with, all of that living with, all of that desperate, desperate stuff . she desperate, desperate stuff. she is a fighter. she's going to take that argument to the tories today on behalf of the labour party. you know, i think she's a really strong parliamentary performer and i would not want to be in oliver dowden shoes facing her, though. >> it's journalists, isn't it.7 at the times , the mail on at the times, the mail on sunday, the telegraph, other, the sun are all asking neighbours about andrew bain. it's not tories, it's journalists. >> it's extraordinary. i mean, i saw her child's birth certificate printed in the newspaper and to be honest, that's where it lost me. this story. i thought, this is too much. they're hounding her, but the police are having a look. she's going to give anybody any answers that they want from the police or the tax authorities. you know, we'll get to the bottom of it. >> leo. >> leo. >> doctor, just quickly on you . >> doctor, just quickly on you. you've announced this. a huge amount of defence spending, but the army's tiny. is the money going on weapons or soldiers? >> it'll go on. all of that . >> it'll go on. all of that. >> it'll go on. all of that. >> it'll go on. all of that. >> it'll what soldiers to it'll. >> it'll what soldiers to it'll. >> it'll what soldiers to it'll. >> it'll more and more soldiers will go on a whole range of institutional investment. >> it's a massive strategic investment for resilience and

increased lethality and availability right across all three services. so it's a it's a huge vote of confidence in our armed forces. >> well, our soldiers have better accommodation to live in because that is something which is frequently become come under the spotlight . the spotlight. >> i know i know those issues because i deal with them in in aldershot. we are ploughing billions into accommodation. the vast majority, 97% is up to scratch. but of course we get judged quite rightly on that which isn't. so that is a constant effort and we are putting billions of pounds into, into the first class accommodation. >> and the challenge for you, baroness chapman, is that labour won't match the tory spending plans on defence, will they? >> well, we've got to get to 2.5. we agree with that. we're going to have a strategic defence spending review and we will make sure that that money is found to get there when we can do it. unlike the tories, though, we're not going to make some sort of pledge without saying where the money is going to come from. we don't do pledges without plans. we want to make sure that this is done for real. we've all spoken to people in the armed forces who are concerned about their kit, about the equipment that they've been given, as gloria says, about the accommodation we want

to get this right for our armed forces. and boris johnson, when he was prime minister did announce this. and nothing came on stream, if you like. >> well, we've put our money where our mouths are now. this is fully funded and this wasn't in the budget. >> here we go . >> here we go. >> here we go. >> it's this is real. >> it's this is real. >> it's this is real. >> i think we're seeing a arrive now in house of commons. i think oliver dowden is not yet standing at the despatch box. >> he'll be the last question. i think we're listening to northern ireland questions. that's the secretary of state. oh, and i think the speaker is taking another question in northern ireland. questions now . northern ireland. questions now. okay. let's get back to what, jenny chapman said about your attacks on angela rayner. they said they are desperate. and how do you respond to that? i mean, aren't there bigger fish to fry? >> i think there are certainly bigger fish to fry. i think she could put this to bed by just very simply coming clean on her tax advice that she received and whether or not she does it massively . o'doherty because i massively. o'doherty because i think it's a matter of integrity. there are clearly questions to be asked. she can answer them and hopefully she'll use this opportunity today to do that. >> but it's not her questions,

is it? it's you. it's the government's journalists, actually. >> i mean, it's journalists that are understandably asking these questions. she's engulfed in scandal. let's hope she clears it up today. and she doesn't. keir starmer should show a bit of leadership though, isn't he? >> i mean, it is basically coming clean about all this properly. >> she said that one she will provide any information that's needed by the police and hmrc. not to random tory mps or with the best will in the world journalists to and that, if there is any wrongdoing. found that she'll resign. what more can we ask of her? you know she is. she's doing everything she could be expected to do. >> let's go to the chamber now, where oliver dowden is answering questions from, well, all of mps, including deputy labour leader angela rayner . leader angela rayner. >> we now come to prime minister's questions. jonathan gillis, number one. >> mr speaker , deputy prime >> mr speaker, deputy prime minister, mr speaker , i have minister, mr speaker, i have been asked to reply. >> i know that members across the house will wish to join me in offering condolences to the family and friends of lord frank

field. he was an outstanding parliamentarian who worked tirelessly to make society a better place. my right hon. friend, the prime minister is in berlin. he has announced the biggest strengthening of our defence in a generation . and mr defence in a generation. and mr speaken defence in a generation. and mr speaker, i am sure that members will also want to join me in wishing the jewish community a happy passover , a celebration of happy passover, a celebration of freedom. but of course, we remember the empty chairs of those hostages still being held captive in gaza and call for their immediate release . mr their immediate release. mr speaken their immediate release. mr speaker, this morning i had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others in addition to my duties in this house.i addition to my duties in this house. i shall have further such meetings later today . jonathan meetings later today. jonathan gullis mr speaker, i too would like to pass on my thoughts and prayers to lord field's family,

friends and colleagues, and particularly the students and teachers at the birches head academy in stoke on trent, who are part of the frank field education trust . mr speaker, education trust. mr speaker, since being elected in 2019, i have helped reopen tunstall town hall with a new library and family hub, secured funding for additional cctv vie, a new alley gate and better lighting in tunstall to make sure our streets are safe, breathing new life as well into tonsils, old library and bars. thanks to this government's levelling up fund of 56 million to stoke on trent. but sadly labour led stoke on trent city council seek to undermine this progress by introducing a brand new garden tax on residents to have their garden waste collected, refuse to take planning enforcement against rogue and absentee landlords who plague tunstall high street and are increasing crime and anti—social behaviour by dumping undesirable people in the centre of tunstall. >> this need arms hotel. >> this need arms hotel. >> does the deputy prime minister agree with me that stoke on trent . labour.

