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Stony expressions from Greens after PM criticises Zionism motion published at 12:51 BST Brian Wheeler Reporting from the House of Commons Green MPs Sian Berry and Hannah Spencer look stony-faced during the PM’s sharp criticism of their party’s position on Zionism Burnham condemns Green Party's Zionism declaration published at 12:50 BST Conservative MP Harriet Baldwin turns the discussion to the Green Party's recent motion declaring Zionism a form of racism . She asked the PM to make it clear whether he would rule out cooperating with the Greens after what she calls the "Green Party's descent into the most abhorrent antisemitism" . Burnham condemns the motion "unequivocally" - calling it "wrong" and "antisemitic".
"This side of the House will have nothing to do with it," he adds. "We cannot support a partnership with a party that holds a position that has recently been adopted." Farage says immigration from Iran poses genuine security threat published at 12:46 BST Image source, House of Commons Reform UK leader Nigel Farage says young men from Iran are coming into the UK "every single week", and some of them "pose a genuine security threat to our nation". He asks Burnham whether it's time for the government to "recognise that what's going on in the English Channel is a national security emergency".
Before addressing the question directly, Burnham references threats to Nigel Farage's safety , saying "there's a lot we disagree on, but I agree with his right to say it". Burnham says he'll work hard to secure Farage's and other politicians' safety. On Iran, Burnham acknowledges issues at RAF Fairford and says they've been dealt with by police and security services.
"We do need to get boat crossings down, I hope he would recognise that they are coming down. Removals are up," adding: "There's much more to be done but there's clearly progress in the right direction." Before moving on, the Speaker says they risk running out of time for all questions, suggesting Burnham needs to "speed up some of the answers". Burnham resists Lib Dem invitation to criticise White House published at 12:40 BST Chris Mason Political editor Image source, PA Media The Liberal Democrats have long seen offering a punchy public critique of President Trump as something it is important for them to do.
They argue that it is something, in their view, the Conservatives are often unwilling to do and the government is unable to do - such is the need to be diplomatic and maintain a decent relationship with the White House. Ed Davey spoke bluntly about President Trump’s diesel deal with Russia - and invited the prime minister to do the same. Instead, Andy Burnham’s language about Ukraine’s predicament as a result of that deal was powerful - it was “another dark and difficult moment for him”, Burnham said, referring to President Zelensky, who is visiting Downing Street this afternoon.
But he resisted any temptation to criticise the White House, saying it was his job "to try to repair bridges so the support comes back” - in other words try to keep Washington on board in its support for Kyiv.. He added that extra UK support for Ukraine is coming - saying that Zelensky "won’t be going away from Britain today empty handed.” Burnham says he intends to repair bridges to bring back Ukraine support published at 12:38 BST Davey now turns to the US, noting that ahead of the mid-term elections in November, President Donald Trump has done a deal with Russian leader Vladimir Putin to buy diesel from Russia . The Lib Dem leader asks if Burnham agrees this is a "shameful betrayal" of the European people and their security.
Firstly, Burnham refers back to Davey's comments on social care, saying he will arrange "a new round of cross-party talks" on the matter. Then, responding to his comments on the US and Russia, the PM says he called Volodymyr Zelensky on Saturday because he recognised "it was another very dark and difficult time for the Ukrainian leader" as the war pushes into the winter. "What I have to do in my role is to try and repair bridges so support comes back," Burnham says.
"That is the role I intend to play. It's the right role." He says he will listen to Zelensky closely and that the Ukrainian leader "won't be going away from the UK today empty handed." Davey addresses Commons amid leadership challenges published at 12:33 BST Brian Wheeler Reporting from the House of Commons There are ironic cheers from the Tory benches as Sir Ed Davey gets up to speak. The Lib Dem leader has had a bumpy few weeks with talk of leadership challenges , which he appears to have seen off.
Burnham admits building national care service will be difficult published at 12:33 BST Leader of the Lib Dems, Ed Davey, stands to ask a question on social care. He says he was "delighted" with Burnham's announcement over the summer that there would be cross-party talks on the issue. Davey further cites Burnham saying when he previously tried to address the issue back in 2009, his mistake had been leaving it too close to an election.
