Starmer urges MPs to ‘lower the temperature’ in trans debate, as Badenoch challenges him to admit he was wrong about defining women
Kemi Badenoch also wishes people a happy St George’s Day. And she says, being married to a Catholic, she knows how much the Pope meant to people.
Does the PM accept that, when he said a trans woman was a woman, he was wrong.
Starmer says the supreme court ruling has brought clarity.
He sets out the principles he is applying. And he says it is time to “lower the temperature” on this issue.
UPDATE: Badenoch said:
Does the prime minister now accept that when he said that it was the law that trans women were women, he was wrong?
And Starmer replied:
Let me be clear, I welcome the Supreme Court ruling on this issue. It brings clarity and it will give confidence to women and, of course, to service providers.
The Equality and Human Rights Commission will now issue updated guidance, and it is important that that happens and that all service providers then act accordingly.
This government’s approach, and my approach, has been as follows: to support and implement the supreme court ruling, and we will, to continue to protect single-sex spaces based on biological sex, and we will, but also to ensure that trans people are treated with respect, and we will, and to ensure that everybody is given dignity in their everyday lives.
I do think this is the time now to lower the temperature, to move forward, and to conduct this debate with the care and compassion that it deserves. And I think that should unite the whole house.
Key events
Starmer refuses to promise MPs will see new OBR analysis of welfare cuts before they vote on them
Andy McDonald (Lab) says too many of his constituents live on low incomes, or in poverty. He asks for an assurance that MPs will get to see a fresh OBR analysis, covering the impact of the pro-employment measures, before they have to vote on the welfare cuts. And he asks for an assurance that the measures will not lead to an increase in poverty.
Starmer says the system needs to be reformed, and the government will help people into work.
Robin Swann (UUP) asks Starmer to explain his understanding of the principle of consent in Northern Ireland. And he asks if Starmer is a unionist.
Starmer says he stands behind the principles in the Good Friday agreement.
Starmer declines to commit to giving MPs vote on any potential trade deal with US
Ed Davey, the Lib Dem leader, asks about the hospital building programme.
Starmer says the plans left by the last government were not realistic. He says the Lib Dems need to get more realistic about how hospital rebuilding programmes are funded.
Davey says, unlike Labour, the Lib Dems had a funded plan for hospitals at the last election.
He turns to farming, and asks Starmer to guarantee that MPs will get a vote on any future trade deal with the US.
Starmer says, if there is a deal, there will be a “process” by which it becomes law.
He is referring to the procedure by which treaties are ratified – which does not always lead to MPs getting a vote.
Starmer says Tories think Badenoch will be replaced as leader, and says Farage will eat them ‘for breakfast’
Badenoch says this is about political courage, about doing the right thing, even when it is difficult. And Starmer “doesn’t have the balls”.
Starmer says that probably sounded better when Badenoch practised that. He says it does not matter what Badenoch thinks, because none of the Tories think she will lead them into the next election. Robert Jenrick is away plotting. And Nigel Farage will do what he always does, and “eat the Tories for breakfast”, he says.
Badenoch accuses Starmer of playing political football with this issue.
Starmer returns to the Jenrick story, and says the country knows what will happen when the Tories work with Reform UK.
Badenoch says Labour MPs are plotting on a WhatsApp group to overturn the supreme court judgment.
Starmer says the WhatsApp group that Badenoch should be worried about is the one being run by Robert Jenrick, who is not here, he says.
Badenoch says Duffield was practically forced out of the party. She might have a case for constructive dismissal, she says. Badenoch says she personally was abused for her stance on this. And Starmer hid from the issue, she says.
Starmer says Badenoch did nothing for women as equalities minister, just as she did nothing for business when she was business secretary.
Badenoch asks Starmer if he will apologise to Rosie Duffield for forcing her out of the party.
Starmer repeats his call for people to treat this issue with respect.
He says we should not have a repeat of what happened when Rishi Sunak, “a decent man”, diminished himself by making a joke about trans people at PMQs.
Starmer urges MPs to ‘lower the temperature’ in trans debate, as Badenoch challenges him to admit he was wrong about defining women
Kemi Badenoch also wishes people a happy St George’s Day. And she says, being married to a Catholic, she knows how much the Pope meant to people.