stoke on trent. labour. >> audrey, it's not mr cullis whose load so please let me hear him double. please >> it just goes to show the disdain the labour party have for stoke on trent. so will. does the deputy prime minister agree with me? it's time for stoke on trent labour to axe the garden tax, to take the fight to lousy landlords, and doesn't odd order odd . order odd. >> order. order >> order. order >> speech. there is a question to be asked and there is a time in which we ask it. i suggest he puts in for an adjournment debate. i'm sure you've got the answer . answer. >> well, mr speaker, there's not much i can add to that . he has. much i can add to that. he has. he has ever proved what an excellent campaigner he is for his constituents. and of course, he highlights the same problems with labour councillors across the country raising taxes and letting councils and letting services fall into disrepair.

and of course, he is totally right to be holding rogue landlords to account. right. we now come to the deputy leader of the opposition . the opposition. >> thank you. >> thank you. >> thank you. >> thank you, mr speaker. >> thank you, mr speaker. >> and can i first of all share with the deputy prime minister's comments regarding our jewish community and a happy passover, and also to start by acknowledging the loss of david mark and baroness massey, both of whom played historic , made of whom played historic, made historic contributions in this parliament. >> politics and wider life, and also send my condolences following today's news to the family of lord frank field , who family of lord frank field, who was a good friend of mine and a colleague, and who was a tireless campaigner against poverty and a champion for his constituents. >> mr speaker, i know the party opposite is desperate to talk about my living arrangements, but but the public, the public,

the public want to know what this government is going to do about theirs. yes. natalie, from brighton , has been served with brighton, has been served with two no fault eviction notices in 18 months. she joined nearly a million families at risk of homelessness due to his party's failure to ban this cruel practice . and now, instead of practice. and now, instead of obsessing over my house, when will he get a grip and show the same obsession with ending no fault evictions ? fault evictions? >> well, to begin with, it is a pleasure to have another exchange with the right honourable lady in this house, our fifth in 12 months. any more of these and she'll be claiming it as her principal residence . it as her principal residence. on on the issue. on the issue of no fault evictions. it may have escaped the right hon. lady's

attention, but we will be voting on exactly that matter later today. the conservative government taking action. >> mr speaker, he clearly thought he could spend all week obsessing over my living arrangements and didn't even bother to read up on his own government's bill this afternoon. the reality is, he caved in to vested interests on his backbenches and delayed justice for people like natalie. yes, this week the housing minister said there is no solid date for banning no fault evictions and the housing secretary now says it will not happen before an election. so if he can give us a date, can he name it now? yeah. five minutes. i can name the date for the right hon. >> lady, today it's today that this house will be voting on it, and i'm confident that in line with our manifesto, we will deliver on that commitment . deliver on that commitment. >> and, lorena. >> and, lorena. >> mr speaker, it clearly hasn't

been looking up on his own government bills. but let me turn to another tory housing failure. leaseholds are a rip off and a con, but the government's proposed ban on new leaseholds applies only to houses , as the majority of houses, as the majority of leaseholds are in flats . what's leaseholds are in flats. what's the point on a ban on new leaseholds if it won't apply to flats? yes >> again, the right hon. lady is talking about legislation introduced by this government, which the party opposite totally failed to introduce in their entire time in office, and it's no surprise because it's this government which has brought housing, social housing, waiting lists down by nearly half a million and delivered more affordable homes in the last year and the last 12 years than labour delivered when they were in office. but of course, all all of this can only be paid for by making sure that we have a

strong economy . and i'll tell strong economy. and i'll tell you , her, her policy, her policy you, her, her policy, her policy to repeal every single conservative trade union law in the first 100 days would open the first 100 days would open the door to french style wildcat strikes , sweeping away the strikes, sweeping away the reforms that made this country great. and we all know, though , great. and we all know, though, mr speaker, the one reform that the right honourable lady would not abolish from margaret thatcher the right to buy your council house, angela rayner. >> mr speaker, i was expecting a little bit better from him today. he seems to be a bit worn out. maybe it's the 3 am. calls from the bad men that have been keeping him up at night. but he also, mr speaker, he also talks about strikes and the unions. we've had more strikes under this government watch than any time before. >> and once again, he hasn't

read his own bill. >> their ban on leasehold won't apply to the majority of people. it's like banning non—dom but exempting tory prime ministers and he speaks about affordable homes . families are trapped in homes. families are trapped in temporary accommodation and stuck on waiting lists. and in the west midlands , his mayor has the west midlands, his mayor has used his multi—million pound housing budget to build just 46 social homes in eight years. that's almost as many as the chancellor's property portfolio. but the british people know that his party won't build the homes that this country needs. so when are they going to get a chance to vote for a government that will pay ? will pay? >> well, i'm surprised the right honourable lady raises the west midlands when labour controlled birmingham have virtually bankrupted the council. a hiking up council tax by 21, whilst in the meantime and i'm sure this

would please her continuing to hand out 1.8 million to the trade unions. by hand out 1.8 million to the trade unions . by contrast, andy trade unions. by contrast, andy street, our brilliant mayor of the wider west midlands, has levied 6.1 billion of investment to improve transport so there you have it. the contrast between the conservative party and the labour party, the usual political opportunism from her failing to ask about the issues that really matter. if you want more bins, if you want more bin collections, more potholes filled lower debt and lower council tax vote conservative. because whether it's ben houchen in the tees valley or whether it's andy street in the west midlands, it's only the conservative mayors who deliver more for less . more for less. >> well, mr speaker, that's pretty revealing that he thinks that housing isn't an issue for the british people because i think it really is . and people

think it really is. and people in glass houses shouldn't throw the stones because in birmingham and across the whole of this country, councils are facing black holes because of his government's austerity programme . and i would also warn the deputy prime minister that tory councils have also faced 114 notices and birmingham council has had over £1 billion taken from their budget from some of the poorest people. more than 16,000 families face losing their their homes after the party's mini—budget. mr speaker, and mortgage bills continue to soan and mortgage bills continue to soar. meanwhile all the former prime minister parades around the world in a twisted victory lap promoting her new book, saying that the mini—budget was her proudest moment. saying that the mini—budget was her proudest moment . so since her proudest moment. so since she won't apologise to those families losing their homes, will he ? will he? >> well, what the prime minister has done since he has taken office with the chancellor is to restore stability to our economy