Davey asks whether he still thinks this now - and when the next round of talks will be. Burnham says he is "happy to admit that again now" and stresses this is "not an issue for point scoring". "It will be difficult but let's get on and build this national care service," he says.
Burnham swipe prompts head shaking among Reform published at 12:29 BST Brian Wheeler Reporting from the House of Commons Burnham ends with a swipe at Reform, prompting a flurry of head shaking on the Reform bench. Suella Braverman is now trying to catch the speaker’s eye. Burnham says he is facing up to difficult decisions published at 12:29 BST On the budget, Badenoch says she met a beauty salon owner who is struggling with the Labour government's tax rises, saying she is "dipping into her pension to pay the young people she employs".
Badenoch asks whether Burnham is "too busy appeasing his MPs, excusing his own mistakes and avoiding difficult decisions to give the country the leadership it needs". Burnham says he used his Labour party conference speech to face up to difficult decisions, including adjusting the triple lock to fund the new national care service. Before bringing his exchange with Badenoch to an end, Burnham commends Badenoch for what she said during her party conference speech, when she drew a line with Reform UK for suggesting that her children "weren't British".
"That [what Reform said] is wrong in every single respect, she was brave and she was right to call it out, that's what I want to see more of in the next decade as we go forward". For context: In her Tory conference speech Badenoch expressed anger at Reform MP Suella Bravernamn's argument that, given her Asian heritage, she believed herself to be British but not English. Badenoch said as the mother of mixed-race children "I don't want to explain to my son, when we're watching our brilliant England team play football, that some people don't think our black players are English".
Image source, House of Commons No 10 insistent Man City investigation is independent published at 12:28 BST Chris Mason Political editor It’s the first Prime Minister’s Question Time since Manchester City was found guilty of having “systematically” broken Premier League rules - and the first question to Andy Burnham is about it. The PM said - of his dealings and conversations with the club - that “I am very happy for everything to be set out in full.” And he said the situation the club finds itself in has not been raised with him by the club. The Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch suggested Burnham facing questions about Man City “doesn’t sound” like it will be “going away.” Downing Street are at pains to insist the investigation, appeal and associated processes involving Manchester City are independent and it is right for him to keep his distance from that.
When will PM will announce date for 3% defence spending target, asks Badenoch published at 12:27 BST Badenoch says she didn't, in fact, ask the PM about the Milburn report, but says that it should have been set out before now. She then refers to an interview with the BBC on Sunday, in which the defence secretary refused to say when the government will meet the target of spending 3% of GDP on defence. "This the money Britain needs to keep us safe," Badenoch says.
Why won't the PM announce a date for 3% of defence spending in this month's budget , she asks. Burnham says he is meeting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky this afternoon and that as the UK's leader he will "honour commitments" to Ukraine and Nato. Burham then criticises previous comments the Tory leader has made over defence, saying: "She comes here every week and poses as the world leading authority on defence." Image source, House of Commons Badenoch accuses PM of delaying decisions to avoid row with backbenches published at 12:21 BST Bandenoch accuses Burnham of delaying a decision on energy to avoid a row with his backbenches - just, she says, as he is avoiding another row on cutting welfare.
She cites a report in The Times , external that says there are two million claiming sickness benefits who "may not be sick" - and adds that the last time a PM tried to reform welfare, Labour MPs stopped him. She asks Burnham if he is "afraid" to cut benefits as he doesn't want a fight with his backbenches. Burnham responds saying Labour commissioned the Milburn report , external and adds he doesn't want young people in their 20s to be stuck on benefits.
He says we "do need better mental health support" and that he has argued for a different education system with parity for technical education. We will bring forward the Milburn report soon, he continues, and "we will bring down the welfare bill". Badenoch next questions PM's stance on UK energy security published at 12:18 BST Badenoch says Burnham will "say anything" instead of dealing with tough decisions - like on Britain's energy security.
