Politics latest: Tory MP who made Angela Rayner police complaint faces awkward questions; Rishi Sunak asked what he thinks Liz Truss' 'greatest achievement as PM was (2024)

The Commons has now moved on from the Urgent Question, once again turning its attention to the Safety of Rwanda Bill.

Last night, the Lords voted in favour of four amendments to the legislation, which would see illegal migrants sent to Rwanda while their asylum cases are considered.

The proposed law is now back in the Commons, where MPs will debate on the matter and vote whether or not to approve the amendments.

It will then pass back to the Lords tonight.

Crossbench peer Lord Carlile KC has told Sky News that if the Lords gets the Rwanda bill back from the Commons with the amendments it has previously suggested refused, the upper chamber will "amend their amendments" but the bill is nonetheless likely to pass.

"My understanding is that the Labour Party feels that the House of Lords will have exhausted its constitutional rights, so it is likely that today, apart from one possible amendment on Afghan veterans moved by Lord Des Brown, a former Labour defence minister, the government will have its bill.

"But that is very different from putting the bill into effect, which I believe is not actually going to happen."

Asked why he thought the flagship program to send migrants to Rwanda for processing wouldn't happen practically, he said: "Would you buy a property in a foreign country to which you had no access? I don't think so.

"They did not determine before they started all this how they would get the refugees there.

"They do not have a contract with an airline to take them, and even if they do get one, and they are threatening to use defence planes, then they may not find pilots to fly them.

"We also know that some of the property that was built in Rwanda for the refugees has been sold, so the whole thing is falling apart."

Asked if he viewed withdrawing from the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) as likely to happen if legal objections were raised over putting the law into practice, the barrister said: "Withdrawing from the European Convention on Human Rights is absolutely not a possibility.

"There are many Conservatives who are opposed to it."

We've been hearing again from Foreign Secretary Lord Cameron, who has urged Israel to "be smart" in its response to Iran's missile and drone strike.

Tehran launched 300 missiles and drones towards Israel on Saturday night, the majority of which were shot down by air defences and international allies.

The UK has urged Israel not to escalate the situation in the Middle East, but Lord Cameron said earlier it has become clear that the country will respond.

Now, he says: "We wanted to demonstrate our solidarity with Israel because it was an appalling attack by Iran, but to be clear we have repeated our view that any response should be smart, and should be designed in a way that is trying to limit and de-escalate this conflict."

You can hear more from Lord Cameron below:

Downing Street has ruled out making concessions on its Safety of Rwanda Bill ahead of another round of parliamentary "ping-pong".

Rishi Sunak's spokesman said: "Our policy on this hasn't changed.

"We believe the bill as it stands addresses the conclusions of the Supreme Court.

"Our focus now is on passing this legislation as quickly as possible so that we can begin flights."

He added: "We are not considering concessions.

"We believe the bill as it stands is the right bill and the quickest way to get flights off the ground."

Downing Street has rejected Labour's characterisation of plans to scrap National Insurance contributions as an unfunded tax cut.

However, Number 10 suggested the measure would not be costed by the Office for Budget Responsibility at the next fiscal event.

After Sir Keir Starmer attacked Rishi Sunak's "completely unfunded £46bn promise to scrap National Insurance" during Prime Minister's Questions, a spokesman said: "That is obviously not a costing made by the OBR."

Asked what the real price tag is, they added: "That's a question for the OBR which will assess policies as and when they are announced at future fiscal events."

But he suggested that would not happen at the next event, saying: "It's government policy, but it doesn't have a specific timetable and that is why the OBR is not costing it.

"We're going to make progress on it over a period of time. We'll make progress on this ambition at a number of fiscal events.

"As and when that progress is made, the OBR will put a figure on the announcements as and when they are made. But that number is not a static figure."

The spokesman added: "We've always said that we will do so in a manner that is prudent.

"We want to make significant progress in the next parliament."

Tory MP James Daly, the MP who contacted police about allegations surrounding Angela Rayner's living arrangements, has just appeared on Sky News as part of our regular PMQs panel of MPs.

Given his role in the saga, he faced multiple questions on the case involving Labour's deputy leader.

In particular, what precisely he thinks she has done wrong.

Why are police investigating Labour's deputy leader?

Greater Manchester Police confirmed last Friday it is investigating whether Ms Rayner broke electoral law over information she gave about her living situation a decade ago.

The decision came Mr Daly informed police of claims made by neighbours that allegedly contradicted her statement that her property - which was separate from her then husband's - was her main residence.

Ms Rayner has denied any wrongdoing - but has promised to resign if police find she committed an offence.

What did Daly say about the investigation?

On the panel, Labour MP Chris Bryant asked Mr Daly what it is he thinks Labour's deputy leader has done wrong.