in inflation halved and more down to 3. and as a result of that, in an increasingly dangerous world, the prime minister was able to announce his plan for the biggest strengthening of defence spending in a generation . but it spending in a generation. but it should come as no surprise that the party opposite refused to say whether they back it or not, because this comes from the right honourable lady who voted to scrap trident and install in downing street someone who wanted to change the army into a peace corps. there you have it. >> mr speaker , fence. we all >> mr speaker, fence. we all want to see 2.5. the difference is, is that we haven't cut the army to its smallest size since napoleon . and, mr speaker , never napoleon. and, mr speaker, never mind some secretive deep state,

state, never mind some secretive deep state. it's the state of the tory party that's the problem . they're in a deep state problem. they're in a deep state of sewage . after 14 years, they of sewage. after 14 years, they failed renters , they failed failed renters, they failed leaseholders, and they failed mortgage holders . but, mr mortgage holders. but, mr speaken mortgage holders. but, mr speaker, i read with interest that the right honourable gentleman has been urging his neighbour in number 10 to call an election because he's worried they might get wiped out. has he finally realised that when he stabbed boris johnson in the back to get his main into number 10, he was ditching their biggest election winner for a pint size loser. biggest election winner for a pint size loser . and the prime pint size loser. and the prime minister . minister. >> well, i think i think that i think the whole house will have heard, despite all the bluster from the lady opposite, not a single word on whether she would

actually back our plans to invest in our armed forces. >> no plans in a dangerous world. and of course, as ever, the deputy leader is always looking to attack others failures, but never the one to take responsibility for her own. there's plenty of them , she once there's plenty of them, she once said. you shouldn't be waiting for the police to bang on your doorif for the police to bang on your door if you did it, then you shouldn't be doing your job. the shouldn't be doing yourjob. the right honourable landlady should forget her tax advice and follow her own advice . are her own advice. are >> thank you, mr speaker, and levelling up like my friend , levelling up like my friend, earlier in the calder valley is absolutely on fire. >> 196.5 million for hospital reconfiguration , 150 million for reconfiguration, 150 million for flood defences. >> no fewer than 11 schools

being remodelled or rebuilt as we speak. >> and 45 million for three town centre regeneration. >> and elland is getting a new railway station as well. >> so does my right honourable friend. >> agree with me that the naysayers around about levelling up need look no further than the calder valley to see what a great achievement this government is . government is. >> yeah, deputy prime minister, well , my >> yeah, deputy prime minister, well, my honourable friend is absolutely right. >> it's not just the colne valley, but it's communities up and down the country. the government is investing billions in infrastructure across the united kingdom , creating jobs united kingdom, creating jobs and opportunities in every region . and i know that my hon. region. and i know that my hon. friend has been a staunch advocate for the calder valley, which is a fantastic example of that in action. >> the leader of the snp , mhairi >> the leader of the snp, mhairi black. yes. >> may i join in wishing the jewish community a happy passover and also in sending my condolences to the families of family and loved ones of frank

field, two years ago, when mass graves were discovered in ukraine, this house united in condemnation and rightly treated these graves as evidence of war crimes, which russia must be made to answer for. >> yep. yesterday, palestinian officials uncovered two mass graves outside the bombed hospitals in gaza. these graves also constitute as a war crime, don't they ? yeah. don't they? yeah. >> deputy prime minister >> deputy prime minister >> well, of course we would expect the democratic government of israel to investigate any allegations of misconduct. and that's exactly what they do. and it's exactly what the foreign secretary and the prime minister urge them to do. but i find it quite extraordinary that she seeks to draw parallels between the legitimate war of self—defence of israel and the conduct of russia. khalife black

maccabees, 300 bodies, including the elderly and the injured, some of which had been stripped naked , mutilated with their naked, mutilated with their hands tied behind their backs. >> the uk's own arms policy states that if there is even a risk that war crimes may be taking place, then that is reason enough to halt the sale of arms . given all we know, why of arms. given all we know, why then is the prime minister yet to do so? >> deputy prime minister >> deputy prime minister >> well, we continue to urge the israeli government to investigate any allegations of misconduct act. the difference, though, is that we can trust the israeli government, a democratically elected government, to properly investigate those things. and of course, we keep the advice under review. the foreign secretary has recently made it clear that he has conducted a determination and has not changed. his advice

regarding export licences, and i think that is the correct decision . decision. >> mr paul mccartney, speaker the good people of lincoln who all declare their taxes and pay tax on their profit when selling their second homes, overwhelmingly want lincoln christmas market to be brought back after the labour run city council cruelly closed it last yean council cruelly closed it last year, the labour city council has refused to do what the people of lincoln want. what message will the deputy prime minister send to the voters of lincoln before next week's local elections ? elections? >> deputy prime minister i i'm afraid that what the honourable gentleman has described is the ganhin gentleman has described is the grinch in action that christmas market in the home of the magna carta was beloved by local residents. >> they have totally ignored the wishes of local residents and cancelled it. and they should reverse that decision. >> in kc faux pas. >> in kc faux pas. >> thank you, mr speaker. on behalf of the liberal democrats, may i also offer our condolences to the friends and family of the late lord frank field and to wish a happy passover to all

those in the jewish community. >> mr speaker, unpaid carers have shared heartbreaking stories of how they have been hounded by the dwp and told to pay hounded by the dwp and told to pay huge fines for minor infringements on carer's allowance earning rules, all because the government failed to do anything about a problem they have known about for years . have known about for years. yesterday, mr speaker, one of the prime minister's own dementia advisers resigned, saying that this government's treatment of those unpaid carers was beyond the pale. so will the deputy prime minister apologise to all those unpaid carers who have been failed by his government and commit to a full review of the system here? >> prime minister >> prime minister >> well, first of all, i pay tribute to all those unpaid carers. indeed i met some with them over the weekend. i know how hard they work and they keep our society functioning through their their their commitment to us. and that's why we've actually uprated the benefits by £81.90 a week and increase the carer's allowance by almost

£1,500 since 2010. now, in respect of allegations of overpayment , of course overpayment, of course appropriate discretion should be shown, but if it is the case that there have been erroneous overpayments, it's right on behalf of the taxpayer to be able to recuperate those. but of course, we'll work with anyone who is struggling with those repayments to negotiate sustainable and affordable repayment plans . repayment plans. >> virginia crosbie mr speaker , >> virginia crosbie mr speaker, my island constituency of unrwa eamonn is accessed via two bndges eamonn is accessed via two bridges the menai suspension bridge and the britannia bridge . bridge and the britannia bridge. holyhead is the second busiest port in the uk, but bridge repairs and the weather can result in long traffic queues to make the most of our anglesey, freeport and new nuclear at over a third crossing is vital, and last year the welsh labour government scrapped plans for all new road projects, including laying our third bridge on behalf of my honourable constituents. will the deputy prime minister use his influence to ensure that north wales is not ignored by cardiff and we get that third bridge?