She then references decisions on the Rosebank and Jackdaw oil and gas fields in the North Sea, and asks when he will stop "faffing about" and give the sites the go ahead. Burnham replies that he is waiting for the government process that was struck down by the courts under the Conservative government to be fixed. He says he will take a "pragmatic" approach on oil and gas and set out the government's decisions shortly.
Misinformation can't be fought with more misinformation, says Badenoch published at 12:16 BST Badenoch says you can't fight misinformation with more misinformation, before she goes on to ask Burnham if he agrees with what the head of MI5 said, which was that talking up Russian interference was a mistake . Burnham goes back to whether Badenoch has read the Russia report mentioned earlier, and whether she read the head of MI5's full comments and whether she heard comments from the former head of MI6. "If she had, she wouldn't have made the statements she just made in this house", Burnham says, adding that "it's important that we're clear-eyed about what happened in the past".
Outside actors have interfered in our democratic process, and it's "inconceivable that that was not taking place across the whole of the last decade". Image source, House of Commons Burnham says UK needs to call out hostile interference published at 12:13 BST Burnham answers by saying the UK has "lived through a decade of division", adding "we know hostile actors have sought to interfere in democratic process." "We need to call that out" and look straight at it, he says. The PM then quotes Badenoch's previous comments, given in Parliament, that she had not read the Russia report.
"It's because they didn't want to see it. They wanted to look in the other direction," Burnham says. He concludes by saying he won't do the same.
Badenoch asks if PM ever gets tired of putting foot in his mouth? published at 12:11 BST Leader of the opposition, Kemi Badenoch puts her first question to the prime minister. She says Burnham has had a "busy few weeks" tying himself in knots explaining why national security shouldn't come at the expense of social security, the Manchester City row and has "spent the last 48 hours" trying to "unsay" that Russia influenced the Brexit referendum. "Does he ever get tired of putting his foot in his mouth?" she asks.
Image source, House of Commons Burnham asked whether Man City raised issues relating to charges with him published at 12:08 BST Before we hear from Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch, Andy Burnham is asked by a backbench MP whether anyone associated with running Manchester City football club raised the charges they have been found guilty of with him or a member of his team. Burnham replies that the football club did not raise these issues, and he's happy for "everything to be set out in full". That's why, he says, he asked the Greater Manchester Combined Authority to set out a full statement of his key dealings with the club's owners - which was published on Monday. , external "And that is the position," he says.
Labour and Tory MPs in good mood after conference season published at 12:04 BST Brian Wheeler Reporting from the House of Commons Big cheers from the Labour benches as Andy Burnham takes his seat. They are in a good mood after what they saw as a successful conference. Kemi Badenoch also got a rousing welcome from her troops, who are feeling equally chipper.
It could be a noisy session. Burnham's at the dispatch box as PMQs begins - watch live published at 12:02 BST Andy Burnham is ready at the dispatch box for this week's PMQs. We'll bring you all his key comments when he begins shortly, and you can watch the prime minister's exchanges with Kemi Badenoch and other MPs by tapping watch live at the top of the page.
Image source, UK Parliament Burnham has been facing scrutiny over Manchester City published at 11:58 BST Image source, Getty Images Within the last month, Andy Burnham has been under pressure to clarify his previous discussions with Man City since the club was found guilty of having "systematically" broken Premier League financial rules - a ruling it has said it will appeal. Burnham, who was the mayor of Greater Manchester before becoming PM, has been criticised for saying he would be "really concerned" if the club decided to sell, following the findings. His remarks were branded "completely out of touch" and "extraordinary" by the Tories and took many in the football community by surprise.
Now, it has emerged that Burham had two hospitality dinners with Manchester City football club's chairman while mayor of Greater Manchester - a detail which was not provided in a statement from Greater Manchester Combined Authority about his meetings with the club, which was issued on Monday. Downing Street has defended the two dinners with Man City's chairman, saying this was hospitality received at home games, which had been declared, rather than separate meetings with the club chairman. You can read more about this in our news story.
Source: BBC