Does the PM accept that, when he said a trans woman was a woman, he was wrong.
Starmer says the supreme court ruling has brought clarity.
He sets out the principles he is applying. And he says it is time to “lower the temperature” on this issue.
UPDATE: Badenoch said:
Does the prime minister now accept that when he said that it was the law that trans women were women, he was wrong?
And Starmer replied:
Let me be clear, I welcome the Supreme Court ruling on this issue. It brings clarity and it will give confidence to women and, of course, to service providers.
The Equality and Human Rights Commission will now issue updated guidance, and it is important that that happens and that all service providers then act accordingly.
This government’s approach, and my approach, has been as follows: to support and implement the supreme court ruling, and we will, to continue to protect single-sex spaces based on biological sex, and we will, but also to ensure that trans people are treated with respect, and we will, and to ensure that everybody is given dignity in their everyday lives.
I do think this is the time now to lower the temperature, to move forward, and to conduct this debate with the care and compassion that it deserves. And I think that should unite the whole house.
Charlotte Nichols (Lab) asks about the criminal injuries compensation scheme, and says payment rates have not been uprated for years.
Starmer says he is committed to delivering justice to vicitims. Access to compensation is being improved through better online access. He will arrange a meeting with a minister for Nichols.
Steve Darling (Lib Dem) says the chaotic Tory government causesd a cost of living crisis. People in tourism in Torbay thought they had weathered the storm. But they fear Labour’s job tax will be the last nail in the coffin. Will Starmer visits Paignton zoo in Torbay to view the impact?
Starmer starts by wishing Darling’s guide dog a happy birthday. He has been to Torbay many times, and worked there, he says. He says he recognises the importance of tourism.
Keir Starmer starts by saying all MPs will want to pay tribute to Pope Francis, particularly because of his lifelong work on fairness. People were inspired by his compassion and humility, he says. “May his Holiness rest in peace.”
And he wishes everyone a happy St George’s Day.
As a former journalist, the Labour MP Paul Waugh has a good turn of phrase. Here is his take on the Robert Jenrick Reform UK story. (See 9.04am.)
The only thing that is two-tier in British politics is the two-tier Tory leadership.
Badenoch is nominally in charge, but Jenrick thinks he’s leader.
And if he is the boss, the voters should know he wants a backroom Tory-Reform deal
Starmer says patriots should ‘fight for our flag’ in St George’s Day speech
Keir Starmer normally starts PMQs with a reference to events in the week that are important, and today he is likely to acknowledge that it is St George’s Day. He hosted a St George’s Day reception in No 10 last night and, in a speech to his guests, he said it was time for patriots to reclaim the flag of St George. He said:
While this is a day for celebration, we cannot be under any illusions that there is a never-ending fight for our flag and what it represents. I’ll put it this way, when I was standing in the old Wembley in 1996 – not many people sat down that day, it felt like that whole tournament embodied the best of our country.
Yet now – there are people trying to sow division in our communities, people taking the red and white of our flag, like the bunting downstairs, with them, as they throw bricks at businesses.
The day after the terrible Southport incident last year, I went up to take the opportunity to shake the hands of the first respondents of police and ambulance workers, you’ll now have seen what they all faced …
By the time I got back to London that very day, we had people throwing bricks at the very same police officers I was shaking hands with.
And that’s why the battle for our flag is really important because that is what happened and that was only last year. So, we have to fight for our flag and for our values.
Because it was the aftermath of the riots that showed what it means to be English. It marked the coming together of a country.
People who got together the morning after, all across Britain with shovels, brooms, and brushes, to clean up their communities. Rebuilding walls, repairing damage and it’s in that spirit that we reclaim our flag and that was incredibly uplifting to go from rioting to people coming out to do what they could for our country.
So that’s what we must do for our country, for English decency, honour and fairness. Wrench it out of the hands of those who want to divide this nation and reclaim it for good.
Because that flag doesn’t belong to me as prime minister or any group or political party and that is the point.
It belongs to all of us to England, in all its wonder and diversity. And we should be proud of that flag, we must never concede it, because it is an expression of our values and our patriotism.
Starmer faces Badenoch at PMQs
PMQs is almost here.
Here is the list of MPs down to ask a question.