>> yeah, the prime minister >> yeah, the prime minister >> well, i know and understand the frustration across wales and particularly in the honourable lady's constituency with this state of affairs. they have not. the welsh government have not prioritised building new roads. they are damaging growth potential in places like anglesey. they are spending over 100 million on new politicians and the. and we will work with the right honourable lady to make sure we resolve this. >> sara jones yes , thank you, mr >> sara jones yes, thank you, mr speaken >> mr speaker, the conservative candidate for london mayor has promoted islamophobic tropes online. shame on. >> he endorsed the beliefs of enoch powell . wow. enoch powell. wow. >> and claimed the black community has a problem with crime. yeah in the week that we marked the 31st anniversary of the murder of stephen lawrence, does the deputy prime minister really endorse these views here,

deputy prime minister? >> well, i think the honourable lady knows that she does not correctly represent the views of the candidate. and i find i find it extraordinary that that i'm trying to extraordinary. she raises the issue of crime because whilst labour's london mayor has increased the precept by over 70, actually recorded crime has increased 20% in london. that is the record of the labour london mayor. and no wonder people will be voting against him . against him. >> sheryll murray thank you, mr speaken >> sheryll murray thank you, mr speaker. and i note that i'm the chair of the fisheries appg and thank the government for the recent pollock catch compensation . on the 12th of compensation. on the 12th of may. we will see the first ever national fishing remembrance day. i'll be marking this occasion by laying a wreath at a service being held at new quay side by the memorial plaque, which has the name of my late husband and a fortunately, unfortunately, others on it will the deputy prime minister and

will he ask the prime minister to mark this occasion by remembering those who have died bringing this important food source to our table ? source to our table? >> deputy prime minister well, i know how important this is to the honourable lady, and i'm sure she will be remembering her late husband, neil on on this day. it's important that we all recognise the sacrifices made by fishermen and women to bring to bnng fishermen and women to bring to bring food to our table, and i know that my colleague, minister spencer , will be visiting spencer, will be visiting grimsby on that day at weston . grimsby on that day at weston. >> mr speaker, in today's northern echo , chairman steve northern echo, chairman steve gibson describes the mayor of tees valley as having given away the future of the region's children. he was referring to the 40% of tees works with a forecast worth of £500 million, was gifted by lord houchen in a deal to two local business mates

i >> -- >> mr m >> mr gibson, who helped establish the local development corporation, describes it as as unforgivable. will the government finally admit lord houchen and the conservatives have sold the teesside taxpayers down the river? hey >> he talks about teesside taxpayers . actually, ben houchen taxpayers. actually, ben houchen has never imposed a mayoral precept in two fairly. and actually at the same time , he's actually at the same time, he's saved teesside airport and secured a new freeport for teesside. no wonder people will be voting for him again. teesside. no wonder people will be voting for him again . yes sir. >> iain duncan smith, mr speaken >> iain duncan smith, mr speaker, can i ask my right hon. >> friend if he has seen the video that is doing the rounds of the theft in the shop on my in my constituency station, road of boots the chemist in a space of boots the chemist in a space of eight minutes, two threatening individuals robbed thousands of pounds out of that

shop and they're not alone. >> this is happening again and again, and again. >> in fact, one of my team went out and photographed them, leaving brazenly, not caring and even spitting at the police. >> will he now please say to the home secretary through to the police, this is not a petty crime. >> this is a threat of violence and massive robbery. >> this should be a priority for the police. what we just talk about always is more police. surely what we should be asking to be is more effective policing. and get them off the streets . streets. >> deputy prime minister. >> deputy prime minister. >> well, i think my right hon. friend, is absolutely right to highlight this. and often it's the allegedly lower level crimes are the ones that cause the biggest impact on communities. and i know that my right hon. friend the home secretary has been very clear on that point, and i will make it to him again. it is also why we are rolling out a range of crime prevention measures through the safer streets fund, improving cctv and

cctv and street lighting, and we introduced the police, crime and sentencing courts act again to give greater powers to the police to deliver tougher sentences for more serious offenders. >> jeff smith thank you, mr speaker . speaken >> earlier on in the session, the deputy prime minister said that when the prime minister and chancellor took office, they restored stability to the uk economy. who does he think caused the instability? yi yi ? caused the instability? yi yi? prime minister, i, i remember you. >> they might want to forget it, but i remember the day the conservatives i remember the day the conservatives came into office in 2010. and what was the note left on the desk of the chief secretary? there is no money left that is the challenge that we have addressed with the prime minister and chancellor successively. when the millom. >> mr speaker, labour's mayoral

candidate, that was the deputy prime minister, oliver dowden, with a joke about 2010, by the way, no money left in for labour party taking questions in the house of commons in place of rishi sunak, who was in berlin, about to have a press conference. >> we've left that early because we do know we want to go to that press conference starting at around 1245. we're still here in the studio in westminster for gb news, joined by armed forces minister leo docherty and shadow minister leo docherty and shadow minister for state for the cabinet office, baroness chapman, jenny chapman and you've been sending your questions in to gb news at gb views .com for our panel, because remember, this programme is different. >> all about your questions. so without further ado, yes, indeed, we've got lots coming in and plenty about the army. >> now. we've had one from jackie , to you first, i think jackie, to you first, i think baroness chapman, she she she says successive governments have cut defence spending and police spending , including labour. spending, including labour. you're as bad as each other. >> well , i you're as bad as each other. >> well, i would say to that that we've we want to do right

