
“But crucially as he acknowledged thanks to our management of the economy, the fact that we have halved inflation, controlled borrowing, we now have delivered the largest tax cuts in a generation and they will benefit families up and down the country from January.”
Starmer mocks unity of Tory party at PMQs
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer mocked the unity of the Tory party at PMQs.
Sir Keir said: “Christmas is a time of peace on earth and goodwill to all - has anyone told the Tory Party?”
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said: “Christmas is also a time for families, and under the Conservatives we do have a record number of them.
“At the beginning of the year I set out some priorities that this Government would deliver for the British people, and over the course of this year we have.
“Inflation halved, the economy growing, debt falling, action on the longest (waiting lists), the boats down by a third, and crucially... tax cuts coming to help working families in the new year.”
‘Can the PM share his Christmas message to the children being bombed in Gaza?'
SNP’s Stephen Flynn MP said: “Can the prime minister please share his Christmas message to the children being bombed in Gaza?”
He asked the PM to explain why the UK “shamefully abstained” from a ceasefire when hundreds of nations voted in favour.
Starmer calls on Tory MPs to raise hands if they called for PM to resign
Labour’s Sir Keir Starmer calls on Tory MPs to put their hands up if they called Rishi Sunak a “bad politician” ahead of the Rwanda vote.
He continued to read anonymous quotes about the PM including: “He’s got to go... he’s inexperienced... etc.”
He added: “Apparently [the PM’s] holding a Christmas party next week. How’s the guest list looking?”
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