In response to Mr Bryant's Mr Daly replied the "matter was with Greater Manchester Police, who had confirmed they were investigating".

Dissatisfied, Mr Bryant pressed, asking what it was he had contacted the force to investigate?

In an energetic exchange, Mr Daly sarcastically told Mr Bryant to "shout a bit louder" as "none of us can hear".

"Unlike Chris," he continued, "who shouts and makes all sorts of public allegations, I went to the police and want to give them the time and the opportunity to investigate, which I thought was the Labour Party's position."

Mr Bryant one again asked, "what is it she's done wrong?"

To which Mr Daly responded he had "just answered that question" and again accused the Labour MP of "typically, shouting very loudly".

Pressed by presenter Jane Secker on what it is he believes Ms Rayner had done wrong, Mr Daly said he thought the "broad framing" of the matters Greater Manchester Police were investigating had been printed in The Times.

"Rather than debating allegations in public," he added, "we should allow the police to investigate these matters fully."

Further pushed by political editor Beth Rigby, who said she thought it was he who had written to the police and asked why he wasn't prepared to say what he had asked them to investigate, Mr Daly responded he had asked police to investigate "certain matters that were in the public domain regarding certain things".

Over a year ago, Rishi Sunak made five pledges for voters to judge him on.

The prime minister met his promise to halve inflation by the end of 2023.

But with the general election approaching, how is Mr Sunak doing on delivering his other promises?

You can see the progress for yourself below:

Giving her snap verdict on PMQspolitical editor Beth Rigbysays that in comparison to weeks, if not months, of facing ceaseless criticism, the prime minister "seemed to have a spring in his step" today.

Describing the exchanges between Mr Sunak and Sir Keir Starmer as "very punchy" she added that: "I think he was helped by the fact he was willing to twice call Liz Truss out."

"He tends to try and avoid this, perhaps to not stoke divisions in his party, and Keir Starmer was perhaps anticipating he would do that, but he didn't.

"He said that he said she was wrong, Keir Starmer came back again and he said: 'I said she was wrong, and I wasn't afraid to call her out,' and then twisted it to try and attack Sir Keir on the economy and on Angela Rayner."

She added she thought the PM's team will think he was on "good form", saying: "He's got the Rwanda bill potentially going through today, he got his smoking ban through yesterday with a big rebellion, and he seemed quite chipper.

"The big thing on the horizon is the May local elections, so let's see what happens.

"But for a long time he has looked really embattled, but he had a bit of material there to try and attack Sir Keir."

Now on to Urgent Questions, the first of which asks Foreign Office minister David Rutley to make a statement on the situation in Gaza.

He says a "grim milestone" has been reached this month: "Six months since Hamas' horrific terror attack on Israel."

Mr Rutley adds that the humanitarian situation in Gaza "is dire".

However, the UK has "not changed our focus" on ensuring Israel meets "commitments to allow 500 aid trucks a day into Gaza" and open additional land corridors.

"We're pushing as hard as we can to get aid to Palestinian civilians... and we've been urging Israel at the highest level to take immediate action on the bottlenecks holding up humanitarian relief".

The MP says ministers were "horrified" by the attack on humanitarian workers in Gaza, which killed seven people, including three Brits.

"Israel must do more to protect aid workers," he says.

He urges Israel to publish the findings of their investigation into the incident, saying it must be "followed up with a wholly independent review".

David Lammy, Labour's shadow foreign secretary, says that conditions in Gaza are "desperate and intolerable", saying famine has "taken hold" and sewage is spilling into the streets.

He adds there is "aid sat waiting unable to reach those who are in need".

"Some rotting where they stood, items removed from trucks without explanation. Doctors are reusing single-use medical equipment from patients who have died."

Mr Lammy says: "This is a description of hell on Earth."

"It cannot go on."

He asks why the government has not yet restored funding to UNRWA, the UN's humanitarian relief agency in Gaza.

"It's shocking in the face of famine that the UK is one of the last major donors that has not yet resumed funding, without explanation."

The UK was among donors which suspended funding to the agency in January after Israel claimed some of its members were involved in Hamas's 7 October attacks - but no evidence to support those allegations has since been provided by Israel.

Workers Party MP George Galloway calls on the prime minister to tell the Commons how his telephone call with his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu went on Monday.

He also asks what the PM will do if his advice is not taken and an "unrestrained war" between Israel and Iran begins.

Mr Sunak responds: "I was pleased to speak with prime minister Netanyahu, who thanked the UK for their support over the weekend.

"We discussed the situation and how Iran is isolated on the world stage, and I made the point that escalation is not in anyone's interest, and it was time for cool heads to prevail.

"I also reiterated our concerns about the humanitarian situation in Gaza."