by our armed forces. i come from darlington near catterick. really big army town, not long ago i was in the top of norway with the marines, listening to what they had to say. the labour party has never been more committed to our our armed services and to our veterans as well. and we will we will try and get to 2.5% of gdp, but we will do it for real. you know, we're not just coming out and saying, yeah, 2.5% the month after. there's been a budget where if this was serious, this commitment should have been in the budget and it should have all been costed. we're going to do this for real. we're not like the tories. we're not sort of in a desperate corner trying to throw out promises to make people happy. we're in the serious business of forming the next government. if the british people give us that privilege and we will make sure, as is the first responsibility of any government is to keep this country safe. >> and we have the armed forces minister with us, leo docherty. >> and so , just to repeat, >> and so, just to repeat, really, jackie's question, successive governments have decreased defence spending and police spending. so her point

really is that on a day which you should be feeling very proud , jackie's really got no confidence in any politicians to sort out our forces or our police. >> well, she should have confidence. we have announced today the largest boost to defence investment in a generation when it's fully funded and it reflects the necessity, given the international environment, for us to do that. and i think what was striking about pmqs is that angela rayner did not match that commitment, that labour refused to put a date on 2.5. and it's not actually surprising, given that people like angela rayner voted against trident and supported jeremy corbyn. let's remember a leader who wanted to aboush remember a leader who wanted to abolish nato , so their abolish nato, so their credibility on defence is pretty slim. >> but they might say that this announcement, this pledge was first made by two prime ministers, two of your prime ministers, two of your prime ministers, boris johnson. nothing happened. >> why should they believe you this time? >> well, because we've we've put a plan in place to deliver that money. boris pointed the direction . given the outrageous direction. given the outrageous invasion of ukraine, rishi sunak

has continued that this is a massive boost. it's real money, it's costed and i think it reflects the deteriorating international. >> it's paid for by cutting civil service jobs, isn't it? can you, can you do that? it's very hard . we cut civil service jobs. >> well, we need to get the civil service back to the size that it was prior to covid. there's been an additional 72,000. so we need to achieve workforce optimisation . we can workforce optimisation. we can also channel some of our growing r&d budget into defence, because we need that industrial base that creates british jobs, but also gives us more sovereignty over our defence capabilities. so all of that in the round is very good news. we'll be the second largest, defence investor in nato and that's nothing to be proud of if you get there, jenny chapman. >> is that why the labour party can't match this commitment? because actually, because of your relation with the trade unions that you could never say, we will cut the civil service because your trade union allies, funders, whatever you want to call them, wouldn't would it go? they'll go bananas wouldn't they?i they'll go bananas wouldn't they? i mean, that's got nothing to do with it. the what you've got to do when you're looking at

our armed forces is you've got to be strategic. and what this government has failed to do is have any kind of strategy for defence. and the reason we've got the smallest army since napoleon is because they've just whittled away. they've had a recruitment crisis on their hands. they failed to reach any of their recruitment targets . of their recruitment targets. yes. and i think that you're seeing gradually that erosion. and you now you need a fresh government to come in with fresh energy and new ideas and actually reset this, as you do in many other areas of, of our state. i mean, look at the health service, look at policing . there are so many things going wrong. no one can point to anything that's better now than it was 14 years ago. that's a hell of a legacy for a government. are we going to stick with the armed forces for now? another question. fantastic questions as ever from our listeners and viewers. we'd love to know where you're from in the country, mark says. why is accommodation for illegal immigrants better than accommodation for our armed forces? >> well, it's not, the accommodation right across

service families and individual accommodation is, is very good. 97% is excellent. we're putting £4 billion into improving that which is not good enough but 4 billion from. >> is this from the same announcement. where's the 4 billion. >> no that's from that's long plan and that's already money that's already been announced and is in the defence budget. i know that from my own constituency in the home of the british army in aldershot, housing is hugely important because of people's lifestyles, the way that they move around in terms of an armed forces career, but we should we should be proud of the offer and we should be proud. the fact that we prioritise that as something that's special to an armed forces career, and that's why we're putting our money where our mouth is. so you're saying you're saying it's fit for purpose? >> family accommodation. can we hearit? >> family accommodation. can we hear it? isn't so. >> so 97% is for purpose. clearly we're judged understandably on that which isn't. and that's why we're playing a huge amount of money. so i know those problems up close, because i see that on the garrison in aldershot, but we should we should be cognisant of the fact that in the round and

overwhelmingly the provision is good and you would like to get to 100. >> of course. >> of course. >> yes. of course. and that's, that's a, that's a, it's a huge estate, of course, right across , estate, of course, right across, the whole country. so that's a constant effort requiring huge investment. but it's money well spent. >> we've moved into the area of immigration. jenny chapman, a question here from paul. if labour came to power and stopped the flights to rwanda, as is your policy , would you put up your policy, would you put up some migrants in one of your one of your houses? >> paul aukus so what we need to do is we need to stop the boats coming. but what? so you've got a choice about how you do that. you can have this rwanda policy, which is costing half £1 billion and counting and already already and counting and already already and absolutely no one's been sent to rwanda yet, and at best is going to deal with a few hundred, maybe 300 migrants. you had 400 arriving just the other day. you've had thousands over easter weekend. the idea that this is going to resolve anything is just for the birds. so you've got to take or so that's one option what the government's doing. or you could

take that half £1 billion and you could spend it on enforcement , on returns unit, on enforcement, on returns unit, on policing, on border force, on making sure that you've got the agreements in place and the enforcement in place to stop the boats coming in the first place. >> the money spent already, i mean, at what level? >> yeah, tell me about it. i know a few hundred, i get that, but if it was like, say 10,000 have flown by in november election, would you still axe it? i cannot imagine for one second that that is going to be the situation at the moment . the situation at the moment. you've got it's costing £2 million per person. you know what i don't understand about the labour position and tony blair gave an interview at the weekend. i thought that's the right position. so he said this in an interview in the sunday times. i've got no problem with rwanda per se , but i don't think rwanda per se, but i don't think it will stop the boats. the labour party's position is even if it did, we'd scrap it. that's what i find , incoherent, what i find, incoherent, illogical. okay. if it did, as a major, major leap of a thought experiment, then we might be having a different conversation. but there's absolutely no

evidence that this is going to work because we're up against the people traffickers and the people smugglers and the news flash is they lie to people. they take their money, they put them in boats. they make them risk their lives . they're lying risk their lives. they're lying to people. and that is not going to people. and that is not going to stop because we spend half £1 billion spending a really small number of people to rwanda when you've got hundreds of thousands coming and he's putting a sentence, a question on the same subject, what is the point ? this subject, what is the point? this question to you, leo docherty, the armed forces minister, what's the point of the rwanda scheme if it will only take 200 people when 400 people arrived yesterday? well we're going to fly now to berlin. >> i'm afraid any pmqs live for questions with the prime minister. rishi sunak and olaf scholz the german chancellor >> nichts ich sage. das naturlich mit blick auf den angriff. krieg den russland gegen die ukraine fur eine krieg

der unrwa lied erzeugt und unglaubliche zerstorung . unglaubliche zerstorung. deutschland und grossbritannien stehen. gemeinsam an der zeit der ukraine. unser ziel ist klar zu unterstutzen, dass sich die ukraine gegen die russische aggression. >> as soon as the prime minister, our prime minister is speaking, we're going to take you right back there. but the question that i posed to our armed forces minister is this from annie? what is the point of the rwanda scheme if it will only take 200 people when 400 people arrived yesterday, well , people arrived yesterday, well, until we start it, the deterrent will not come into play. >> so we've got to get it started. >> isn't isn't drowning in the sea quite a big deterrent? >> well, no. i mean, people are continuing to be exploited by people smugglers. we need to break that chain of attraction. and that's why , rwanda is so, so and that's why, rwanda is so, so important. so we've got to get the flights going that will provide the deterrent , and it's provide the deterrent, and it's remarkable that labour say that if they were in power, they would abandon that scheme because that deterrent would then be removed. and the numbers

coming across the channel would increase under a labour government. i think that's that's that's the do you think it will stop the boats. >> rubbish. so the, the boats will be stopped as soon as that flight's in the air. >> i think that's when the deterrent will kick in and numbers will come. >> how many need to take off before they stop? >> well, i think let's wait and see. but i think but i think when it happens, it will happen. >> in fact, we've got half an hour here. olaf scholz german chancellor, will go straight to rishi sunak when he speaks. a quick one for you, though, jenny chapman. why is your boss, keir starmer, not looked at the tax advice that angela rayner has commissioned about her home sale? >> because he's not a tax lawyer, is he? i mean, he's a lawyer, is he? i mean, he's a lawyer, though he is a lawyer, but that tax advice will contain lots of very personal information . it's her tax information. it's her tax advice. she said she's happy to share it with the police, with hmrc. they're the people who should be seeing it . that's. should be seeing it. that's. havei should be seeing it. that's. have i seen her tax advice? don't be daft of course not. i wouldn't ask to see her tax advice. you show me your tax advice. you show me your tax advice. i'm not apologising, thank goodness. but no , i mean thank goodness. but no, i mean she will show it to the people

who need to see it. they will make a judgement. if she's done anything wrong, she said she will resign. she's very clear that she hasn't done anything wrong. i don't really know what more she can be expected to say. ever call on each other and it's been done from both sides on their opponents to publish their tax advice. is that ever fair game, or should we not even have that debate as part of our political discourse? i think, i think it can be appropriate. i mean , i think the nadhim zahawi mean, i think the nadhim zahawi situation where he was shown to owe millions to hmrc, which he claimed was an oversight, i think that was quite an extreme example . this with angela, we're example. this with angela, we're talking about something that may or may not have happened over ten years ago. before she was an mp . the amounts are really mp. the amounts are really small, and she's very happy to share that with with the tax authorities. so i, i'm fairly satisfied with that. and i think, i think most people watching at home a small figures here, you're picking on someone who is i don't who's pull yourself up by your bootstraps. >> yeah. well yeah. but i don't

think the fact that this sums may be small. that's not really the point. the question is integrity. and she should come clean. and i think there is a case for her showing her taxes. and also keir starmer as the leader of the labour party, she showed a bit of leadership and leads from the front on this rather than just burying his headin rather than just burying his head in the sand. >> there was a joke in there was it the right honourable landlady? but he used it at the very end, as you were saying, james, before the lady herself could respond. >> i mean, credit where it's due. that's not a bad line for pmqs. i did notice, though, that he said it in reply to question six, where, of course, angela rayner doesn't then get the opportunity to stand up and raneem's law with him like she would have done, you know, question from elizabeth why won't either party accept that the housing crisis will not be solved by building more social housing or reforming leigh sales? it's about building housing. we need to keep up with the with with the increasing demand which is being caused by massive population growth, fuelled by immigration, both parties have failed at building new homes, says elizabeth.

there's too many people or there's not enough homes for the number of people. >> she's right, isn't she? well it's a it's a tremendous challenge. >> but if you look at the housing numbers, since we've beenin housing numbers, since we've been in power since 2010, the trend is positive. but of course, we need to do more and i think it's about ensuring that there is that buoyancy in the economy. so principally, it's an economic question of there being that buoyancy in economy to ensure that that economic energy can be spent on building homes. and clearly, immigration is one factor, but that's, you know, immigration is dynamic and, that is another function of the fact that we've got a very a buoyant, attractive economy. >> you've been saying your policy isn't is built on, on green belt where you have to the green belt where you have to the green belt where you have to the green belt you call it okay. the green belt you call it okay. the green belt. what is grey belt ' 7 m. again? >> it's sort of old car parks. there's an old petrol station that's designated green belt. we're saying , that's designated green belt. we're saying, come on, that could be a really good place for housing. so we're calling that grey belt. but i mean, we do need to get building more houses. we have to do that. the average age now of someone buying their first house is like

mid to late 30s. >> do you think it's a it's a moral duty on people not to fight new homes, do you think? >> i mean, lots of people who have homes sit back. i'm happy. but aren't these poor kids who can't get on the ladder? >> i wouldn't call it a moral duty. i think it's fair that people have a say in what is built in their community, and you know it's not right to have a free for all. the labour party doesn't want that. what we want is to have a proper planned out, programme of building so that people can get on the housing ladder and start putting down roots and building those communities. i think it would have been sensible if, keir starmer would have said that at labour party conference and put it in those terms . but we are it in those terms. but we are going to berlin now where our prime minister, rishi sunak , is prime minister, rishi sunak, is speaking pandemic. >> i was on the phone a lot with you and i hugely valued your advice as i designed our furlough scheme, which took in some part inspiration from your kurzarbeit policy that you had instituted previously . instituted previously. >> and i also remember we bonded

over the uk's most famous export to your adopted hometown of hamburg , which was, of course, hamburg, which was, of course, the beatles. >> and when his majesty his king was here last year on his first state visit as monarch, he spoke in the bundestag of renewing the special bond of friendship between our countries and our partnership is, i believe, a perfect symbol of that. and at this dangerous moment, perfect symbol of that. and at this dangerous moment , the bond this dangerous moment, the bond between our two nations is stronger than ever. we meet as a war rages on our continent and new threats are rising around the world. and olaf, i want to congratulate you on your leadership in recognising the zeit and vendor and you taking the historic decision to increase germany's defence spending. and we stand here today together as the leading defence spenders in europe, unshakeable nato allies and the two largest military supporters of ukraine in europe. and together we will continue to provide unwavering support for our ukrainian friends. as you said, for as long as it takes .

said, for as long as it takes. and we look forward to the ukrainian recovery conference being hosted here in berlin in june, and i know we'll continue to work closely together on other global challenges, including putting the middle east on a better path. and together we have acted to meet this moment. we've taken greater responsibility for our collective security, and today we're going even further, opening a new chapter in the security relationship between our two nations. as you heard from chancellor schulz , we've from chancellor schulz, we've committed to delivering a new framework for our cooperation on defence, and we're delivering an immediate expansion of our industrial cooperation, announcing a joint endeavour to procure the boxer artillery system, providing our soldiers with a new cutting edge capability and supporting hundreds of german and british jobs. because let's be clear, this is a partnership that connects with all aspects of our economy and our society, and you and i discussed our cooperation in many other areas today , from

in many other areas today, from technology and ai in many other areas today, from technology and al to irregular migration to trade and investment. and i'm delighted to say that we have also secured around £8 billion of new investment in britain, including into our energy sector. so i very much look forward to deepening our discussions in the coming months and weeks through the g7 and the nato summits. the european political community , european political community, and maybe when our two football teams meet at euro 2024, because for all our shared values and our shared determination to meet the challenges of this new era, the challenges of this new era, the thing that really unites us, as you said, is our people. olaf, the love that liverpool has for jurgen klopp olaf, the love that liverpool has forjurgen klopp or olaf, the love that liverpool has for jurgen klopp or that munich has for harry kane, it's a reminder of the special bond of friendship that his majesty has described. so with close allies , partners and friends, we allies, partners and friends, we will continue to stand side by side to preserve security and prosperity in the uk , germany prosperity in the uk, germany and across this continent. thank you . thank you very much. you. thank you very much. >> thank you for having me. part of the first question was very .

of the first question was very. >> thank you very much, chancellor . chancellor. >> may i ask you, are you 100? >> may i ask you, are you 100? >> so we have, pm rishi sunak and olaf scholz talking about the warm relations between these two big countries, still big countries in the world. world economy. olaf scholz, talk about jurgen klopp and also , rishi jurgen klopp and also, rishi sunak saying the same. there's lots of shared interest in the two countries. >> yes. >> yes. >> and making a nice little joke about when, england plays germany in the euros, when presumably that , relationship presumably that, relationship will be a little more tense . will be a little more tense. but, some people, say that , but, some people, say that, prime minister rishi sunak hasn't spent enough time on the international stage. when it was tony blair, people used to say that he spent too much time on the international stage, yeah. and, well, we have here, i think mr sunak, he's taking back some

control over the uk's pr job overseas. >> he's outsourced it to david cameron as the ex prime minister in the past few months, making him foreign minister. of course , him foreign minister. of course, his last trip overseas was to the cop climate conference, go back into listen to our prime minister rightly with a reduction in civil service headcount back to 2019 levels. >> since then, we've seen a very significant rise that isn't sustainable or needed . the sustainable or needed. the chancellor has conducted a detailed exercise. he announced this at the end of last year. that exercise is completed, and that's what gives us the confidence that we can release the savings needed to fund our defence plan, combined with an uplift in r&d spending, which we had already budgeted for, is already included in our plans. but you are right, we are making a choice to prioritise defence with both of those decisions and i believe that's the right thing to do because whether we like it or not, the world is, i think, more dangerous than it's been at any moment since the cold war.

and it falls on leaders, whether that's olaf, whether that's me to do what's necessary to keep our countries and our continent safe and to for stand up our values. that's what the britain has always done, and that's what we are doing today. that's why i announced what i did yesterday . announced what i did yesterday. it is the biggest strengthening of our national defence in a generation . it is fully funded generation. it is fully funded and it is based on the fact that we have a strong economy and an economic plan that is working . economic plan that is working. and you can see that when i came into this office and inflation was at 11, it's now 3% and falling energy bills coming down, interest rates to follow, growth returning. and it's because our economic plan is working that i'm able to make these announcements. and they are entirely consistent with our ability to keep cutting people's taxes. you know, just in the past few weeks, the second of our tax cuts kicked in, that's a £900 tax cut for someone on average earnings, together with the state pension going up £900 and our tax cuts to support business investment . but you do business investment. but you do need to have a clear and

credible economic plan in order to make these announcements. we do. that plan is working, and that's why i was able to announce what i did. i mean, just i'll olaf will answer your question on on the us . i think question on on the us. i think the only thing i'd point out before he does is i think olaf would agree with me. you know, us presidents, as you've heard from the secretary—general yesterday, have always called for more european defence spending. that's not new. and i think that is entirely reasonable . you know, olaf reasonable. you know, olaf addressed it in his remarks. you know, we can't expect americans to pay any price to take any burden if we in europe are not ourselves prepared to make those sacrifices and make those investments . and that's exactly investments. and that's exactly what we are doing, i think. olaf, i talked about the zeit and vendor and the leadership he's shown. you've seen my announcement yesterday and said, we've historically been one of the people that's always met our 2% commitment, but it's important that we in europe demonstrate that we are doing that in order, i think, to keep the us committed to nato. and the us committed to nato. and the weekend news was very welcome. olaf >> yeah. danke fur ihre farage.

ich weiss, warum sie haben denn die beziehungen zwischen den usa und deutschland, die beziehungen zwischen den usa und den europaischen nato und auch europa. insgesamt sind excellent. das hat was zu tun mit der leadership von president biden. die wirklich ordentlich ist und der sich sehr intensive und aktiv eine. >> so our prime minister rishi sunak referring to that big defence spending announcement today. defence spending announcement today . but actually lots of you today. but actually lots of you have been getting in touch with us today about that announcement, and there seems to be a great deal of, of mistrust that anything will get better , that anything will get better, from our viewers when it comes to defence spending. >> that's right . governments >> that's right. governments repeatedly promising more money and not delivering. and we heard from jenny chapman and she was saying very clearly, we will as a labour party, do our best to get there, but only after, a spending review in the first year of the next parliament. if labour win the election, that means that we will have a clear

dividing line in the election glory, doesn't it, between tory saying, here's what we'll do. labour's saying we can't promise it yet. >> yes . and i guess when >> yes. and i guess when politicians make announcements people would think, well , that people would think, well, that would sort of happen straight away. but of course the funding for this announcement is dependent on cutting back on civil service jobs. now how long does that process take? so the idea that, you make an announcement and the spending taps are turned on is not accurate, which goes to your point that is made an election issue. >> it's very hard to cut civil service jobs. we heard there from the prime minister in berlin saying that this is the biggest spending in a generation on defence. he clearly i think i think it's good politics, frankly, for him personally, i think it's it sorts out that a difficult backbenches ahead of a difficult backbenches ahead of a difficult local elections. and i think it also puts a dividing line with labour. >> but do you people does it move the dial. does it move the dial. and actually those local elections which are next thursday now aren't they, but we're not going to get the

results of those local elections to later than that. but yeah, god, goodness only knows what happens after that . and whether happens after that. and whether announcements like this will come, will come . come, will come. >> hand over now to our colleagues, tom and emily on good afternoon britain. tom and emily, are you there? we are indeed, christopher. >> thank you. and what an interesting press conference that was. i noticed the prime minister there standing in front of an eu flag. i haven't seen a press conference before where the eu member state has a non eu member state, with also an upset. >> you didn't it tom i just found that was curious. >> but we're going to be talking to jonathan gullace, the tory mp who asked an extraordinary long prime minister's question. >> we're going to get his take. >> we're going to get his take. >> he gave robert peston a run for his money, didn't he? he did, he did. >> he kept going and going and going. but there you go. >> absolutely. we're also going to be debating two tier policing after various protests seem to have, varying degrees of severity . severity. >> yes. >> yes. >> of course, this came after the saint george's day rallies yesterday in central london. we're asking the question also about pro—palestine protests to

stay with us. it's going to be a fantastic show with you until 3:00. but first, your weather. >> a brighter outlook with boxt solar sponsors of weather on . gb news. >> hi there and welcome to the latest update from the met office for gb news. >> a fine spring day for most of us today. >> dry sunny spells the odd shower here and there, most likely across southern parts of the country . the country. >> we've got higher pressure to the north—west. that's where the sunniest skies will be across much of scotland into northern ireland, north—west england, nonh ireland, north—west england, north wales as well. elsewhere, cloud building and yeah, south wales, southwest england . east wales, southwest england. east anglia could see the odd shower but these will be few and far between for the vast majority is a dry afternoon and in the sunshine with light winds towards the northwest. >> although temperatures aren't going to be very exciting, it's going to be very exciting, it's going to be very exciting, it's going to feel fairly pleasant still. this cool breeze down the nonh still. this cool breeze down the north sea coast 9 or 10 celsius

on the cool side for the time of year into the evening, the cloud will tend to thin and break in places, but there'll be further showers coming into the north—east for a time and then some cloud development and some showers into parts of wales, western england, as well . western england, as well. >> with the cloud, temperatures will stay up at 4 or 5 celsius. >> but where we do see some clear spells, well, it's going to be a frosty start on thursday , especially for parts of scotland, northern ireland as well. >> a chill in the air first thing, but plenty of sunshine here and actually it stays largely dry towards the northwest once again . whilst northwest once again. whilst i think a cloudier day is expected elsewhere, particularly into the afternoon where there'll be some showers for the midlands, east anglia and the south east. highs of 13 or 14 celsius. >> it looks like things are heating up. boxt boilers sponsors of weather on

gb news. >> good afternoon. >> good afternoon. >> britain. >> britain. >> it's 1:00 >> britain. >> it's1:00 on wednesday. >> it's1:00 on wednesday. >> the 24th of april. >> the 24th of april. >> it is indeed now a prime minister abroad as he faces some struggles at home. while rishi sunak says the uk and germany will continue to provide unwavering support for ukraine. he's under fire from the labour party over small boats and a divided party after the violent clashes that broke out in whitehall yesterday . whitehall yesterday. >> some say the metropolitan police is guilty of two tier policing coming down hard on saint george's day events, whilst being soft on pro—palestinian protests. >> well, we'll be debating that this hour . this hour. >> and horses, one covered in blood , rampage through central blood, rampage through central london, smashing into traffic . london, smashing into traffic. was this a household cavalry exercise which went horribly wrong? we'll have the details